Eusebius' final pages are among the most optimistic in all of historical literature. Why is Eusebius so positive and so hopeful about the future? In particular, why is he so positive about Constantine? What is Constantine doing that makes Eusebius feel that the Roman world is exactly on the right track? Do you feel Eusebius is missing anything here?
Saturday, April 8, 2023
Eusebius Book X
Eusebius' final pages are among the most optimistic in all of historical literature. Why is Eusebius so positive and so hopeful about the future? In particular, why is he so positive about Constantine? What is Constantine doing that makes Eusebius feel that the Roman world is exactly on the right track? Do you feel Eusebius is missing anything here?
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Well, for one Eusebius' positivity is warranted. For most of the churches history, it looked like it was going to fade away into the background. But with Constantine as emperor, it was made front stage. Eusebius really likes Constantine as well. Constantine makes it easy and gives incentives to be a christian in the Empire as well. He provides grants to christian institutions, gives them authority, lets them walk in his royal processions. Everywhere he goes, he surrounds himself in Christians. He also sponsors the council of Nicea, he also prevents persecutions as well. These are all the things that Eusebius would want to see for a good future. An end to persecution and the triumph of christianity would be something a Christian would be hopeful about. Eusebius is missing a fair Criticism of Constantine.
ReplyDelete-Walker Larson
Eusebius was most likely positive and hopeful for the future because of Constantine because I feel like he was trying to bring Rome back to Christianity/on the right track religion wise. I feel like Eusebius is missing the bigger picture when it comes to Constantine in the long run. While he may have seen the positive path that Rome was on because persecution of the Christians kind of came to a close, but that was only a cover for what was happening outside of Rome. It was almost like Eusebius was not seeing the big picture of what was happening elsewhere in the world.
ReplyDeleteEusebius is most likely hopeful about the future because Christianity has survived through tons of persecution under Roman rule and is still around and starting to spread all over the place. I think he's positive about Constantine because he was Rome's 1st Christian emperor and there's also plenty of evidence that Constantine was sincere in his Christianity. Constantine helps the Romans transition from pagan religion and worshiping false Gods to worshiping the one true God and leaving all there pagan ways behind. I don't think Eusebius misses too much, I think he's pretty much spot on. - Eathen Erck
ReplyDeleteBook X clearly shows Eusebius' positive attitude toward Emperor Constantine. Eusebius includes much evidence of the improvement of the treatment of Christians and the church in general. For example, he includes details about the building of new churches and also adds decrees and ordinances written by Constantine. In these, he talks about freedom of religion and how Christians should be treated: "both Christians and all others sho7ld be permitted to keep the faith of their own sect and worship...no one at all was to be denied the right to follow or choose the Christian form of worship or observance...any of the property that belonged to the catholic church of the Christians in any city or place....should be restored immediately to these same churches."
ReplyDeleteAll these things are very nice, yes, but I think Eusebius is forgetting that no one is perfect--Constantine included. In this book, Eusebius praises Constantine for all he's done to the church and all his positive actions, but was that all he did? I highly doubt it. I am not very well educated on my ancient Roman history, but I'm sure each and every emperor had his faults--even Constantine. No one is THAT good.
-Lauren Bland
I think that Eusebius feeling so positive and hopeful about the future with Constantine is valid. Constantine has brought Christianity to the forefront and ended the horrendous persecutions. Constantine believes that everyone should be free to practice their own religion and that any stolen belongings or property should be returned to the Church. I do however feel that Eusebius is missing the whole picture. He is so focused on how GREAT Constantine is that he doesn’t leave room for any faults, which I am sure Constantine had given his human nature and man’s tendency to sin.
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