featured music sung by the Choral Scholars of St Martin in the Fields including: O come ye servants of the Lord – Tye; Psalm 20; Be thou my vision – Chilcott and Most glorious Lord of Lyfe – Harris.
Next Mondays "Discover & Explore" at 1.10pm will explore Christianity in Roman London as the
#Londinium series continues -
https://ssw.churchsuite.co.uk/events/q20myjzs.
In my reflection I said:
Throughout its first three centuries, the church went through unimaginable persecution from the Roman Empire, though all the time growing and spreading. It began with a small group from the backwaters of the Roman Empire and after two to three centuries go by, that same group and its descendants have somehow taken over the Roman Empire and become the official religion, in fact the only tolerated religion, of the Roman Empire by the end of the 4th century. The key event, an extraordinary turn of events, was when the Roman Emperor himself became a Christian.
Constantine was a successful general, the son of a successful general (who had been a Christian). In 312, there were two claimants to the imperial throne. Maxentius held the capital city, Rome, and most of Italy, but Constantine held most of the Western empire, had the support of most of the army and had marched on Rome. In October 312, he was camped north of the city preparing for what would be the show-down with his rival, but worried because he did not have the resources to sustain a long siege.In this struggle, Constantine was convinced that he needed more powerful aid than his military forces could give him, so he sought the help of the God in whom his father had believed.
Constantine called on God with earnest prayer to reveal to him who he was, and stretch forth his right hand to help him in his present difficulties. And while he was thus praying with fervent entreaty, a most extraordinary sign appeared to him from heaven – about noon, when the day was already beginning to decline, he saw with his own eyes the sign of a cross of light in the heavens, above the sun, and bearing the inscription, “By this symbol you will conquer.” He was struck with amazement by the sight, and his whole army witnessed the miracle.
He said that he was unsure what this apparition could mean, but that while he continued to ponder, night suddenly came on. In his sleep, the Christ of God appeared to him with the same sign which he had seen in the heavens, and commanded him to make a likeness of that sign which he had seen in the heavens, and to use it as a safeguard in all engagements with his enemies. At the break of day he rose and told his friends about the marvel. Then he called together the workers in gold and precious stones, sat in the midst of them, and described to them the sign he had seen, telling them to represent it in gold and precious stones.
It was made in the following manner. A long spear overlaid with gold with a transverse bar laid over it formed the figure of the cross. A wreath of gold and precious stones was fixed to the top with the symbol of the Saviour’s name with in it – the first two [Greek] letters of Christ’s name, the rho being intersected by chi in its centre. [These two letters look like X and P.] Shortly after this, to everyone's surprise, Maxentius decided to risk a battle outside the city walls and Constantine's army won a decisive victory, forcing their opponents back across the Milvian Bridge into the city. Constantine took the city and became emperor, apparently convinced that the God of the Christians had given him victory. As emperor he constantly made use of this sign of salvation as a safeguard against every adverse and hostile power, and commanded that others similar to it should be carried at the head of all his armies. With this standard leading the way, he consolidated his power by conquering, eventually, not only the West, but also the Greek East where there were many more Christians. Within one person’s lifetime, the Empire went from the most savage of its several persecutions of Christians to embracing Christianity.
His new faith was reflected in his imperial policy; he outlawed infanticide, the abuse of slaves and peasants, and crucifixion and he made Sunday a day of rest. He rebuilt Jerusalem and helped the bishops of the Church to iron out a unitary policy of what a true Christian believes. In 314 three bishops from Britain – London, York and Lincoln – attended the first Council of Arles, one of several synods convened by Constantine. There was much that was positive, therefore, about Constantine’s vision and conversion, not least, the spread of Christianity across the Roman Empire. However, we must also recognise that his actions and understanding changed Christianity irrevocably. Christianity moved from being a marginalized, subversive, and persecuted movement secretly gathering in houses and catacombs to being the favoured religion in the empire. Christianity moved from being a dynamic, revolutionary, social, and spiritual movement to being a religious institution with its attendant structures, priesthood, and sacraments.
While there is much talk of victory in both the New Testament and the Early Church, the victory being spoken of is that of Christ, in his death and resurrection, over the hostile powers that hold humanity in subjection, those powers being variously understood as the devil, sin, the law, and death. This is a victory over spiritual powers which hold sway over all people. Christ died for all human beings, without exception, and taught that we should love our enemies and repay evil with good. Constantine’s vision, dream and standard are, therefore, a complete reversal of Christ’s teachings and actions.
Constantine began the establishment of Christendom by showering Christian ministers with every possible honour, treating them favourably as people who were consecrated to the service of his God, having them accompany him on his travels, believing that the God they served would help him as a result. Instead of renouncing wealth and power, Christian ministers were gaining it. Constantine also gave vast amounts of money from his own personal treasury to the churches of God, for the enlarging and heightening of their sacred buildings and for decorating the sanctuaries of the church. The Church was now able to have bibles copied at public expense. It was finally able to have public Christian architecture and big basilicas. So, a comfortable symbiotic relationship between the empire and the Church developed; a relationship which came to define the cultural powerhouse of Europe and the West. It came about, however, through a reversal of Christ’s teaching about power and wealth.
The dilemmas caused by these changes are captured well in Patti Smith’s song entitled ‘Constantine’s Dream’, of which we have heard an extract read. In the complete song we encounter St Francis and Columbus as well as Constantine and Piero della Francesca. Constantine’s Dream, the song suggests, led to the art of della Francesca and the discoveries of Columbus, but conflicted with the simplicity of Francis’ lifestyle that was close to that of Christ and the harmony of his relationship with the natural world around him. In the New World Columbus encountered the same kind of unspoilt beauty that St Francis enjoyed, yet his arrival led to the destruction of that unspoilt beauty in the name of Empire. The song ends with the 21st century advancing like the angel that had come to Constantine, and Columbus sees all of nature aflame in the apocalyptic night and the dream of the troubled king Constantine dissolved into light. In this way it poses the very valid question as whether the power and wealth that the Church gained because of Constantine’s dream was actually blessing or curse.
https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/study/module/constantine/
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/why/legitimization.html
http://veritas.community/veritas-community/2014/05/19/constantine-is-the-emperor-of-our-imagination-and-he-is-naked-missional-church-planting-in-the-midst-of-post-christendom
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/aprilweb-only/christusvicarious.html
http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/christendom-murray.pdf
Prayers
Lord God, you rule over every principality and power, every human and every spirit, every tribe and every tongue. You have charged us to make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and teaching them obey all your commands. Enable us, as your servants, to speak your word with great boldness. May the word of God spread. Rapidly increase the number of disciples here in the City of London. Teach us the ways of your kingdom. Teach us the ways of your Gospel that comes with the power of humility, love and self-sacrifice. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, you sent your Son Jesus Christ to reconcile the world to yourself: We praise and bless you for those whom you have sent in the power of the Spirit to preach the Gospel to all nations. We thank you that in all parts of the earth a community of love has been gathered together by their prayers and labours, and that in every place your servants call upon your Name; for the kingdom and the power and the glory are yours for ever. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord Jesus Christ, you humbled yourself in taking the form of a servant, and in obedience died on the cross for our salvation: give us the courage to follow you and to proclaim you as Lord and King, by practising your love, humility and self-sacrifice and by rejecting the temptations of power, prestige, status and wealth. Draw your Church together, O God, into one great company of disciples, together following our Lord Jesus Christ into every walk of life, together serving him in his mission to the world, and together witnessing to his love on every continent and island. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Blessing
May God, who gives patience and encouragement, give you a spirit of unity to live in harmony as you follow Jesus Christ, so that with one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; and the blessing of God almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, rest upon you and remain with you now and always. Amen.
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Patti Smith -
Constantine's Dream.
