Introduction Home Page Pilgrim Church Index
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313-476 AD 300-850 AD 350-385 AD
CHURCH and State associated - Churches refusing union with the State - Donatists condemned - Council of Nicaea - Arianism restored - Athanasius - Creeds - Canon of Scripture - The Roman world and the Church - Break up of the Western Roman Empire - Anugustine - Pelaginus - Change in the position of the Church - False doctrines; Manichaeism, Arianism, Pelagianism Sacerdotalism - Monasticism - The Scriptures remain for guidance - Missions - Departure from New Testament Missionary principle - Irish and Scottish Missions on the Continent - Conflict between British and Roman Missions - Priscillian.
313-476 THE PROMINENCE OF THE BISHOPS and especially of the Metropolitans in the Catholic churches made for ease in communication between the Church and the civil authorities. Constantine himself, while retaining the old imperial dignity of chief priest of Pagan religion, assumed that of arbitrator of the Christian churches. The Church and the State quickly became closely associated, and it was not long before the power of the State was at the disposal of those who had the lead in the Church, to enforce their decisions. Thus the persecuted soon became persecutors.
In later times those churches which, faithful to the Word of God, were persecuted by the dominant Church as heretics and sects, frequently refer in their writings to their entire dissent from the union of Church and State in the time of Constantine and of Sylvester, then bishop in Rome.
They trace their continuance from primitive Scriptural churches in unbroken succession from Apostolic times, passing unscathed through the period when so many churches associated themselves with the worldly power, right down to their own day. For all such, persecution was soon renewed, but instead of coming from the Pagan Roman Empire it came from what claimed to be the Church wielding the power of the Christianised State.
Introduction Home Page Pilgrim Church Index