The Second Chapter of the Christian
Church began in 312 AD and marked the end of persecution, but was the beginning
of government sponsorship and the merger of Church and Government. This Chapter
ended in 476 with the end of the Western Roman Empire. This period of 164 years marked the end of
paganism and the establishment of the Christian state in Western Civilization.
In 312, Emperor Constantine the Great
converted to Christianity and created a new chapter for the Church. Constantine
was a game changer. He ended Christian persecution and annexed the Church as
part of his government. Citizens were free to choose paganism or Christianity.
Constantine funded the Church, but
allowed freedom of religion and maintained pagan temples. Constantine and the
Popes established the “Divine Right of Kings” that concluded that God had
ordained who ruled. This protected the monarchy for the next 1500 years. The
Emperor Theodocious declared Christianity the “state religion” in 380 AD.
Popes after Constantine’s adoption of
Christianity fared better than the 30 martyred Popes who led the Church from 33
AD to 312 AD. The 16 Popes who reigned
from 312 to 476 had converted Europe to Christianity, while Rome went broke.
This 164 year period from 312 to 476 could be viewed as the “Golden Years” for
the Church. The average tenure of Popes was 10.25 years. See below.
St Miltiades 311-314
St Sylvestor I 314-335
St Mark 336-336
St Julius I 337-352
St Liberius 352-366
St Damasus I 366-384
St Siricius 384-399
St Anastasius I 399-401
St Innocent I 401-417
St Zosimus 417-418
St Boniface I 418-422
St Celestine I 422-432
St Sixtus III 432-440
St Leo I 440-461
St Hilarus 461-468
St Simplichus 468-483
The Western Roman Empire ended in 476
There were 33 Roman Emperors from 306
to 491. In this 185 years, the average tenure of Emperors was 5.6 years.
Popes continued to reign an average
of 10.25 years.
Constantine I 306–337
Roman
Emperors who succeeded Constantine were:
Galerius Valerius Maximinus 310–313
Licinius 308–324
Constantine II 337–340
Constantius II 337–361
Constans I 337–350 CE
Gallus Caesar 351–354
Julian 361–363
Jovian 363–364
Valentinian I 364–375
Valens 364–378
Gratian 367–383
Valentinian II 375–392
Theodosius I 379–395
Rome
surrendered Brittan in 410.
Aleric and the Visigoths sack Rome
in 410
Vandals invade Spain, North Africa,
and sack Rome in 455
Arcadius 383–402
Magnus Maximus 383–388
Honorius (west, 393–423
Theodosius II 408–450
Constantius III 421
Valentinian III 425–455
Marcian 450–457
Avitus 455–456
Majorian 457–461
Libius
Severus 461–465
Anthemius (west, 467–472
Olybrius 472
Glycerius 473–474
Julius Nepos 474–475
Romulus Augustulus 475–476
Leo I (east, 457–474
Leo II (east, 474
Zeno (east, 474–491
The qualifications for admission to
the Clergy of the Church were limited to Ordained Priests, Consecrated Bishops
and appointed Cardinals. In 312 they learned to be politicians to do the
bidding of their Roman Emperor benefactors, but after the fall of the Western
Roman Empire in 476, they had to form alliances with the Feudal System and
their roles would be expanded to include military and governing duties.
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody
GA Tea Party Leader
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