- Aug 4, 2013
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I am having a real hard time understanding why Justinian is referred to as a saint in Orthodoxy. Is it because he defended the True Faith against heresies?
Okay, that is a good thing, but it seems to me that the qualification of sainthood has not only to do with orthodox theology (right thinking), but also with the kind of life a man/woman lives. We don't have a very good report on Justinian in this area, especially in the light of his warlike tendencies.
Killing 4,500 of your enemies because they refuse baptism (conversion at swordpoint!) doesn't strike me as being in line with what Jesus taught in Matthew 5. Neither does his whole war-like life in which he took up the sword, not to defend his country, but to put down the pagans and unify the nation. I thought offensive violence was condemned by the Church and those who did such things were excommunicated for a period of time, sometimes years.
Guess not if you are an emperor, eh? Different set of rules.
Okay, that is a good thing, but it seems to me that the qualification of sainthood has not only to do with orthodox theology (right thinking), but also with the kind of life a man/woman lives. We don't have a very good report on Justinian in this area, especially in the light of his warlike tendencies.
Killing 4,500 of your enemies because they refuse baptism (conversion at swordpoint!) doesn't strike me as being in line with what Jesus taught in Matthew 5. Neither does his whole war-like life in which he took up the sword, not to defend his country, but to put down the pagans and unify the nation. I thought offensive violence was condemned by the Church and those who did such things were excommunicated for a period of time, sometimes years.
Guess not if you are an emperor, eh? Different set of rules.