Was Emperor Constantine a Christian?

[LuciusJulius]

I've been pondering this for some time. Emperor Constantine, the first Roman Emperor to embrace Christianity, was said to have converted shortly before he died. Is this true? What do you think? Do you think Constantine really accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior? For one to enter the kingdom of Heaven, one must accept Jesus as his/her Savior, and ask for forgiveness of sins. I'm wondering if Constantine, one of my favorite Roman Emperors, did this. Is there any evidence to support his conversion?

 

[Secundulus]

Yes, he was a Christian. We know this from his own words in Eusebius' Church history.

Here it is.

Chapter LXII.—Constantine’s Appeal to the Bishops, requesting them to confer upon him the Rite of Baptism.
“The time is arrived which I have long hoped for, with an earnest desire and prayer that I might obtain the salvation of God. The hour is come in which I too may have the blessing of that seal which confers immortality; the hour in which I may receive the seal of salvation. I had thought to do this in the waters of the river Jordan, wherein our Saviour, for our example, is recorded to have been baptized: but God, who knows what is expedient for us, is pleased that I should receive this blessing here. Be it so, then, without delay: for should it be his will who is Lord of life and death, that my existence here should be prolonged, and should I be destined henceforth to associate with the people of God, and unite with them in prayer as a member of his Church, I will prescribe to myself from this time such a course of life as befits his service.” After he had thus spoken, the prelates performed the sacred ceremonies in the usual manner, and, having given him the necessary instructions, made him a partaker of the mystic ordinance. Thus was Constantine the first of all sovereigns who was regenerated and perfected in a church dedicated to the martyrs of Christ; thus gifted with the Divine seal of baptism, he rejoiced in spirit, was renewed, and filled with heavenly light: his soul was gladdened by reason of the fervency of his faith, and astonished at the manifestation of the power of God. At the conclusion of the ceremony he arrayed himself in shining imperial vestments, brilliant as the light, and reclined on a couch of the purest white, refusing to clothe himself with the purple any more.

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.iv.vi.iv.lxii.html

 

[smv2sax]

Yes, I believe he was a Christian.

 

[Touma]

Or he could be a political christian. Like what we see in the modern times. You can tell who a christian is, by their fruits.

 

[derosa]

Or he could be a political christian. Like what we see in the modern times. You can tell who a christian is, by their fruits.

Yup, and look at all the things he did. First, IMHO, it isn't proper for us to judge the level of another's devoteness. However I admit to having pondered this question a number of times.

First we have him using the chi rho on his standards at the Milvian bridge. He may have done this because he saw a vision as claimed or perhaps he realized that the number of christians in the army on both sides could be swayed to significantly effect the outcome of the battle. But he follows this up with his edict. And he gives his mother all the money and leeway she needs to conduct an extensive number of building campaigns. In fact though by doing this he would have won christian support which would have softened the hearts and minds of the christian leaders to follow his wishes. He was a masterful tactician and may have been playing the game better than most. Honestly it is easy to argue to either scenario, true believer or skilled statesman, you really have to decide this for yourself.

 

[Secundulus]

I think you can see the Hand of God at work in history through the life of Constantine. And while he did much that was evil, is there one of us who cannot say the same?

I personally believe that his Baptism was genuine.

 

[jckstraw72]

Constantine is regarded as a Saint by the Church. Yes, he is a Christian.

 

[champuru]

yes he was most likely Christian. I think his policies showed that he was... but he could just have been trying to appease people

 

[E.C.]

Of course he was! If he wasn't than he couldn't be a saint which means I wouldn't have been able to adopt his name when I became Orthodox!

When one converts does not negate one's "Christian-ness". I was heard that being baptized right before falling asleep was the norm back in his day.

 

[LamorakDesGalis]

I've been pondering this for some time. Emperor Constantine, the first Roman Emperor to embrace Christianity, was said to have converted shortly before he died. Is this true? What do you think? Do you think Constantine really accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior? For one to enter the kingdom of Heaven, one must accept Jesus as his/her Savior, and ask for forgiveness of sins. I'm wondering if Constantine, one of my favorite Roman Emperors, did this. Is there any evidence to support his conversion?

The details of Constantine's life supports the fact that he was a Christian. Either Constantine became a Christian at an early age and wasn't very public about declaring his beliefs until later, or Constantine gradually became a Christian sometime between 30-40.

Surely he was already a Christian by age 40.

One has to remember that Christianity was very much a minority religion, and was technically an illegal religion in the Empire. In the West, where Constantine ruled for many years, was at most 10% Christian. Constantine promoted the so-called edict of Milan in 313, where the Empire granted toleration to the Christians and had their property returned to them. Also Constantine, the ruler of the West, involved himself as judge in a Christian controversy with the Donatists in 316.

Later when Constantine ruled the empire as a whole, he financially supported the building of churches and granted tax exemptions to church officials. He officially declared that it was God who supported and aided him in becoming emperor. He also convened a council at Nicaea, where the delegates traveled at the expense of the empire to resolve the Arian controversy.


LDG