Dakota Beacon

News stories prejudicial to Christianity and to people who embrace Jesus Christ induce an emotional response. Galling, disgusting and a distrust of government come to mind.

Looking at today's cultural environment, it is hard to believe religious freedom in general, and Christianity in particular, was one of America's founding principles.

What's the provocation?
No Bibles in the classroom -- not even as literature or history.
No prayer in the public square.
Banishing crosses in public as memorials.
Homosexuality brought out of the closet as Christianity pushed in.

All because of a misplaced concern for the violation of separation of "church and state" which was never mentioned in the US Constitution. It was first mentioned in 1802 in a letter from Thomas Jefferson to a group of Baptists and Congregationalists in Danbury, CT who had attacked him when he ran for president calling him an infidel.

Reviewing early Christian history, it is safe to say that today's hostility toward Christianity "is not her first rodeo" so to speak. Christianity matured in strife and discord.

Christianity was born in the Roman Empire. Early on, true Christians would not acknowledge the Roman Emperor as god. In 65 AD the first organized persecution of Christians took place in Rome after Nero falsely accused them of setting fire to the city. Persecution of Christians continued for centuries including the destruction of meeting places, sacred texts and the Christians themselves. The persecutions sifted out the unfaithful and nominal Christians leaving only the most loyal and robust members of the faith. It was not until 312 AD when Emperor Constantine authorized the toleration of Christianity after he himself converted during his reign.

Questions about Christian doctrine spawned many different opinions. To this point there was no evident way to establish truth. There were numerous heresies of which Arianism, Gnosticism and Montanism were rampant among the newly converted barbarians. In 325 AD Emperor Constantine called a council to Nicea over which he personally presided. A total of 318 bishops from Spain to Persia attended. In the end, a large majority reaffirmed that Christ was "the Son of God, only begotten of the Father...of the substance of the Father...very God of very God." It was also agreed that the pope, by virtue of his authority as successor of St. Peter, could declare which of the early Christian writings were authoritative and contained the truth inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Also during the reign of Emperor Constantine a new capitol on the Bosporus was established in 330 AD. Under pressure from the barbarians, the entire Roman Empire became too unwieldy to rule. The seat of power was split between Rome and Constantinople. Not only was the government divided but so was the church.

As long as the Emperor ruled in Rome, the Bishop of Rome had limited authority. That changed as the barbarian invasions continued. As the provincial administration throughout the empire collapsed, the bishops took control from the helpless Roman governors. About 400 AD Emperor Hororius was forced to move his court from Rome to Ravenna but the Bishop of Rome remained in Rome to perform the duties of the Emperor -- a first in Christian history.

The fifth century will forever be remembered for the fall of the Roman Empire to the barbarians from the north and east. The Vandals held North Africa, the Visigoths were in Spain, the Franks controlled Gaul, the Ostrogoths were in Italy and the Angles and Saxons controlled much of England. Rome was sacked for the last time.

The Eastern and Western churches continued their relationship until the eleventh century but were finally split over doctrinal differences.

Kept in perspective, Christianity in general, and Christians in particular, have always faced challenges both from within and without. If Christianity is diminishing in the United States under federal auspices, it is flourishing elsewhere. In Korea, Japan and even China Christianity is prospering.

It is the nostalgia for the recent past that saddens many. Christianity did not have to be shunned.

Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at P. O. Box 337, Stanley, ND 58784 or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).