In terms of initial impact and lasting influence, the two greatest figures of the ancient world were from what today are Greece and Bulgaria. The first great figure subdued the city of Athens and then conquered the Persian Empire (which included Asia Minor, Egypt, Babylon and Persia) in just 13 years. He was Alexander the Great. The second great figure brought to an end a severe persecution of Christians throughout the Roman Empire, and unified the Church by influencing it to accept the doctrine of an eternal God the Son. He did this in just 13 years. He was Constantine the Great. Alexander the Great conquered the East, and Constantine the Great conquered the West. Alexander founded a city in Egypt, naming it Alexandria, after himself. The other enlarged the ancient city of Byzantium, renaming it Constantinople, after himself. (The city is now known as Istanbul). Both men showed themselves kind and considerate at times, and at other times revealed themselves as ruthless and merciless. The first is remembered as the greatest military commander of all time; the second as the unifier of Church and State in the cause of empire. Had there been no Alexander there would have been no Alexandria; and without that city’s multiculturalism it is doubtful that any other city would have hosted the diversity of doctrines, ideas and philosophies that changed the Christian Faith from a way of life into a political and religious superpower that ruled the world. Halving the time from the year Alexander began to reign as King of Macedon (336 BC) and the year Constantine became sole ruler of the Roman Empire (323 AD) brings us to around the time of Christ’s birth. Jesus Christ was born in the fullness of time -- at the exact time in human history when Alexander the Greats conquest of the East had readied it for the message of Jesus Christ. The turning point of world history was marked by the change from BC to AD. But the Hebrew roots of Christianity, disliked by the Romans, were gradually cut off and replaced by Greek philosophy. Within a few hundred years of Christs birth, Christianity had become Christendom -- a political and ecclesiastical Christian kingdom. The Church believed that it should conquer the world by military means, if necessary, so that it could rule it ecclesiastically. Some great cathedrals took many hundreds of years to build, since time was of no account -- was not Christ ruling the world through his ever-expanding Church? This was the scene faced by the Great Reformers. Yes, they were imperfect, but it is easy for us to criticise them while enjoying the spiritual freedoms they witnessed to and died for. We can and should learn from the past, as we prepare ourselves to face a much less merciful enemy -- one driven by a fierce hatred of Jew and Christian alike.
Posted on: Fri, 22 Nov 2013 05:55:19 +0000
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