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To: The_Reader_David
please post any thoughts you might have on this thread for my enlightenment.
50 posted on 08/08/2002 10:23:13 AM PDT by MarMema
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To: MarMema
It seems a very standard account, albeit written by a Westerner, since it ahistorically uses the capitalized "Catholic Church," at a time when the Church, at once catholic and orthodox, was simply the Church.

It also stops the story early: Constantine, while still technically a pagan, not having received Holy Bapstism, proceeded to build a new capital for the Empire, a capital city without any pagan temples, but with many Christian temples. He also looked after the interests of the Church by calling the First Ecumenical Council, and accepting its outcome, despite the fact he personally seemed to have Arian sympathies (witness his choice of bishop from whom to receive Baptism on his death bed.)

It should be noted that the forgiveness of post-baptismal sins was not yet generally received throughout the Church in St. Constantine's day, so his decision to delay baptism should likely be understood as a desire to be forgiven of the sins which were occasioned by statecraft, rather than a lingering pagan belief.

55 posted on 08/11/2002 11:39:08 AM PDT by The_Reader_David
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