Uploaded: 09 Aug 2018 (8 years ago) · Shared: 13 Aug 2018
Duration: 0:48
Video Description
In this illuminating presentation, distinguished scholar Richard Rubenstein explores how Emperor Constantine strategically leveraged Christianity beginning in 306 AD to unify and restore power to the Roman Empire. By examining this critical junction of political ambition and early history, Rubenstein sheds light on how the early Church transitioned from a persecuted movement into a dominant geopolitical force that reshaped the ancient world.
Understanding this pivotal era offers profound context for anyone exploring the intersection of faith, governance, and theology. Whether you draw spiritual reminders from Islamic guidance, study early Christian history, or analyze the shared heritage found across the Quran, Bible, and Torah, this discussion provides valuable insights into how statecraft influenced major Abrahamic traditions. Join Richard Rubenstein for a captivating historical journey that bridges ancient power dynamics with the enduring legacy of global religious identity.
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Who is Richard Rubenstein?Richard Rubenstein (born 1938) is an author and University Professor of Conflict Resolution and Public Affairs at George Mason University. Rubenstein holds degrees from Harvard College, Oxford University (as a Rhodes Scholar), and Harvard Law School.
What is Christianity?Christianity is a global religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, who followers believe is the Son of God. It's a monotheistic faith, meaning Christians believe in one God who exists in three co-equal persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. Christianity is based on the Bible, with the Old Testament and New Testament serving as sacred texts.
Who was Constantine?Constantine the Great (27 February 272 AD-22 May 337 AD) was a Roman Emperor who ruled between 306 and 337 AD. Born on the territory now known as Nis, located in Serbia, he was the son of Flavius Valerius Constantius, a Roman Army officer of Illyrian origins. His mother Helena was Greek. His father became Caesar, the deputy emperor in the west, in 293 AD. Constantine was sent east, where he rose through the ranks to become a military tribune under Emperors Diocletian and Galerius. Constantine was the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. Although he lived most of his life as a pagan, he joined the Christian faith on his deathbed, being baptised by Eusebius of Nicomedia. He played an influential role in the proclamation of the Edict of Milan in 313, which declared religious tolerance for Christianity in the Roman empire. He called the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD that produced the statement of Christian belief known as the Nicene Creed.
What is Roman?In historiography, ancient Rome is Roman civilization. From the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, encompassing the Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic and Roman Empire until the fall of the western empire. The civilization began as an Italic settlement in the Italian peninsula, dating from the 8th century BC, that grew into the city of Rome and which subsequently gave its name to the empire over which it ruled and to the widespread civilisation the empire developed. The Roman empire expanded to become one of the largest empires in the ancient world, though still ruled from the city, with an estimated 50 to 90 million inhabitants (roughly 20% of the world's population) and covering 5.0 million square kilometres at its height in AD 117.
