Sunday Law: Difference between revisions
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===Means for Unifying the Empire=== | ===Means for Unifying the Empire=== | ||
Constantine chose Christianity with political intent to consolidate his power and unite the Roman Empire. When Constantine became junior emperor, the Roman Empire was ruled by the [http://omeka.wellesley.edu/piranesi-rome/exhibits/show/basilica-of-maxentius-and-cons/the-tetrarchy Tetrarchy], which consisted of two senior emperors and two junior emperors.<ref>CONSTANTINE AND THE CHRISTIAN EMPIRE, Richard A. Todd, ''A LION HANDBOOK THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY'', pg. 140, Lion Publishing, 1977</ref> Constantine wanted to unite the Roman Empire, which had been in conflict, and not to lose his power. He considered that Christianity, believing in one God, was suitable for his purpose. A Japanese historian, an authority on the history of the Byzantine Empire, quoted Romans 13<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www. | Constantine chose Christianity with political intent to consolidate his power and unite the Roman Empire. When Constantine became junior emperor, the Roman Empire was ruled by the [http://omeka.wellesley.edu/piranesi-rome/exhibits/show/basilica-of-maxentius-and-cons/the-tetrarchy Tetrarchy], which consisted of two senior emperors and two junior emperors.<ref>CONSTANTINE AND THE CHRISTIAN EMPIRE, Richard A. Todd, ''A LION HANDBOOK THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY'', pg. 140, Lion Publishing, 1977</ref> Constantine wanted to unite the Roman Empire, which had been in conflict, and not to lose his power. He considered that Christianity, believing in one God, was suitable for his purpose. A Japanese historian, an authority on the history of the Byzantine Empire, quoted Romans 13<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+13%3A1%E2%80%932&version=NIV|title=Romans 13:1–2}}</ref> and said, “The union of the Roman Empire and Christianity is taken for granted,” and “It is hard to find another teaching that works so well for the ruler.”<ref>[https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/rulers/constantine.html Constantine], First Christian Emperor, ''Christianity Today''</ref> The [[Bible]] teaches that the ruler’s authorities have been established by God and that everyone should submit to the authorities. This teaching satisfied Constantine’s need for something that would give the emperor unshakable power. | ||
{{quote|It is probable that Constantine set out with a deliberate intention to favour the Church, but even if that were so, it was necessary to placate the pagans. Consequently the policy agreed upon at Milan was a recognition of the complete parity of religions. But as the reign progressed Constantine supported the Christians more and more, and one can only conclude that '''his aim was to make of Christianity the cement that was to bind together the whole Empire.'''|''A History of the Early Church to A.D. 500'', J. W. C. Wand, Routledge, 2006, p. 131}} | {{quote|It is probable that Constantine set out with a deliberate intention to favour the Church, but even if that were so, it was necessary to placate the pagans. Consequently the policy agreed upon at Milan was a recognition of the complete parity of religions. But as the reign progressed Constantine supported the Christians more and more, and one can only conclude that '''his aim was to make of Christianity the cement that was to bind together the whole Empire.'''|''A History of the Early Church to A.D. 500'', J. W. C. Wand, Routledge, 2006, p. 131}} | ||
Instead of persecuting the increasing Christians in the Roman Empire, Constantine tried to unite the existing polytheistic forces on the basis of Christianity by making Christians support him. Sunday law was also a result of the same intention. Constantine cleverly combined the sun-god religion that regarded Sunday as sacred, and Christianity (Western Churches) which had left the teachings of God and kept Sunday worship. | Instead of persecuting the increasing Christians in the Roman Empire, Constantine tried to unite the existing polytheistic forces on the basis of Christianity by making Christians support him. Sunday law was also a result of the same intention. Constantine cleverly combined the sun-god religion that regarded Sunday as sacred, and Christianity (Western Churches) which had left the teachings of God and kept Sunday worship. | ||
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The Western Churches have come up with various reasons to justify Sunday worship. Justinus, an apologist who converted to Christianity, wrote his ''First Apology'' to the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius (r. 138–161) to support Christianity around A.D.150. He explained that the day God began to create the world and the day Jesus Christ was [[Resurrection of Jesus|resurrected]] was the first day of the week, the day of the sun, so Christians worshiped on this day.<ref>The First Apology of Justin Martyr, pg. 68, 1912</ref> | The Western Churches have come up with various reasons to justify Sunday worship. Justinus, an apologist who converted to Christianity, wrote his ''First Apology'' to the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius (r. 138–161) to support Christianity around A.D.150. He explained that the day God began to create the world and the day Jesus Christ was [[Resurrection of Jesus|resurrected]] was the first day of the week, the day of the sun, so Christians worshiped on this day.<ref>The First Apology of Justin Martyr, pg. 68, 1912</ref> | ||
In this way, the Western Churches had left the [[New Covenant]] Sabbath and worshiped on Sunday, but the Eastern Churches, following the example of Jesus and the apostles, kept Saturday as the Sabbath until Sunday law was issued.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www. | In this way, the Western Churches had left the [[New Covenant]] Sabbath and worshiped on Sunday, but the Eastern Churches, following the example of Jesus and the apostles, kept Saturday as the Sabbath until Sunday law was issued.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+4%3A16&OLWordSearchRange=beg&q2=&ss=0&t1=eng_n84&t2=eng_kjv&t3=eng_nas&ns=0&sr=1&ot=bhs&nt=wh&hv1=1&b=verse&d=3|title=Luke 4:16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+17%3A2-3&OLWordSearchRange=beg&q2=&ss=0&t1=eng_n84&t2=eng_kjv&t3=eng_nas&ns=0&sr=1&ot=bhs&nt=wh&hv1=1&b=verse&d=3|title=Acts 17:2–3}}</ref>{{quote|We always find in ancient writers frequent mention made of religious assemblies on the Saturday, or seventh day of the week, which was the Jewish Sabbath . . . For Athanasius, who is one of the first that mentions it, says, “'''they met on the Sabbath''', not that they were infected with Judaism, but '''to worship Jesus the Lord of the Sabbath.'''|Joseph Bingham, ''The Antiquities of the Christian Church'', Book 13, Chap. 9, Sect. 3}} | ||
{{quote|. . . it has been supposed that their predecessors, the ancient sabbatarians, feeling themselves aggrieved by the edict of Constantine, which strictly enforced the observance of the first day of the week . . . '''it is certain that the practice of observing Saturday as a festival, was very common in the Eastern churches''', at the close of the fourth century . . .|Henry Bannerman, ''The Modern Sabbath Examined'', London: Whittaker, Treacher and Arnot, 2012, p. 274}} | {{quote|. . . it has been supposed that their predecessors, the ancient sabbatarians, feeling themselves aggrieved by the edict of Constantine, which strictly enforced the observance of the first day of the week . . . '''it is certain that the practice of observing Saturday as a festival, was very common in the Eastern churches''', at the close of the fourth century . . .|Henry Bannerman, ''The Modern Sabbath Examined'', London: Whittaker, Treacher and Arnot, 2012, p. 274}} | ||
However, as the Sunday law was issued by the authority of the emperor and everyone in the empire was forced to rest on Sunday, the Eastern Churches had no choice but to worship on Sunday. | However, as the Sunday law was issued by the authority of the emperor and everyone in the empire was forced to rest on Sunday, the Eastern Churches had no choice but to worship on Sunday. | ||