The Romanization of Christianity
By Michael Boyajian
I have been drawn for well over a year now to visit Rome to see first the Forum which was the center of the expansive Roman Empire and then the Vatican the center of the universe for one billion Roman Catholics. Unfortunately I have been prevented from going for various reasons but have found other ways to visit through my imagination, travel and history books on Rome and television shows on the subject.
What I have learned is that Christianity was Romanized by the Emperor Constantine in the dying years of the Empire as a way to propel the Empire further into the future. Like a drowning man grasping for something to hang on to for survival the Emperor grabbed Christianity in a stroke of genius. He envisioned crosses of crucifixion and so placed crosses on his soldiers’ shields and then believed his victory over a rival in battle was due to the Christian God so he embraced Christianity and Christianity readily embraced the Emperor believing that they would be finally free from persecution not realizing that they were about to be swallowed up by the strict tenets of the Roman Empire.
So Rome was transformed while conquering the Christians who had threatened the Empire for centuries. This allowed the Empire to be propelled forward for two thousand years in the guise of Christianity that we know today as Roman Catholicism. Today the Empire is global and has as I stated earlier one billion adherents. Though it does not believe in violence as the Roman Empire did it has turned to violence during the course of its history.
We must realize that the original symbol of Christians was the peaceful fish not the violent cross. The symbol was a way of directing Christians to meetings where they would practice their religion. Does this make Roman Catholics modern day Romans? No, they are Christians but the church itself is of Rome though over the centuries it may have lost knowledge of this Romanization or at least have concealed that knowledge. This makes them faithful Christians yet entwined with the strictness of Roman law hence their opposition to progressive notions that may threaten its power like abortion, same sex marriage and divorce.
So as Christians and Romans grappled with one another they were both transformed into a hybrid that allowed both to advance through history carrying civilization through the Dark Ages into the Renaissance which was a rebirth of appreciation for Roman arts and architecture. Christianity falls back as Romanism itself rises up again only to merge once again years later with religion as we enter the modern era.
Some may doubt this theory but look at the garments of the Vatican they are all the colors of the Roman Emperors, the deep reds and pure whites. The Vatican Museum is the greatest treasure of Classical Art in the world. The Pope is the faux Emperor chosen by the Cardinals who are the faux Roman senators. Is this the ultimate conspiracy theory? You decide and ask yourself why are so many ancient churches built atop ancient Roman temples?
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