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10
JanSłomka
However,itsoonappearedthatboththeEmperorandtheChurch,
interpretedthetextinadiferentway:notasadeparturefromthelogicof
asinglereligionstrengtheningthepower,butasadoptionofChristianity
astheonlyreligionthatwouldsupportthepowerinsteadoftheprevi-
ouslypromotedreligionofthestate.
WhatindicatessuchanunderstandingoftheEdictbyConstantine?
Weneedtorememberthatheimmediatelygotinvolvedinintra-Christian
disputesstatingthatpreservationoftheunityoftheChurchisamatterof
nationalimportance.
However,thefactthatsuchanunderstandingoftheEdictwasdomi-
nantintheChurchfromtheverybeginningisfarmoreinterestingforus.
WecanonlymentiontheintroductionandthefinalpartofEcclesiastical
HistorybyEusebius.FromhispointofviewtheChurchwasthewin-
nerandherhistoryendswithadescriptionofjoyfullifeoftheChurch
afteryearsofpersecution.FinalpagesofthehistoryoftheChurchsound
almostlikeadescriptionoftheadventofthemessianicpeaceandthe
ultimatevictoryofChrist.EusebiuscalledConstantinepontifexmaximus
ofChristianity
.
Moreimportantly
,eventswhichtookplaceovertheyears312—313in
Africaonlyconfirmthethesis.AtthistimetheDonatistschismflourished
there.Bothparties,thatis,DonatusfollowersandCaeciliansupporters,
askedConstantinetosettlethedispute.Thus,Constantinewasregarded
astheentitledadjudicatorofintra-Churchdisputesandhedidnotrefuse
tointervene.
ItisveryinterestingasDonatists,thatis,thesupportersofDonatus,
arecommonlyregardedasanti-Roman.Inthe4thcenturyDonatistmove-
mentbecameincreasinglyaseparatistmovementagainstRomanrulein
Africa.In313,however,Donatistsdecidedthatitwastheemperorthat
hadtheauthoritytosettlethedisputeandbelievedthatasadefenderof
purityoftheChurchhewouldtaketheirside.
ThelaterhistoryfullyconfirmedthatboththeChurchandsubse-
quentemperorshadaspecificunderstandingoftheEdict.Theyinter-
preteditastheactwhichprovidedChristianitywiththestatusofthe
statereligion.TheculminationofthisprocesswasTheodosiustheGreat’s
policyandhisedictof392whichformallyraisedChristianitytotherank
ofthestatereligion.ConflictsofTheodosiustheGreatwithAmbroseof
Milanfallwithinthescopeofthisarticle.TheybothrecognisedChristi-
anityasthestatereligionandbelievedthatitwasthedutyofthestate
tosupportit.Takingthisapproachstateauthoritiesincreasinglyfought
againstallotherformsofworship.Theodosiusstucktothetraditional
understandingofpontifexmaximusomce(hedidnotcallhimselfPon-
tifexMaximusoftheChurch)andinhisopiniontheemperorwasabove
