Study Of Early Byzantium Relations Between Church And State

Since Constantine the Great established the legal status of Christianity,it as the core force in the social life of the Byzantine Empire,has run through the historical development.The interweaving of imperial power and religious power is also a prominent feature in Byzantine history.Throughout the history of early Byzantine,imperial power was often in a dominant position in the control of religious power.For the unification of the empire and the unification of the church,the emperors actively participated in church affairs and adjusted church conflicts.However,as Christianity grew,its resistance to imperial power gradually emerged.This article attempts to take the massacre at Thessalonica as the core to analyze the changes in the relationship between state and church in the early Byzantine Empire and its influence factors.The Thessalonica Massacre occurred during the reign of Emperor Theodosius.It was a battle between imperial power and religious power in handling secular issues.In the end,Theodosius was forced to confess publicly.The records of church historians and scholars have also commented on them,from which they can summarize the whole story of the Thessalonica Massacre and the reasons for its occurrence.The handling of this incident is different from the overall characteristics of the imperial power in the early Byzantine Empire’s political-religious relationship.The church seems to have the upper hand in the political-religious relationship.The killing of the general stationed in Thessalonica was the immediate cause of the massacre ordered by the Emperor,and the arrest of the driver was the trigger for the riot.In ancient times,the entertainment life of ordinary people was monotonous,and the racing competition was an important entertainment activity.The arrest of the royal driver aroused the strong resistance of the people.In addition,the contradiction between the army and the people had been long accumulated,and the riot produced,which also led to the tragedy of massacre.From the perspective of the church,he brought punishment to the emperor,and Theodosius finally obeyed It is recommended to openly repent.The result of such treatment has an impact on imperial power and religious power.It has become a classic example of the church’s involvement in secular affairs,and it has also improved its political status.For the imperial power,Christianity solved the bad social influence caused by the Holocaust,but at the same time it strengthened the faith of Christians and expanded the influence of Christianity.Throughout the history of the development of Christianity in the empire,the relationship between church and state has developed dynamically,especially in early Christianity.When religious policies and the emperor’s wishes were biased toward Christianity,its development was rapid,but when it was the opposite,it developed slowly or even regressed.The church is also constantly developing.When the development of church theory can be used for imperial rule,it will be supported and protected by the emperor.With the development of Christianity,the scope of the Christian doctrine has continued to expand.In the Thessalonica massacre,in the face of the Christian emperor,the social public opinion brought by the doctrine will become a factor affecting his handling of political affairs.