Some of y'all with more insight on Church history might be able to answer this. I know that Augustine had a major role in the promotion and popularity of ET in the church, but I was wondering if the Emperor Constantine had any role as well. I've read that he used Christianity as a way to unite his empire from a political standpoint and since the threat of eternal hellfire is a good way controling people, I've wondered if he promoted the doctrine of ET once he gained control. Anybody know?
Hi Jerm, no I dont think he did. Constantine the great made Christianity legal with the edit of Milan in 313, but he still allowed pagan worship, it was a later emperor who banned that. The suggestion that Constantine used christianity to control people is normally only found in atheist propoganda, I haven't came across it in any of the history I've read.
I'm always throwing the two together giving them both the credit . . .really bad oversight on my part to be sure.
The biggest problem was Emperor Justinian, who followed the edict to unite Rome under one rule and began the Christian Wars.