When Christianity Gets Tied to the State (History Corner) episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 11, 2026 · 37 MIN

When Christianity Gets Tied to the State (History Corner)

from The Pocket Contemplative · host Dave Schmelzer

In another episode of Dave's "history corner," he looks at the cataclysm that happened when the emperor made Christianity the state's religion in 325. Where Christians had been poor, persecuted and few in number, it now messed with the heads of the old guard to suddenly be favored and joined by millions of far less devout "fellow Christians" who loved the perks of their connection to power. The response of a few bold people to head to the wilderness changed what Christian faith--and its contemplative variant--was to become. It's quite a story. Mentioned on this podcast:Journey to the Heart: Christian Contemplation Through the Centuries, edited by Kim NatarajaYou can sign up for Dave's "Thursday Notes" hereYou can learn more about the free, online Faith Part 2 course here. You can register your interest here. 

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Mar 11, 2026

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In another episode of Dave's "history corner," he looks at the cataclysm that happened when the emperor made Christianity the state's religion in 325. Where Christians had been poor, persecuted and few in number, it now messed with the heads of the old guard to suddenly be favored and joined by millions of far less devout "fellow Christians" who loved the perks of their connection to power. The response of a few bold people to head to the wilderness changed what Christian faith--and its conte...

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When Christianity Gets Tied to the State (History Corner)

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