HISTORY NOTES
Constantine: a great victory for Christians
- Power of God demonstrated: a sign given for Christ
- Christians victorious over persecuting tyrants and pagans
- seized Church property restored
- clergymen exempt from all public duties
- Christianity recognized; no more persecutions and holocausts
- state money donated to church
Constantine: a grave loss for Christianity
- no more martyrdoms. martyrs inspired christians to ignore pain of this life and act kindly to reap benefits in the next
- no more "God will judge them in the afterlife". by precedent, judgment now expected in this life
- no more opposition to corrupt worldly kingdoms and oppression. "all tyranny had been purged away"