The Christian Ideal of State in Fourth Century and Today: St. Constantine and Post-Comunist Era Cover Image

Хришћански идеал државе у четвртом веку и данас: Св. Константин и посткомунистичко доба
The Christian Ideal of State in Fourth Century and Today: St. Constantine and Post-Comunist Era

Author(s): Slaviša Kostić
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion, History, History of Church(es), Ancient World, Politics and religion, Transformation Period (1990 - 2010)
Published by: Свети Архијерејски Синод
Keywords: Church; state; Eusebius of Cesarea; St. Constantine; post-communism

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this article is to present vision on engagement of Church within state in 4 century which in Orthodoxy usually has seen as ideal century. Therefore, it is draw parallel of Church-State relations between 4 century and in modern time: Christianity first became permitted religion and finally public religion. Accent is laid upon theological definition of Church-State relationship which is mostly formed by Constantine court theologian Eusebius of Cesarea likewise on arise of cesaropapism which has produced modern myths of ideal state with God chosen ruler, even persist today in traditionally Orthodox countries and through that analysis to perceive functioning Orthodox Church in modern democratic society. In this article it is also investigate is that kind of theological vision natural to Orthodox in itself and what would be the role of main religion in public sphere in post secularist era.

  • Issue Year: XLVII/2014
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 289-314
  • Page Count: 26
  • Language: Serbian