The integration of Christianity into the political system of the Roman Empire from Constantine to Theodosius

The main issues in this research are grouped into a number of developments which include the origin and rise of Christianity in Palestine and its spread in the basin of Mediterranean which was then under the Roman political control, Christian views of the Romans, the Romans' official recognition of Christianity as a legal religion, their proclamation of Christianity as a state religion, the integration of Christianity into the political system of the Roman Empire, the transformation of the church into an institution of the state and finally the reflections of this alliance on the later centuries. Chapter I deals with the ancient traditional religions existing in the Mediterranean among which Christianity rose, Jesus Christ, the early period of Christianity and the views of the Romans on Christianity from the first to the fourth century. Chapter II examines the process in which the Roman state recognized and protected Christianity as a legal religion and then strengthened the Church and made it a state institution during the reign of Emperor Constantine. Chapter III gives details of the transformation in which Christianity became state religion due to the efforts of Theodosius, establishing control over the Church via its position in the capital city. Finally, Chapter IV gives an analysis of the reflections upon the alliance of Church with the Roman state up to the seventh century and the historical phenomena such as the loss of the East for the Byzantine State are associated with the ecclesiastical policy of the state. As a result of this research, it is stated that the Byzantine rulers at first considered Christianity within the political context, they aimed to use the Church politically for the sake of political stability and union of the empire. This purpose and policy led to the politicization of the Church, and caused Byzantium to evolve into the character of a Church-State and finally caused a result which was contrary to the initial expectations and purposes.