June 29 - Narrative of the Church after Constantine

The church is filled with non-invested Christians and worldly power. The church and the roman empire become one. There is no longer a place that models Christian life. Responses to this include Monasticism and the Donatist schism. The Donatists held that the emperor was basically Satan and continued to hold this view even when Constantine became a patriarch of the Catholic church. Monasticism may have actually saved Hellenistic culture as the "eternal city" was pillaged by raiders. These new kings actually depended on Bishops for civil administration during this time. Thus the Roman Empire is dead, the Church is now more political than spiritual/pastoral, only the monasteries remain as a beacon for dedicated Christian life.