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Saturday, May 28, 2011

Note (98.) to "History of the 'Christian' Trinity - HIST)"

98. "It is likely that Constantine's favoritism to the Church was a matter of expediency. The Church might serve as a new center of unity and save classical culture and the Empire. The fact that he delayed baptism till shortly before his death and kept the position of Pontifex Maximus, chief priest of the pagan state religion, would seem to support this view. Moreover, his execution of the young men who might have had a claim to his throne was not in keeping with the conduct of a sincere Christian." Also, he set apart "the 'Day of the Sun' (Sunday) [the Holy Day of Worship of the Sun God for the followers of Mithras] as a day of rest and worship" for Christians. - p. 134, Cairns. - Also see pp. 130-131, Eerdman's Handbook to the History of Christianity, 1977.

"This is the earliest evidence for the process by which Sunday became not merely the day on which Christians met for worship but also a day of rest, and it is noteworthy that in both law and inscription Constantine's stated motive for introducing this custom is respect for the sun." - The Early Church, p. 128, Chadwick, 1967.

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