Christianity, Empire, and Compulsion
Primary Source Texts Challenging the Personal-Political Binary
This PDF provides a selection of readings by Christians in the first 400 years or so. They are strategically selected to invite conversation in the classroom around Christianity, Empire, and Power.
The first is a selection of texts written by Christians arguing for the freedom of religion. These are written when Christians remain persecuted.
The second selection is excerpts from two edicts: Edict of Milan and Edict of Thessalonica.
The third is an excerpt from Augustine's Letter 185 (also called On the Correction of the Donatists), featuring his (in)famous line, “compel them to come in” (coge intrare).
The point is to see how discourse around religion, freedom, and power changes once Christianity becomes the religion of empire.
The first is a selection of texts written by Christians arguing for the freedom of religion. These are written when Christians remain persecuted.
The second selection is excerpts from two edicts: Edict of Milan and Edict of Thessalonica.
The third is an excerpt from Augustine's Letter 185 (also called On the Correction of the Donatists), featuring his (in)famous line, “compel them to come in” (coge intrare).
The point is to see how discourse around religion, freedom, and power changes once Christianity becomes the religion of empire.
