Fri Jun 7 12:10:33 1996

From owner-tc-list  Fri Jun  7 12:10:33 1996
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Subject: Influence of Diocletian/Constantine
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Date: Fri, 7 Jun 1996 12:05:45 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Stephen C Carlson" 
In-Reply-To:  from "Robert B. Waltz" at Jun 7, 96 08:45:00 am
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I think it is too reductionistic to examine the effects of Diocletian's
persecution as yet another persecution (albeit a longer and perhaps harsher
one) and of Constantine's liberalization without regard to the fact that
they occurred within decades of each other.  We have the collocation of
one of the longest and harshest persecutions (one that did target the
Scriptures) and one of the most permissive legal treatments of
Christianity in centuries.

The two events jointly have a greater impact than what one would
conclude by examining them separately.  In other words, I understand
Diocletian's persecution together with the nearly immediate legalization
of Christianity by Constantine to be part of the same "bottleneck."

Stephen Carlson
-- 
Stephen C. Carlson, George Mason University School of Law, Patent Track, 4LE
scarlso1@osf1.gmu.edu              : Poetry speaks of aspirations, and songs
http://osf1.gmu.edu/~scarlso1/     : chant the words.  -- Shujing 2.35

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