Podcast Episode 65
Emperor Constantine
with Dr. Michael Haykin & host Nick Walters
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When Rome Bowed to the Cross: Constantine and the Christian Empire
Before Christianity stood at the center of imperial power, it survived at the margins of the Roman world — persecuted, debated, and often divided. Then came Constantine.
Episode 65 of Christian History Chronicles explores one of the most consequential figures in the history of Christianity: Constantine the Great. Few rulers have shaped the trajectory of the Church more dramatically than the first Roman emperor to publicly embrace Christianity. His reign altered the political, cultural, and religious future of Europe, the Mediterranean world, and eventually global Christianity itself.
In this episode, Nick Walters, founder of the Center for Christian History, examines the life, legacy, controversies, and enduring influence of Constantine. Was he a sincere Christian convert? A political strategist? A protector of the Church? Or all three at once? Constantine remains one of the most debated rulers in Christian history because his actions permanently changed the relationship between Church and state.
The story of Constantine unfolds during one of the most unstable periods in Roman history. The Roman Empire of the late third and early fourth centuries faced political chaos, civil war, economic uncertainty, and external threats. Christianity, meanwhile, had survived repeated waves of persecution, including the brutal Great Persecution under Emperor Diocletian. Christians were imprisoned, executed, and forced underground throughout parts of the empire. Yet within only a few decades, Christianity would move from persecution to imperial favor.
Central to Constantine’s story is the famous Battle of the Milvian Bridge in AD 312. Ancient sources report that before the battle Constantine experienced a vision connected to the Christian God and the symbol of Christ. Following his victory, Constantine increasingly aligned himself with Christianity and later joined with Licinius in issuing the Edict of Milan, which legalized Christianity and granted religious toleration throughout the empire. This marked a turning point not only for Christians but for world civilization.
The episode also explores Constantine’s involvement in the Council of Nicaea in AD 325, one of the most important gatherings in Christian history. The council addressed the growing Arian controversy and produced the Nicene Creed, a foundational statement of Christian orthodoxy that continues to shape churches around the world today. Constantine’s role in convening the council demonstrates how deeply intertwined imperial politics and theological debates had become during this era.
Listeners will also hear discussion of Constantinople, the “New Rome” founded by Constantine, which became one of the most influential Christian cities in history. From theology and liturgy to art, architecture, and political power, the city would shape Christianity for over a thousand years.
The Subject Matter Expert for this episode is Michael A. G. Haykin of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Haykin serves as Professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality and is Director of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies. He has taught church history for more than four decades and is widely respected for his scholarship on the early church, patristic Christianity, Baptist history, and evangelical spirituality.
Dr. Haykin brings deep expertise to questions surrounding Constantine, the development of early Christian doctrine, and the transformation of Christianity during Late Antiquity. His work has helped countless students and readers better understand the Church Fathers, early Christian theology, and the historical foundations of Christian belief.
This episode also includes historical highlights connected to this week in Christian history, including French Jesuit missionary and explorer Jacques Marquette, whose missionary journeys through North America became foundational to the exploration of the Mississippi River region. The episode also examines the Eighty Years' War, the long conflict that reshaped the religious and political future of the Netherlands and profoundly affected the Protestant and Catholic worlds alike.
Christian History Chronicles is produced by the Center for Christian History, a trusted portal for Christian history committed to safeguarding and sharing the real story of the Church — for both the curious and the committed.
Image Citation:
“Head of the colossal statue of Constantine I, Musei Capitolini, Rome. Marble, Roman artwork, 313–324 CE.” Wikimedia Commons, public domain.