Week 2
- Discuss the two different accounts of Constantine's conversion.
- How do Lactantius and Eusebius differ?
- Why might they differ?
- Describe the job of a bishop
- Why does Constantine give them money?
- What do they do that Roman officials don't do?
- Describe their relation to one another?
- What do the charges against John Chrysostom or Ibas tell us about
their job?
- Discuss the canons of Nicea?
- Identify the major concerns in the canons
- Who called the Council of Nicea in the first place?
- Why is unity of doctrine and ritual important?
- What is the political importance of Nicea?
- How does Eusebius present his own views?
- How does he present his relationship with other bishops?
- Discuss the veracity (truth) of Helena's story of finding the cross.
- Why would Helena and Constantine consider the discovery important?
- How does her story reveal her own concern with establishing the
authenticity of her find?
- How does Constantine's and Helena's church building after the discovery of
the cross relate to their version of the story?
- Why do religious groups destroy sacred sites of rival groups?
- How do they justify this destruction?
- What are the main concerns of imperial legislation of religious issues?
- What is the point of Socrates account of Arius' death?
- How is his death appropriate?
- What message does it convey?
- NOTE that this is an excellent example of rhetoric
- Note that the charges against John Chrysostom and
Ibas present another good example of rhetoric in action. In order to get rid
of a bishop, you have to come up with charges that will appear so horrible
that other bishops will not think twice about convicting him.
- What sorts of things do you accuse bishops of?
- If it's such an important process, why do bishops hesitate to employ
the rhetoric of deposition?
- How do depositions affect the bishops' legitimacy?
- Why is legitimacy important?
- What is the point of a council of the bishops?
- Discuss the point of the Council of Chalcedon in light of what you
know about the job of a bishop
- What parts of the council transcripts are rhetorical?
- What is the factual information in the transcript?