https://youtubetranscript.com/?v=DnlViA_1oMA
Alright, so back on the website Katie address key asks Jonathan you mentioned in the podcast that because you had an evangelical background you had a hard time seeing how Constantine’s becoming Christian is Not giving in to Empire. Could you talk about that more? I heard a lot about how Christianity fell apart once it became associated with secular power from progressives I’m not sure that’s completely true and want to hear your perspective. My sense is the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed for 2,000 years it’s been Spreading and growing and influencing. Thank you so much for your grounded experience Yeah, I mean, I don’t think that’s what it is I think I know that a lot of certain Protestants think that that Like Constantine is the beginning of the end for Christians basically that when Constantine appears the church becomes corrupt Obviously, I think that’s a ridiculous statement because You know, it’s like he’s also the one who prompted the Council of Nicaea which all the Christians Agree on you know, the formulation of the Trinity is not in the Bible, right? It’s like the Trinity is not in the Bible So although I think it’s there hinted at but it’s not clearly in the Bible And so you need an I see if you want to be a Christian and so I don’t I don’t see it as a problem I think the way to see it is that you’re right. Is that in some ways? The the seed of Christianity was planted in secret and then it did not come into power through conquering It did not come into power through arms through political means through whatever but it came to power through The conversion of a person that’s already an authority and so it’s like a transformation from within Which happens and I think that that’s important to understand how it is that Christianity transforms things. So So Katie and Draske says Yes, Constantine is the beginning of the end I mean Imagine that it’d be the beginning of the end literally at the beginning and I don’t know. It’s weird. It’s a weird thing to think that at the moment when We selected the Creed in the moment in which the canon of the scripture became more Formal at the moment when you know some of the great saints great theologians of the church You know, whether it be augustine in the west whether it be the capodocian the capodocians in the in the east Saint dothanasius who obviously was important at the council of nicaea wrote the life of saint anthony, you know, and so there’s a relationship between the empire church and the the canonization and the celebration of certain saints, so I find it weird to think that that it’s the beginning of the end so Now, okay, so maybe having said that maybe I could say that It doesn’t mean that the idea of rome or that the roman aspect of christianity won’t be part of its downfall that seems to be Pretty clear in the book of revelation that the ask that a certain aspect of rome Is part of how this you know this cycle this western This western history from the time of christ is going to Going to end so I do believe that obviously because it’s there right with the seven hills and all that stuff the seven heads and The beasts but that doesn’t mean that It’s not just part of the story and that there isn’t something good about rome either You know, there’s definitely something good about about rome something important about rome. So Hopefully that’s clear. Hopefully that’s clear And so matthew churd and says the trinity in matthew 28 19 And so, I mean the trinity is there like I said in scripture. It’s there in the it’s there in the At theophany, you know, and so it’s it’s definitely there Yeah, but it there’s the word trinity doesn’t isn’t there and you could say The concept of trinity even though the three persons are presented isn’t there And so the trinity is there Isn’t there