Edict of Tolerance by Galerius

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The Edict of Tolerance of Galerius marks the actual end of the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire . It was published in the spring of 311 by Emperor Galerius in Nicomedia , after he had initially continued the persecution of Christians initiated by Diocletian in 303 together with his lower Emperor Maximinus Daia . The edict was issued on behalf of all four emperors who were then ruling; Lactantius reports that it was announced in Nicomedia on April 30, 311.

backgrounds

Galerius was previously seriously ill with cancer; this disease was seen by Christian apologists as the trigger of his inner change to the tolerance of Christianity. But Galerius had political motives; he was concerned about the stability of the empire. He had come to understand that the Christians had not been severely affected by the persecution; Christians were particularly numerous in the eastern half, although there, too, they were clearly in the minority.

The decree does not give preference to Christians, but it did allow them to restore their churches and to hold their meetings as long as they do not disturb public order. It also urged Christians to pray for the good of the state. The edict ended the persecution of Christians and at the same time made Christianity a religio licita (permitted religion), i.e. that is, it was the first time that Christians were legally recognized in some way. With the appointment to religio licita , as before with the Jews by Caesar and Augustus, an exemption from the imperial sacrifice and the sacrifices to the Roman state gods was connected, which she had previously excluded from holding public office.

Galerius died only a short time after the edict was issued, which led the Christian apologist Lactantius (who was prejudiced against Galerius) to derisively remark that his repentance had come too late.

In 313 the Milan Agreement was reached , which in Christian history is usually seen as the end of the persecution of Christians, but in practice it changed much less than the Edict of Tolerance of 311. Rather, it is to be seen as a supplement to it.

Content of the Edict of Tolerance

“In addition to the rest of what we had ordered for the good and benefit of the state, we wanted to improve everything up to now in accordance with the old laws and public order of the Romans and ensure that Christians who had abandoned the teaching of their ancestors also see their senses returned. For, for some reason, such self-will and stupidity had seized these Christians that they no longer followed the institutions of the ancients, who may have instituted their own ancestors, but instead made their own free will and at will to obey them , and brought different peoples together in a community in different areas. When we finally ordered them to return to the ancients' facilities, many of them were involved in legal proceedings, and many were evicted. And since most of them insisted on their purpose, and we saw that they neither gave due worship to the gods nor worshiped the God of Christians, in our extraordinary mildness and constant habit of forgiving all people, we have found it necessary to give them our most bold indulgence so that they could be Christians again and rebuild their meeting places, but in such a way that they do nothing against public order. In another letter, however, we will inform the court officials what they have to observe. Therefore, according to our forbearance, it will be the duty of Christians to pray to their God for our good, for the good of the state, and for their own, so that the state is protected from harm in all respects and that they can live safely in their homes. "

- Lactant : De mortibus persecutorum 34

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Remarks

  1. ↑ Text in Eusebius of Caesarea , Church history 8:17.
  2. ^ De mortibus persecutorum 34
  3. ^ The Cambridge History of Judaism 2 Part Set: Volume 3, The Early Roman Period, William Horbury, Cambridge University Press, 1999, p. 169
  4. ↑ Piepenbrink (2010), p. 33