Mackenzie Warner
The Donation of Constantine is the forged doctrine that switched imperial power to papal power. At the time of this doctrine Constantine had leprosy, seeking a cure he turned to roman priests. These priests told him to kill innocent children and bath in their blood. At the last moment before the children were killed, Constantine rejected the idea and sent the children home. Because of this rejection he received a message from Peter and Paul, commanding him to seek Pope Sylvester and be baptised, only after would his leprosy be cured. Doing this, Constantine found that his leprosy was cured and his faith in Christianity found. The doctrine also says that Orthodox Christianity is the religion that will prevail and that Jesus Christ has three forms but one power. Finally, Constantine then grants supreme power not to the king but to the pope. Giving the Pope complete imperial power also gives the Church ruling power over kingdoms.
Whoever forged this document hoped the forgery would go unnoticed and that papal authority would be supreme. Along with the political motives behind this forgery I think there is also something to be said about the light that Constantine is shown in. Eusebius portrayed him as the holiest and most christian man of all, by resisting the blood shed of children, giving estates and land to church officials, and giving Papal supremacy over all of Rome he was once again seen as a great friend to the church and even better christian. The Donation of Constantine is also interesting because of the proclamation of Orthodox christianity. He emphasizes the three natures of Jesus several times. This was probably written in a much later century than the one Constantine ruled, which shows that Orthodox christianity was probably being questioned and that this affirmation by the great Constantine would help keep Orthodox Christianity as the main form of Christianity in the Roman empire. By affirming Orthodox Christianity and giving supreme authority to the church the forger of this document wanted nothing more than to weaken the Roman empire and strengthen the church and papal authority.
The Donation of Constantine is the forged doctrine that switched imperial power to papal power. At the time of this doctrine Constantine had leprosy, seeking a cure he turned to roman priests. These priests told him to kill innocent children and bath in their blood. At the last moment before the children were killed, Constantine rejected the idea and sent the children home. Because of this rejection he received a message from Peter and Paul, commanding him to seek Pope Sylvester and be baptised, only after would his leprosy be cured. Doing this, Constantine found that his leprosy was cured and his faith in Christianity found. The doctrine also says that Orthodox Christianity is the religion that will prevail and that Jesus Christ has three forms but one power. Finally, Constantine then grants supreme power not to the king but to the pope. Giving the Pope complete imperial power also gives the Church ruling power over kingdoms.
Whoever forged this document hoped the forgery would go unnoticed and that papal authority would be supreme. Along with the political motives behind this forgery I think there is also something to be said about the light that Constantine is shown in. Eusebius portrayed him as the holiest and most christian man of all, by resisting the blood shed of children, giving estates and land to church officials, and giving Papal supremacy over all of Rome he was once again seen as a great friend to the church and even better christian. The Donation of Constantine is also interesting because of the proclamation of Orthodox christianity. He emphasizes the three natures of Jesus several times. This was probably written in a much later century than the one Constantine ruled, which shows that Orthodox christianity was probably being questioned and that this affirmation by the great Constantine would help keep Orthodox Christianity as the main form of Christianity in the Roman empire. By affirming Orthodox Christianity and giving supreme authority to the church the forger of this document wanted nothing more than to weaken the Roman empire and strengthen the church and papal authority.