Comment
Lynda Gould

From the Director
David Porter

Christian Citizenship and Northern Ireland
Drew Gibson

Church and State in Conflict - Ambrose
Alwyn Thomson

Christian Citizenship in the Republic of Ireland
Patrick Mitchel

Church and State in Conflict - Hubmaier
Alwyn Thomson

Beautiful Ministry
Graham Cheesman

The Cost of Citizenship
William Storrar (Scotland)

Early Days in the National Assembly for Wales
Aled Edwards

Church and State in Conflict - Kasemann
Alwyn Thomson

A Light to Enlighten the Nations
J A Sider (USA)

Church and State in Conflict - Summary
Alwyn Thomson

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CHURCH AND STATE IN CONFLICT:
Ambrose Confronts the Emperor

By the fourth century, Milan was one of the great cities of the Roman Empire. It was from Milan that a succession of Roman Emperors ruled. And it was in Milan that one of the great leaders of the early church served as bishop. His name was Ambrose. He was chosen as Bishop in 373 some years before Theodosius became Emperor. Their paths crossed in 388 when Theodosius came to Milan to take charge of affairs in the Western part of the Empire.

Theodosius professed Christian faith and during his time in Milan he was a member of Ambrose’s congregation. However, like many Emperors, Theodosius wore his Christianity lightly and was not above resorting to tried and trusted political and military methods to get his way. It was one such episode that brought about a confrontation between Ambrose and Theodosius.

In the city of Thessalonica one of Theodosius’s senior officials was murdered — though the precise circumstances remain unclear. Theodosius, determined to punish the people of the city, sent in his soldiers. In the slaughter that followed as many as 7,000 people may have died.

Thessalonica, and the other cities of the Empire, got the message loud and clear. But Ambrose refused to be intimidated. Hearing of the slaughter, he wrote Theodosius a long letter. Ambrose’s position was simple. At the heart of the church’s worship was the Lord’s Supper. Ambrose told Theodosius that if he came to church, Ambrose would not and could not offer up the bread and wine of communion. Theodosius had shed the blood of the innocent. Until he acknowledged his sin and repented, there could be no place for him at the Lord’s Supper. Theodosius may have been the supreme Emperor of Rome, but he was also a member of the church and under the discipline of the church.

At first, Theodosius refused to accept Ambrose’s decision, but the Bishop held his ground. In the end, Theodosius yielded, doing public penance in Milan’s cathedral. Having done so, Ambrose welcomed him back into communion.

Ambrose had taken a brave stand. He may have had moral authority but Theodosius had all the power, and he was more than ready to use that power against any who challenged him. Ambrose was confronting a man who had been publicly challenged by the people of Thessalonica and had responded by slaughtering them. Now, Ambrose too was challenging him. But he could not turn a blind eye to what had happened. The church was not an arm of Theodosius’s Empire. It was not there to offer religious support and blessing for his actions. For the church had its own values and convictions which laid claim even on Emperors — especially those who wished to be known as Christian.

Alwyn Thomson - Research Officer with ECONI.