In the years between 300 and 850 CE, Christianity was one of the dominant religions. It was a uniting force for the peoples of Eurasia with a promising and prominent future. But at the same time, there was a sense of division, as well as support for the religion from those in power, more precisely the royalty.
The fact that about one-third of the Christians from around the world lived in Europe was one of the determining factors in the development of Christianity. It became very influential between different classes of people, from ordinary folk to royalty and those with power. As Christianity represented divine power and the rulers of the time felt that they were appointed by God, there was without a doubt a connection and great support in the development of religion. As religion was dominating the minds of the society it was very much politicized and so many leaders and rulers were directly interested and involved in Christianity. The Church was very wealthy and it was seen as a way to acquire more wealth and power for those who were already considered the elite of the society. One of the royal supporters of Christianity was Roman emperor Constantine, who established the great capital of Constantinople. The church and religion were great support of the infrastructure and the defense systems of Constantinople. Also, things like roads, courts, laws, military structures, and the administration had a great interest in the evolvement and gain of power of Christianity (Strayer 427). Emperor Justinian had the support of religion in his conquests of further territories. The strength of religion promised domination of other cultures, as well as religions that were little or completely misunderstood. There were numerous ways in which the support of the elite manifested itself. For example, the Byzantium emperor had a position of both a political leader in the ruling of the state and as the head of the Church as well. This gave him easy access to both aspects of society with the freedom to act in any way he thought necessary. Very often the rulers supported the popes as they shared a common goal—their faith was directly influenced by politics and vise versa. Both the Church and the nobles exercised great power over the people. But sometimes there was some competition between them. The appointing of the next ruler to the post caused conflicts and the question of who specifically receives the responsibility in appointments of kings, emperors, and popes were often argued. Further expansion using military resources was sponsored by both the administration of the state and the church, uniting them with a common goal (Cusack 79). Clovis was another great supporter of Christianity. He converted to Christianity and under his direct involvement emerged the Frankish kingdom. Each of the supporters of the church and Christianity considered it their direct duty, as well as a personal interest to develop ties with religion. This provided a more established and certain rule and concreted their position as the leader in the land and among people.
The religions of Asia and the Arab world were much different compared to Christianity. They were very much centered on technology, intelligence, and practicality. When commenting on Christianity it was not uncommon for the Eastern world to see Europe as somewhat barbaric and uneducated with religion centered around military power, control, and abuse of the masses and society, in the pursuit of its own greedy goals. Other religions were also supported by political leaders. For example, the Islamic religion was mostly supported by scientists, thinkers, and intelligent people. One such person was al-Ghazali, who was a thinker and legal scholar. The religious orders of Sufis, who were teachers, had religious writings and were poets, in particular Hafiz and Rumi, had a great influence in their teachings and practices that had a wide span in the society. The religion was based on wisdom and thus could relate to all people who wanted to take part in it. Also the creation of networks and cooperation guaranteed a stronger and more reliable support system. The Chinese who practiced Zoroastrianism and Buddhism had an intricate system of cultural traditions that influenced and supported both religion and political rule. Emperor Taizong was one of the great leaders who ordered them to paint his portrait on the wall of a monastery, which greatly supported the religion and the people (Strayer 463).
The evidence illustrating the differentiation in the support given by the leaders to the religions shows the predominant views towards the society and religion itself. For the Europeans, religion was more of a stepping stone, a way to accomplish more “down to earth” goals, like military support, financial stability, and control of the people. For the Eastern world, religion was a part of the spiritual existence of society. It was based on principles of wisdom and unity with nature, which had a more profound effect on the people, connecting with their hearts and soul.
Both Christianity and other religions demonstrate the great influence that the belief system of society has on the leaders and the individuals. Throughout time it played an important and inseparable role in the lives of people, supporting but sometimes destroying civilizations.
Works Cited
Cusack, Carole. Rise of Christianity in Northern Europe, 300-1000, New York, United States: Continuum International Publishing Group, 1999. Print.
Strayer, Robert. Ways of the World, Boston, United States: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. Print.