An Exploration

by

Austin Perris

Christianity emerged in the 1st century CE in the Roman province of Judea, initially as a Jewish sect after the crucifixion of Jesus around 30–33 CE. 

The process by which the Roman Empire formally revised and standardized its teachings began approximately 280 to 290 years later, starting with the conversion and subsequent legalization of the faith by Emperor Constantine the Great. 

Many people don’t realize Christianity existed a couple of centuries before the Romans got a hold of it. These original teachings were a direct result of the words of The Christ, Jesus. 

Then the “establishment” came along and propagandized the beliefs of Christians into a formula for managing the masses. 

Timeline of Establishment and Imperial Revision 

The transition of Christianity from a small, persecuted movement to the state religion involved several key phases of imperial intervention and doctrinal standardization: 

Major Imperial Interventions 

The Roman Empire "revised" or standardized the religion primarily through imperial involvement in theology and the convening of ecumenical councils: 

Council of Nicaea (325 CE): Approximately 292 years after Jesus' death, this council was convened by Constantine to resolve the Arian controversy—a debate over whether Jesus was a created being or equal to God. 

The result was the Nicene Creed, the first official declaration of Christian faith, which established core doctrines still accepted by many denominations today.

Council of Constantinople (381 CE): This council further revised and solidified the Nicene Creed into its current form, reasserting the Trinitarian view and rejecting Arianism as heresy.

Doctrinal Enforcement: Under the Edict of Thessalonica (380 CE), only followers of Nicene (Trinitarian) Christianity were entitled to be called "Catholic Christians." 

All other sects were deemed heretical, losing their legal status and having their properties confiscated by the state. 

Influence of the Empire on the Church 

As Christianity became intertwined with the Roman government, it adopted several imperial structures and cultural practices: 

Hierarchical Structure: 

The Church's organization, including bishops and priests, was influenced by and proved useful to the Roman imperial hierarchy.

Language and Titles: The head of the Roman Catholic Church, the Pope, eventually adopted the title pontifex maximus, which was originally a high-priestly office of the Roman state.

Standardization: Imperial sponsorship led to the standardization of Christian beliefs and practices to a greater extent than during the previous three centuries of unorganized growth. 

Council of Nicaea or the Council of Chalcedon

When the Roman Empire began standardizing Christianity, it didn't just define what was "correct"—it actively suppressed dozens of alternative versions of the faith that had flourished for nearly 300 years. 

These "lost" sects often had different scriptures, vastly different views on the nature of God, and unique social structures. 

Here are the most significant sects that were marginalized or erased by the Imperial Church: 

1. The Gnostics (The "Secret Knowledge" Seekers) 

Gnosticism was not a single church but a collection of movements (like the Valentinians and Sethians) that thrived in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. 

The Belief: They believed the material world was an evil prison created by a lower, flawed deity (the Demiurge), often identified as the God of the Old Testament.

The Revision: Salvation came through gnosis (secret, experiential knowledge) rather than faith or church rituals.

The Fate: Their texts (such as the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Mary) were excluded from the Bible and ordered to be destroyed. We only rediscovered many of these writings in 1945 at Nag Hammadi, Egypt. 

2. The Arians (The Subordinationists) 

This was the most powerful "rival" to Nicene Christianity. At one point in the 4th century, there were more Arian bishops than Nicene ones. 

The Belief: Led by Arius of Alexandria, they argued that Jesus was the "firstborn of all creation"—a divine being, but distinct from and subordinate to God the Father. They famously sang,

 "There was a time when he [the Son] was not.”

The Revision: Declared heretical at Nicaea.

The Fate: Though Constantine’s sons and several Germanic tribes (like the Visigoths) were Arians, the Roman state eventually used military force and legal bans to dismantle their churches by the 6th century. 

3. The Marcionites (The Radical Paulines) 

Founded by Marcion of Sinope around 144 CE, this group was arguably the first to try to create a "New Testament." 

The Belief: Marcion believed the God of the Hebrew Bible was a wrathful, vengeful judge who was entirely different from the loving, merciful God of Jesus. He rejected the Old Testament entirely.

The Revision: The Imperial Church countered by asserting that the "God of the Law" and the "God of the Gospel" were one and the same, formally linking the Hebrew scriptures to the Christian scriptures.

The Fate: They were absorbed by Gnostic groups or converted to the state church over several centuries. 

4. The Ebionites (The Jewish Christians) 

These were likely the closest descendants of the original Jerusalem community led by James, Jesus's brother. 

The Belief: They viewed Jesus as a human prophet and the Messiah, but not as a divine being or part of a Trinity. They insisted that followers must still keep Jewish laws, such as circumcision and dietary restrictions.

The Revision: As the Roman Empire became increasingly Greco-Roman and anti-Jewish in its politics, the Ebionites were branded as “Judaizers."

The Fate: They were marginalized as "too Jewish" for the Roman Church and "too Christian" for mainstream Judaism, eventually disappearing by the 5th century. 

5. The Montanists (The New Prophets) 

Emerging in the late 2nd century, this was a charismatic "New Prophecy" movement. 

The Belief: They believed the Holy Spirit was still giving new revelations that could override the bishops and even the scriptures. They were famous for their ecstatic trances and for allowing women to hold high leadership roles as prophets.

The Revision: The Roman Church viewed this as a threat to the stability of the imperial hierarchy. They insisted that revelation had "closed" with the Apostles.

The Fate: They were heavily persecuted by the 4th and 5th centuries, as the state preferred a predictable, bishop-led structure over unpredictable "prophetic" outbursts. 

Summary of the "Imperial Cleanup" 

The suppression of these groups changed the DNA of Christianity. By choosing one path, the Roman Empire ensured: 

Unity of Command: One God, one Emperor, and one Bishop (the "Monarchical Episcopate”).

Canonization: A strict list of books (the Bible) was finalized to prevent "heretical" books from being read.

Philosophical Language: The mystical and Jewish elements of the faith were largely replaced by Greek philosophical terms (substance, nature, essence).


As anyone can see, the Christian religion was adapted to the Roman approach to social management, with the main pillars of control being obedience, financial support, and the destruction of the competition.

 All were enforced by the threat of violence. 

All dissenters were labelled “heretics” and severely chastised in one vicious way or another, including being burned at the stake. 

That is the Roman Catholic Church, under the direction of the Reigning Roman Empire.

The Roman formula of control was very effective. We can see this from the number of Catholics worldwide today. And let’s not ignore the Pope’s opulent residence in the middle of Rome, 2000 years after the church was established.

All this stirs a sense of curiosity about early Christianity, having hidden truths we, as spiritual seekers, should explore. 

It is wise to investigate both sides of the story, weighing all available material to make an informed decision based on the facts and any information that resonates deep within the essence of our souls. (Gnosis).

Read the Nag Hammadi Library and the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Meditate

For the video, “…rewrote Christianity,” click here