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Andrew J. Pottenger

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Andrew J. Pottenger graduated with a Ph.D. in Church History from the University of Manchester in 2019. Andrew has presented papers on subjects concerning power and rhetoric in Constantine’s correspondence at various conferences and research seminars in the United Kingdom and the United States. He has taught in courses related to the history of Christianity in countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Bulgaria, and the United States. He is currently an adjunct instructor in church history at Nazarene Bible College in Colorado Springs, Colorado (USA) where he lives with his wife Gina.

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Was Constantine a 'real' Christian?

Andrew J. Pottenger This is one of the most frequently asked questions I've received in regard to this emperor.

To begin with, what makes a 'real' Christian in the first …moreThis is one of the most frequently asked questions I've received in regard to this emperor.

To begin with, what makes a 'real' Christian in the first place? How can this be determined, and who gets to decide? Too often, I think we in the modern world judge the past according to contemporary standards—much like people in one culture judge other cultures by their own moral norms. If we're going to evaluate the past, it's better to do so on its own terms rather than ours.

Constantine favored his Christians subjects greatly by ensuring the end of official persecution, granting them exemptions from taxes and civic duties, having churches built, and becoming personally involved in their internal conflicts. According to some surviving legislation, he desired the end of sacrifices, gladiatorial combats, and showed a concern for the poor uncharacteristic among other emperors. He referred to bishops as his 'beloved brothers', and wrote to them in terms that indicated his own personal allegiance to Christianity.

The 'Christian testimony' of Constantine is somewhat complicated, however, when we consider that he may have been responsible for the deaths of his oldest son, Crispus, and his second wife Fausta in 326. Crispus was executed, and Fausta was discovered shortly afterward having suffocated in a bath. His self-presentation in coins, statues, and inscriptions (famously the Arch of Constantine which still stands next to the Colosseum in Rome) could be interpreted in terms to which either pagans or Christians could react positively. He spoke rather harshly against the Jews in terms that would make any post-Holocaust human being squirm uncomfortably at the least. He was baptized at the end of his life, but the bishop who performed the ceremony was closely associated with earlier support for a condemned heretic.

Having considered the available evidence, I've concluded that Constantine was indeed a 'real' Christian—or, at least, he genuinely believed he was a Christian. This claim does not seem to have been disputed by other Christians, even the early monks or powerful personalities like Athanasius of Alexandria. I believe that Constantine understood his loyalty to the Christian God in terms of patronage and divine favor: he believed that God had blessed with him victories in battle, therefore he owed his divine patron displays of gratitude.

This is not to suggest he was a perfect or ideal Christian, as other aspects of his record also indicate. Yet, it seems clear that his self-identification as a Christian was not a mere pose, as it so often has been among rulers and world leaders since. His words and acts that suggest otherwise might perhaps be understood by recalling the lives of biblical figures such as Moses (a killer) or David (a killer and an adulterer), for example.

But it was never my goal to defend or define the Christian profession of Constantine as genuine. Instead, my book attempts to understand better why this emperor became involved in conflicts internal to the Christian communities and how he used his power to address them.(less)

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Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Andrew J. Pottenger A number of influences came together at the right time when I began putting some ideas together in preparation for pursuing my doctoral degree. I've l…moreA number of influences came together at the right time when I began putting some ideas together in preparation for pursuing my doctoral degree. I've long been fascinated by the ancient Romans, having grown up enjoying films like Ben-Hur (1959), Quo Vadis (1951) or Cleopatra (1963). Studying church history for the first time as an undergrad, reading it for fun in the years afterward, and a first visit to Rome were all significant influences. However, the largely negative and one-sided narrative I received concerning Constantine years later in seminary really stuck in my head, and I was determined to explore this emperor in-depth for myself and make up my own mind. (less)

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Andrew J. Pottenger’s books

Average rating: 4.5 · 2 ratings · 0 reviews · 2 distinct works

	Power and Rhetoric in the Ecclesiastical Correspondence of Constantine the Great (Routledge Monographs in Classical Studies) 4.50 avg rating — 2 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Power and Rhetoric in the Ecclesiastical Correspondence of Constantine the Great (Routledge Monographs in Classical Studies) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Andrew J. Pottenger's Blog

Older Author Interview

Maybe about 4-5 years ago, while the book was still in production but under contract, I was interviewed by the Manchester Wesley Research Centre (based at Nazarene Theological College).

Someone e-mailed the link to me recently, and it was fun to go back over what I'd said about the work back then.

https://www.mwrc.ac.uk/blog/2021/12/1... Read more of this blog post »

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Published on November 11, 2024 12:25

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Andrew is Currently Reading

Andrew is currently reading

Words of Radiance (The Stormlight Archive, #2)

by Brandon Sanderson (Goodreads Author)

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Mar 17, 2022 07:29PM

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Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities

by Bettany Hughes

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“We tend to use prayer as a last resort, but God wants it to be our first line of defense. We pray when there's nothing else we can do, but God wants us to pray before we do anything at all.

Most of us would prefer, however, to spend our time doing something that will get immediate results. We don't want to wait for God to resolve matters in His good time because His idea of 'good time' is seldom in sync with ours.”
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“In the silence of the heart God speaks. If you face God in prayer and silence, God will speak to you. Then you will know that you are nothing. It is only when you realize your nothingness, your emptiness, that God can fill you with Himself. Souls of prayer are souls of great silence.”
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“I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”
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Aug 31, 2014 06:31AM

hi Andrew, thanks for befriending me :)

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You are welcome. :)

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Thanks for accepting my friend request.

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message 1: by Danielle The Book Huntress (last edited Sep 25, 2011 03:34PM)

Sep 25, 2011 03:34PM

Hi Andrew. Thanks for the friendvite, and the discussion on the Literary Horror group. I appreciate making contacts with another follower of Christ on Goodreads.

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