Editing Constantinian shift (section)

==Theological implications==
{{Separation of church and state in the history of the Catholic Church|expanded = historical controversies}}

Critics of state-aligned Christianity often point to the ascension of Constantine as the beginning of [[Caesaropapism]]: according to this critique, the official Christianity of the Roman state rapidly became a religious and metaphysical justification for the existence, exercise, and expansion of worldly political power, ultimately facilitating earthly Christian empire both for Rome and its successors across [[Christendom]]. Similar criticisms are levied by [[Christian anarchism|Christian anarchists]], who claim that the Constantinian shift triggered the [[Great Apostasy]] by transforming the religion into a means for preserving the ruling elite's power and justifying violence.<ref name=CA>{{cite book|first=Alexandre |last=Christoyannopoulos |author-link=Alexandre Christoyannopoulos |title=New Perspectives on Anarchism |pages=149–168 |year=2010 |publisher=[[Lexington Books]] |location=Lanham, Maryland |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/ChristianAnarchism |chapter=Christian Anarchism: A Revolutionary Reading of the Bible}}</ref>

[[Augustine of Hippo]], who originally had rejected violence in religious matters, later justified it theologically against those he considered heretics, such as the [[Donatists]], who themselves violently harassed their opponents.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://evangelica.de/articles/the-donatists-and-their-relation-to-church-and-state/|title=The Donatists and Their Relation to Church and State « Biographia Evangelica|access-date=2019-06-04|archive-date=2019-12-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227014831/http://evangelica.de/articles/the-donatists-and-their-relation-to-church-and-state/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Before him, [[Athanasius]] believed that violence was justified in weeding out heresies that could damn all future Christians.<ref>Olson, 172</ref> He felt that any means was justified in repressing [[Arianism|Arian]] belief.<ref>Barnes, 230.</ref>  In 385, [[Priscillian]], a bishop in Spain, was the first Christian to be executed for heresy, though the most prominent church leaders rejected this verdict.

Theologians critical of the Constantinian shift also see it as the point at which membership in the Christian church became associated with a social concept of citizenship, rather than reflecting one's internal decisions and feelings. American theologian [[Stanley Hauerwas]] notes the shift as forming part of the foundation for the contemporary American conception of Christianity, one that is closely associated with [[patriotism]] and [[civil religion]].{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}