Church Subordination: What the State Couldn't Do by Bullying It Did by Bribing

Jesus shared with his disciples the Parable of the Sower. Some of the seed fell among thorns. Later he explained, the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful (Matthew 13:22, New American Standard Version).

In his book, An Historian’s Approach to Religion (1956), English historian Arnold Toynbee (1889-1975) applies this parable to the Church. He notes that, in Roman times, the Church stood up well when the Roman State bullied it with persecution. He regrets that the Church lost its integrity when the Roman State next challenged it with bribes.

Orthodox Expansion (863-988)

Moravia

In 863 the Slavic ruler of Moravia (part of today's Czech Republic) wanted greater political freedom from Catholic Christians to his west. He asked the Roman emperor in Constantinople to send him some Orthodox Christian leaders willing to teach Christianity to his subjects in their own language. Happy to extend his own influence, the emperor sent him two brothers, Cyril (b. 827) and Methodius (b. 825), who were native Slavic speakers. They created a Slavic alphabet and translated the Bible and Church liturgy into what came to be called Old Church Slavonic (or Old Bulgarian). Thousands of Moravians came to appreciate hearing the Good News and worshiping in their own language.

Cosimo de’ Medici (1389-1464)

Cosimo de’ Medici was born on September 27, 1389 in Florence. His father was the wealthy founder of the Medici Bank. Growing up, Cosimo eagerly learned everything he needed to know about banking. He also showed great skill in diplomacy. In 1420 his father gave him control of the family bank. At that time Florence was one of the largest and richest cities in Latin Christendom and the Medici Bank was Latin Christendom’s biggest.