The Contemporary Rise of Kingdom and Dominion Theology

[Jack Mercer]

As early as the first century the world witnessed a Christian church
with divergent views. One favoring the law and its constant battle
with the works of the flesh, the other favoring grace and its
transforming spiritual power. The real problems with contemporary
Christianity started in the 3rd century A.D. The persecution of the
growing Christian church was ended by Roman Emporer Constantine
(Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus) and the civilized world
witnessed for the first time a merging of human government and the
emergent Christian religion/church.

"The reign of Constantine established a precedent for the position of
the Christian Emperor in the Church; Constantine considered himself
responsible to God for the spiritual health of his subjects, and thus
he had a duty to maintain orthodoxy. For Constantine, the emperor did
not decide doctrine - that was the responsibility of the bishops -
rather his role was to enforce doctrine, root out heresy, and uphold
ecclesiastical unity. [emphasis added] The emperor ensured that God
was properly worshipped in his empire; what proper worship consisted
of was for the Church to determine."

The first century Christia had rarely if ever involved itself with
government. There are no records of the early Christians cooperating
with human government to promulgate the spreading of Christianity. We
find no examples of it enforcing doctrine or legislating Christian
morality upon others.

What gave 3rd Century Christians the idea they could?

Are we we witnessing a return to this system of thought?