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*'''Emperor Galerius''' continued Diocletian's ruthless persecution of Christianity until 311 when he wrote an edict of tolerance on his death bed.  
*'''Emperor Galerius''' continued Diocletian's ruthless persecution of Christianity until 311 when he wrote an edict of tolerance on his death bed.  
*'''Constantine I''' issued the Edict of Milan, formalized religious tolerance in the Empire in 312 A.D.  
*'''Constantine I''' issued the Edict of Milan, formalized religious tolerance in the Empire in 312 A.D.  
There is a gap of around two year's time when there was no Bishop in Rome.  This is likely due to intense persection.  The Church under Sixtus was probably a decimated and persecuted Church, and may have been an entirely different Church than the church under Alexander (a martyr) due to dispersion and death of the inhabitants of the earlier church, and reintegration of backslidden Christians (probable, but speculation only).  Rome's Pagan Emperors would sometimes meddle with Church affairs even before the time of Constantine.  Emperor Maxentius deposed a number of Bishops until a more 'suitable' Bishop could be found.  The Roman Bishop Marcellinus recanted Christianity and sacrificed to idols to escape persecution (although it is said he later recanted).


===Diocletian===
===Diocletian===
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=Persecution by Christians=
=Persecution by Christians=
Athanasius (d.373) and Augustine (d. 430) both supported violence against heresies.  Some historians believe that the Arian enemies that Athanasius taught against were not a cohesive group as he put forth, but were actually small groups of supporters that held vastly different theological views.  The "Arian party" identified by Athanasius may simply be a fabrication - one which resulted in much persecution. 
A very brief summary of some key moments in Christians persecuting others include:


 
*Constantine began a physical enforcement of orthodoxy.  
 
*Athanasius (d.373) and Augustine (d. 430) both supported violence against heresies.  Some historians believe that the Arian enemies that Athanasius taught against were not a cohesive group as he put forth, but were actually small groups of supporters that held vastly different theological views. The "Arian party" identified by Athanasius may simply be a fabrication - one which resulted in much persecution.
 
*Saint Theodora was the wife of the Byzantine emperor Theophilus (813 – 842).  She re-established the veneration (not worship) of icons (images of Christ and the saints), and launched a vigorous persecution and extermination of the Paulician 'heresy'.  
 
*The Thirty Years' War was fought between 1618 and 1648, between Protestants and Catholics, resulting in deaths, and for the most part famine. *Protestants and Catholics continued to condemn witchraft, and killed thousands in witchhunts.
 
*The Portugese, Goa (India), and Roman inquistions continued.  
 
*The Spanish Inquistion in Spain, Sicily, Southern Italy, Mexico and Peru continued until 1834.   
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*Inter-denominational hatred and bloodshed (i.e. Ireland) continue to this day.  
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The Crusaders asked papal legate Arnaud-Amaury, Abbot of Cîteaux, how to tell Cathar from Roman Catholic. He replied:
 
''"Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius." — “Kill them all, the Lord will recognise His own”.''  
 
Prisoners were blinded, dragged behind horses, and used for target practice. What remained of the city was razed by fire. Arnaud wrote to Pope Innocent III and said, ''"Today your Holiness, twenty thousand heretics were put to the sword, regardless of rank, age, or sex".''
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Saint Theodora (Greek Θεοδώρα) was the wife of the Byzantine emperor Theophilus (813 – 842).  Following the death of her husband, she overrode his ecclesiastical policy and summoned a council under the patriarch Methodius, in which the veneration (not worship) of icons (images of Christ and the saints) was finally restored and the iconoclastic clergy dispossessed.  However, it was during her regency that a vigorous persecution of the Paulician 'heresy' commenced.  
 
 
Regardless, Constantine's physical enforcement of orthodoxy, along with Rome, Alexandria, and other sects physically persecuting each other marked the start of a downward slide for the Christian Church.
 
 
*Hippolytus' writings accuse Bishop Callixtus of allowing abortions,  
*Bishop Marcellinus recanted Christianity and sacrificed to idols to escape persecution (although it is said he later recanted).
 
What is visible from this list of Roman Bishops is the rise of the doctrine of the Trinity, the Church of Rome's growing influence over other Churches in the Roman Empire, and the direct interference of Roman Emperors with the Church with Emperor Maxentius deposing consecutive Bishops until a more 'suitable' Bishop could be found.   
 
 
Of note is the gap of two years between Alexander and Sixtus where there was no Bishop in Rome due to severe persecution. The Church under Sixtus was probably a decimated and persecuted Church, and may have been an entirely different Church than the church under Alexander (a martyr) due to dispersion and death of the inhabitants of the earlier church, and reintegration of backslidden Christians (probable, but speculation only).


In 1520, there were four main government-approved churches: the Roman Catholic Church, The Eastern Orthodox Church, The Ethiopian Church, and the Assyrian (Indian) Church - divided primarily by location.  By 1750, there were numerous organized Protestant denominations, including the Anglicans, Lutherans, Mennonites, Baptists, Hutterites, Moravians, Pilgrims, Armenians, Puritans, Quakers, and Huguenots. Many of these groups were persecuted by the Catholic Church, but also persecuted the Catholic Church and each other when the opportunity arose.
In 1520, there were four main government-approved churches: the Roman Catholic Church, The Eastern Orthodox Church, The Ethiopian Church, and the Assyrian (Indian) Church - divided primarily by location.  By 1750, there were numerous organized Protestant denominations, including the Anglicans, Lutherans, Mennonites, Baptists, Hutterites, Moravians, Pilgrims, Armenians, Puritans, Quakers, and Huguenots. Many of these groups were persecuted by the Catholic Church, but also persecuted the Catholic Church and each other when the opportunity arose.
*The Spanish Inquistion in Spain, Sicily, Southern Italy, Mexico and Peru continued until 1834. 
*Protestants and Catholics continued to condemn witchraft, and killed thousands in witchhunts.
*The Thirty Years' War was fought between 1618 and 1648, between Protestants and Catholics, resulting in deaths, and for the most part famine.
*The Portugese, Goa (India), and Roman inquistions continued.
::*The French philosopher Voltaire wrote "Goa is sadly famous for its inquisition, which is contrary to humanity as much as to commerce. The Portuguese monks deluded us into believing that the Indian populace was worshipping the Devil, while it is they who served him." (Voltaire, Lettres sur l'origine des sciences et sur celle des peuples de l'Asie (first published Paris, 1777), letter of 15 December 1775)
*The Popes supported and commissioned Renaissance art, much of which was pornographic.


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