A.D. 381 heretics, pagans, and the dawn of the monotheistic state ( PDFDrive )

Similar examples are recorded of the marginalisation of Jews. The diatribes
launched by John Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople between 398 and his
deposition in 403, against the resurgence of Judaism in his diocese are a vivid
reminder of how entrenched Christian attitudes had become. Just as Ambrose
had forced Theodosius I into condoning the destruction of the synagogue at
Callinicum, so ‘holy men’ would challenge the emperor if he was seen to be
lenient. The Syriac Life of Symeon Stylites, for instance, includes a threat of
divine retribution to the emperor for his apparent favouring of the Jews. ‘Now
that you have become a friend and companion and protector to unbelieving Jews,
behold suddenly the righteous judgement of God will overtake you and all who
are of the same mind of you in this matter. You will lift up your hands to heaven
and say in your affliction, “Truly this anger has come on me because I broke
faith with the Lord God.”’ Whether as a result of this threat or others, or even his
personal inclination, Theodosius responded in 438: ‘We finally sanction by this
law destined to live until all ages that no Jew, no Samaritan... shall enter upon
any honors or dignities; to none of them shall the administration of a civil duty
be available, nor shall they perform even the duties of a defender of a city... with
an equally reasonable consideration also, We prohibit any synagogue to arise as
a new building.’ 12 Although Jews were still free to exercise their religion in
their existing synagogues, they were losing their opportunity to participate in
government, and the long process by which they were segregated from
‘Christian’ society had begun.
The power of the state over aberrant Christian, Jewish and pagan activity was
strengthened by the integration of the bishops within the judicial system. As
early as 318, Constantine had allowed cases to be transferred from municipal to
Church courts. By 333, any one party to a case could ask for the transfer, and it
was stipulated that the testimony of bishops should be privileged over that of any
other witness. This meant in effect that a Christian could arrange for his affairs
to be settled by a man of his own faith, an undoubted advantage if his adversary
was a pagan. There is a case from Syria in the 380s where, as reported by
Libanius, a band of monks had dispossessed some peasants of their land on the
pretence that it was sacred to a particular saint. When the peasants protested,
they were dragged by the monks before the Church court, where the bishop ruled
against them. By this period, sitting in court was a regular part of most bishops’
lives. A bishop’s court had the same rights as secular courts to order the torture
of witnesses of low status, the imprisonment of the accused and the
administration of corporal punishment, although there seem to have been some