Politics and Religion - historically speaking
In my history class we read a lot about the religions of the past and how they have impacted political factions. In class our professor asked us, how does religion affect politics? I pondered this question extensively, mostly because I thought it might be a question on the test and after examining several civilizations of the past I concluded that it could affect it either by making a ruling entity stronger or weaker based on how it is used.
When religion is forced on an unwilling society naturally popular discontent occurs. In the case of the Assyrians and their invasion of ancient Sumeria, similar parallels could be drawn. Their oppression and outright removal and displacement of many of their subjects served as a hindrance in their overall ability to effectively govern their newly acquired subjects.
Unlike the Assyrians, the Romans would be an example of an effective use of religion as a tool to govern peoples and unite a kingdom. Initially with the establishment of a group of gods very similar to those of their neighboring Greeks they were able to allow for many voluntary conversions. Simply by erecting their statues and temples that paid tribute to their gods, though the pervasive nature of their worship they were able to get most of their conquered peoples to convert. Also because many of these polytheistic religions were so similar to the one the Romans were preaching it was very easy for the people to shift their beliefs by a little bit. Later the Romans massive conversion to Christianity after Constantine’s vision took a somewhat similar and equally effective approach. Conversion was not mandatory, but because of its moral appeal and the fact that it preached equality for all it grew to have much popular support. As a kind of grass-roots religion, Christianity worked its way up from the bottom rungs of society up the ladder to the top. Constantine’s very sudden ‘vision’ has been seen as a political ploy to keep the lower classes from rebelling and bring together his kingdom. He did this very effectively – it is even believed that Christianity may have served as a morally unifying element that bound the Roman Empire together for far longer than it would have otherwise been.
Essentially what works is tolerance. If a ruler employs the use of tolerance and effective governing his kingdom will most likely be prosperous and his subjects will be content.
When religion is forced on an unwilling society naturally popular discontent occurs. In the case of the Assyrians and their invasion of ancient Sumeria, similar parallels could be drawn. Their oppression and outright removal and displacement of many of their subjects served as a hindrance in their overall ability to effectively govern their newly acquired subjects.
Unlike the Assyrians, the Romans would be an example of an effective use of religion as a tool to govern peoples and unite a kingdom. Initially with the establishment of a group of gods very similar to those of their neighboring Greeks they were able to allow for many voluntary conversions. Simply by erecting their statues and temples that paid tribute to their gods, though the pervasive nature of their worship they were able to get most of their conquered peoples to convert. Also because many of these polytheistic religions were so similar to the one the Romans were preaching it was very easy for the people to shift their beliefs by a little bit. Later the Romans massive conversion to Christianity after Constantine’s vision took a somewhat similar and equally effective approach. Conversion was not mandatory, but because of its moral appeal and the fact that it preached equality for all it grew to have much popular support. As a kind of grass-roots religion, Christianity worked its way up from the bottom rungs of society up the ladder to the top. Constantine’s very sudden ‘vision’ has been seen as a political ploy to keep the lower classes from rebelling and bring together his kingdom. He did this very effectively – it is even believed that Christianity may have served as a morally unifying element that bound the Roman Empire together for far longer than it would have otherwise been.
Essentially what works is tolerance. If a ruler employs the use of tolerance and effective governing his kingdom will most likely be prosperous and his subjects will be content.
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