Church-State Relations in the Byzantine Empire According to the Scriptores post Theophanem (IX–X centuries)

• Main Author: Ekaterina Paschenko
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: St. Philaret’s Christian Orthodox Institute 2020-02-01
• Series: Вестник Свято-Филаретовского института
• Subjects: byzantium; iconoclasm; church-state relations; scriptores post theophanem; theophanes continuatus; leo v; patriarch photius; empress theodora; emperor basil i; emperor constantine vii porphyrogennetos; macedonian dynasty; византия; церковно-государственные отношения; симфония; иконоборчество; "продолжатель феофана"; лев v; патриарх фотий; императрица феодора; василий i; константин багрянородный; македонская династия
• Online Access: https://psmb-neos-resources.hb.bizmrg.com/target/sfi/503196775529a6da629130b40fce26d57292fa2f/%D0%92%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%A1%D0%A4%D0%98_%D0%92%D1%8B%D0%BF33_%D0%94%D0%BB%D1%8F%D0%A2%D0%B8%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%84%D0%B8%D0%B8_07.02.20-118-143.pdf
• ISSN: 2658-7599; 2713-3141

This article considers Byzantine church-state relations during the second period of iconoclasm and the beginning of the Macedonian Dynasty, based on materials from the Scriptores post Theophanem. During this period, government authorities twice changed the official position on the veneration of icons, first in support of the iconoclasts, and later in support of the iconodules. The ideal model of church-state relations, which the Scriptores post Theophanem presupposes, largely corresponds to the symphonic relationship between church and state described in the Isagoge. In reality, those in power, striving to preserve unity within the empire, dictated their own will concerning questions of faith, insensitively meddling in internal church affairs. Sources do not show a significant difference between the ways in which the state handled the church during the periods of iconoclasm and iconodulism. Moreover, according to the Scriptores post Theophanem, persecution of those outside the faith was more cruel and widespread during the iconodule period. Early in the rule of the Macedonian Dynasty, the difficulties in the church-state interrelationship pointed out in this work led not to a restoration of symphony between church and state, but to a strengthening of the emperor’s power and a weakening of the patriarch’s power.