Auctoritas and Potestas in the Apostolic Constitutions

The fourth century is a time of rapid change in the Christian churches brought on by developments such as the rise of the ascetic movement, the new relationship with the emperor instituted by Constantine, and the various Christological debates which splintered the church. This dissertation will contribute to our understanding of this process of rapid change by examining how the non-Nicene Apostolic Constitutions viewed religious authority. It will argue that the Apostolic Constitutions represent the editor’s attempt to defend the religious authority of the clergy in his community, while ultimately rejecting potential alternative authorities, especially alternative lay authorities such as ascetics and the emperor. The categories of potestas and auctoritas will be used to systematize the available data and provide a model for its interpretation.Doctor of Philosophy (PhD