How did emperor Constantine influence the split of the two major christian churches?
This question is far more complex than the previous respondent says. The Roman church did not split into Roman Catholic and Eastern orthodox until 1054, seven hundred years after Constantine. It was Constantine’s policy to unify the Roman Empire using the Christian church, he did not create it, but he did legitimise it and give it significant privileges. The roots of the split did arise out of the council of Nicea and the Arian controversy, but Constantine in no way dictated the decision of the council, he was no theologian, just a very shrewd ruler. Or course his establishment of Constantinople as the Eastern capital of the Empire also meant that from the very start Rome had another major city vying with her for power and prestige, it suprises me in a way that it took so long for Eastern orthodoxy to make the split. Some more information below.
