Julian, the nephew of Constantine, became the Roman emperor in 361. Several decades earlier his uncle had caused a seismic shift in history by favoring Christianity although it had previously been a suspicious and sometimes persecuted faith. Constantine's decision seems to have had way more to do with politics and power than it did with genuine spiritual experience. It also took a simple faith and way of life that was often concentrated within the poor and neglected portion of the population and turned it into a cultural/political/economic/military machine. Much of the simplicity and spiritual power of the gospel was lost. Regardless of Constantine's motives, Christianity became a big deal throughout the empire and even among the ruling elite. Julian thought this was a terrible anti-Roman development. When he became emperor he was determined to undo that which his old uncle Constantine had begun.
Interestingly enough, Julian was raised as a Christian. A great problem, however, was that this Christianity was "rammed down his throat" by his very zealous Arian Christian (didn't believe in the Trinity) cousin Constantius II. Julian grew up watching his older cousin order the deaths of non-Christians and even had to endure his cousin having a good number of Julian's family murdered. Julian grew to hate everything Christian so when he became emperor he decided he would choke the Christian faith by making it very, very difficult to live in Roman society as a Christian. He doesn't seem to have cared whether or not Christianity continued to exist, he just wanted it back the way it used to be: a strange little religion made up of the poor and uneducated on the margins of society. Also, it appears that Julian was nostalgic for a time he'd never experienced himself. He wanted to live in a Roman Empire that was strong and pagan like in the "good old days."
Julian made edicts that forced churches to give back the assets that had been seized from pagan temples. He re-instituted the worship of Roman gods and lowered the status of Christian bishops. He also wrote quite a bit about why he thought Christianity was not only superstitious but toxic. Calling Christians by the name "Galileans" he argues that they use offensively manipulative tactics in converting people to their dangerous faith. The most famous criticism that he fires out is, "These impious Galileans not only feed their own poor, but ours also; welcoming them into their agape, they attract them as children are attracted with cakes." To Julian the fact that Christians were feeding both the Christian and pagan poor could only mean that these Christians were pulling a bait-and-switch. Hungry people came for food and then they were hit over the head with a bunch of nonsense about some crucified peasant. Julian felt this not only showed how conniving Christians are but it also exposed something about his own adopted Roman/pagan faith: the pagans weren't caring for their own poor. It was the pagan lack of care for their own poor that made hungry pagan folks reliant on and susceptible to those manipulative and ignorant Christians. He says, "While the pagan priests neglect the poor, the hated Galileans devote themselves to works of charity, and by a display of false compassion have established and given effect to their pernicious errors." If the pagans would just feed their own hungry, then the Christians would have no appeal. I have to admit that it's pretty sound logic.
What this reminds me of is the fact that when someone doesn't like you you're just going to lose no matter what. If you don't feed the poor you're criticized for doing nothing to help those in need. If you do feed the poor you're accused of having ulterior motives. No matter what the Julians of the world think of us, however, we "Galileans" are commanded time and again by our Lord Jesus to provide food both for the belly and for the soul. I'm sorry that Julian's experience was so terrible. The Christians around him bear much of the blame for his later disdain for the faith. That is also true for the large number of folks in our current culture that feel the same way as Julian. That being said, though, neither Julian nor our culture will be our ultimate judge. Our ultimate judge is the one who said, "Whatever you have done for these least of these brothers and sisters of mine you have done for me."
