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For I have done your bidding, I have
slain mine enemies in your name. I have put women and
children to death in your honour, I have caused great
pain among them, for your glory.
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Psalms, 5:4-10
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  Once
a branch of the Christian Church became the official Church
of the Roman empire, the Emperor soon became it's official
head. He occupied a position as a sort of supreme patriarch
among patriarchs and supreme bishop among bishops.
In practice the Emperor exercised absolute control over the
Church just as he exercised absolute control over the state,
and it was not long before the arrangement was formalised by
declaring the Emperor to be infallible. For many centuries it
was accepted Christian doctrine that the Emperor was the head
of the Church — Pontifex Maximus and Bishop of Bishops,
that senior churchmen could be appointed only with his approval,
that he alone convoked and presided over Universal Church Councils,
that he enjoyed priviliged direct communication with God, and
that he was able to declare doctrine without reference to anyone
else. Emperors such as Basiliscus, Zeno, Justinian I, Heraclius,
and Constans II induced councils to issue the edicts they had
written, and in some cases issued edicts themselves without
reference to Church council or anyone else.
This system flourished between AD 500 and AD 1000. It is known
technically as “caesaropapalism”. It faded as the
Western Church became more powerful and the Eastern less powerful.
During the Middle Ages the Church of Rome developed the idea,
replacing the Emperor by the Bishop of Rome. Imperial rights
were now claimed by the Papacy, along with Imperial trappings.
Now the Pope was Pontifex Maximus and Bishop of Bishops. He
appointed Patriarchs and called Church Councils. He enjoyed
direct communication with God and his opinions were regarded
as infallible.
The idea of caesaropalism had a clear appeal to anyone who
stood to benefit from it, and in different forms it reappeared
in the French, English, Russian and other Churches.
The French kings were successful in gaining control over the
French Church and diverting income from Church property. During
the 'Babylonian Exile' of the papacy in Avignon the French Kings
effectively appointed Popes; and aspects of Gallicanism reflect
the desire to give the liturgy a distinctive French flavour.
In England, Henry VIII enjoyed direct communication with God,
and as Supreme head of the Church in England, felt able to determine
Church doctrine. Caesaropapism flourished in Russia when Ivan
IV the Terrible assumed the title Czar in 1547 and subordinated
the Russian Orthodox Church to himself.
Caesaropapism existed in the Orthodox Church in the Ottoman
Empire until 1923 - With a Muslim Emperor appointing the Patriarch
of Constantinople. It survived in Cyprus until 1977, when Archbishop
Makarios III died.
Of course, caesaropapalism is now something of an embarrassment
to the Christian Churches, Orthodox and Catholic alike, and
to a lesser extent the Anglican Church. The idea that God might
give Emperors absolute jurisdiction over His Church, and provide
them with infallible doctrine is now widely regarded as absurd.
Consequently, historical examples are downplayed. Most Christians
are unaware that Caesaropapalism was part of orthodox doctrine
for many centuries or that signifant Christian doctrine was
determined by lay Emperors, some of whom had no understanding
of theology and all of whom tended to fix doctrine in accordance
with their own political interests.
Neither the Orthodox or Catholic Churches are willing to publish
a list of doctrines declared by infallible Emperors.
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