Onder dezelfde sterren

By Wim Jurg

Book Description

In the twilight of the Roman Empire, two worlds of faith stood at a crossroads that would reshape spiritual history forever. "Onder dezelfde sterren" illuminates a pivotal moment in the fourth century when Christianity and ancient pagan traditions coexisted under the same vast sky, before political forces would tear them apart.

Through vivid historical detail, Wim Jurg reveals the human drama behind one of history's most significant religious transformations. At the center of this spiritual upheaval stand three compelling figures: Symmachus, Bishop Ambrosius of Milan, and Emperor Theodosius, whose conflicts and occasional reconciliations mirror the broader struggle between old and new ways of understanding the divine.

This rich tapestry includes devoted senators clinging to ancestral gods, Christian emperors navigating political pressures, sacred virgins, powerful empresses, and barbarian generals who found their place in a changing world. Their letters, friendships, and even moments of humor reveal how different spiritual paths once intersected in daily life.

For readers exploring questions of religious tolerance, spiritual transition, and the complex relationship between faith and power, this work offers profound insights into how belief systems evolve and sometimes collide. The book demonstrates how coexistence between different spiritual traditions remained possible for centuries, until the moment when it could no longer endure.