He ordered the execution of his eldest son, his second wife, and his favorite sister’s husband. No one seems to be able to explain fully his reasons. While many of his actions cannot be defended, he did bid farewell to the old Roman gods and make the cross an emblem of Victory in the world. Bruce Shelley is senior professor of church history at Denver Seminary and author of Church History in Plain Language (Word). More resources: • Bruce Shelley’s Church History in Plain Language is a thorough but