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Why did Julian allow exiled Christian bishops to return in 361?
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Julian
Julian the Apostate, detail of a marble statue; in the Louvre, Paris.
When Julian became sole emperor in 361, he allowed Christian bishops who had been exiled by his predecessor, Constantius II, to return to their sees.12
While Julian issued an edict of 361 proclaiming freedom of worship for all religions, his decision to recall these bishops was strategically motivated. By allowing the return of various exiled leaders, Julian intended to promote and exacerbate existing doctrinal disputes among Christians, thereby weakening the religion through internal division.12