Paul of Samosata

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Paul of Samosata was Bishop of Antioch from 260-268 and was later excluded from the Church as a heretic (" excommunicated ").

Political environment

The work of Paul, who was born in Samosata (city on the upper reaches of the Euphrates ) in Antioch, fell into a politically uneasy time (see imperial crisis of the 3rd century ). The eastern border of the Roman Empire was besieged by the Persians , and Antioch lay in the briefly existing Palmyrian Empire between Rome and Persia, until Roman rule in this area was again secured by Aurelian in the year 272.

Significance in the history of dogma

The oldest as well as the main source for and about Paul is the church history of Eusebius of Caesarea , 7th book, chapters 27-30. The sections there may have been written several decades after the events of Paul and are evidently driven by efforts to disqualify monarchianism and its possible relationship with the idea of ​​a single divine hypostasis , since Eusebius and with him the majority of the bishops in the east of the Roman Empire In the first half of the 4th century , following the theology of Origen, represented the non- Nicene , Trinitarian model of the three hypostases God the Father, Logos the Son and the Holy Spirit . The church history offers little theological content against Paul at the allegations. Eusebius only notes ( Church History , Book 7, Chapter 27) that Paul had asserted that Christ was by nature an ordinary man (see dynamic monarchianism ). Most of the other offenses described by Paul were aimed at his administration as bishop, his private lifestyle and his wonderful wealth from allegedly questionable sources ( Church history , book 7, chapter 30).

Perhaps Paul of Samosata had actually spread the then by no means heretical theology of dynamic monarchianism that Jesus of Nazareth was an earthly person until his baptism . This earthly person was certainly chosen during and through baptism in a special way by the sent out Logos of God and was then inspired so that the person Jesus directed his striving and action entirely towards God. It is also possible that the other, non-theological offenses that were accused of him presented the actual cause of the criticism and removal from his position as bishop and that theological reasons against him were also looked for.

Paul's views were then discussed at a church synod in Antioch in 264. His statements made his views appear acceptable. It was not until a subsequent synod in 268 that his deposition as bishop was decided and Domnus I was elected as episcopal successor. But Paul continued to act as bishop, as he, like his considerable following, did not recognize the election, and so the new bishop Domnus I could only be enforced with the help of Emperor Aurelian . Up until the time of the Council of Nicaea (325), a number of congregations with followers of Paul apparently held out, and it was not until the 5th century that Paul's theological positions disappeared from the discussions. Paul of Samosata is mentioned in canon 19 of the First Council of Nicaea .

Remarks

  1. ^ Online edition of Eusebius Church History , 7th book, in the library of the church fathers
  2. ^ Stefan Klug: Alexandria and Rome. The history of the relationship between two churches in antiquity . Aschendorff Verlag, Münster / Westphalia 2014, p. 96.
  3. ↑ Jan Rohls : God, Trinity and Spirit (History of Ideas of Christianity, Volume III / 1). Mohr Siebeck , Tübingen 2014, p. 119.
  4. ↑ Franz Dünzl : Brief history of the Trinitarian dogma in the old church. Herder Verlag , Freiburg im Breisgau 2006, p. 51.
  5. ^ Stefan Klug: Alexandria and Rome. The history of the relationship between two churches in antiquity . Aschendorff Verlag, Münster / Westphalia 2014, p. 97f.

literature

predecessor Office successor
Demetrianus Bishop of Antioch
260–268 		Domnus I.
personal data
SURNAME Paul of Samosata
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Paul of Samosata
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Bishop of Antioch
DATE OF BIRTH before 260
DATE OF DEATH after 268