Paul of Samosata, patriarch of Antioch (260-269), Jump to: navigation, search The city of Antioch-on-the-Orontes (modern Antakya; Greek Αντιοχεια ἡ επι Δαφνη; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is located in what is now Turkey. ... Events Valerian I captured by the Persian king Shapur I; Gallienus becomes sole Roman emperor. ... Events Felix I is elected pope. ...

Life

Paul was born at Samosata into a family of humble origin. He was elected bishop of Antioch in 260 but aroused controversy with his Monarchianist teachings. In 269, seventy bishops, priests and deacons assembled at Antioch and deposed Paul as bishop and elected Domnus as his successor. They also wrote a encyclical letter to Dionysius and Maximus, bishops of Rome and Alexandria respectively. This letter is the only indisputably contemporary document concerning him and was preserved in Eusebius of Caesarea's Ecclesiastical History, bk. vii. ch. 30. Samosata, meaning sun, was an ancient city whose ruins still exist at the modern Turkish city of Samsat. ... Jump to: navigation, search The city of Antioch-on-the-Orontes (modern Antakya; Greek Αντιοχεια ἡ επι Δαφνη; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is located in what is now Turkey. ... Events Valerian I captured by the Persian king Shapur I; Gallienus becomes sole Roman emperor. ... Monarchianism, or Monarchism as it is sometimes called, is a belief that was held by some in the early time of Christianity and centers around God as one person, that God is the single and only ruler. ... Events Felix I is elected pope. ... Jump to: navigation, search City motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus – SPQR (The Senate and the People of Rome) Founded 21 April 753 BC mythical, 1st millennium BC Region Latium Mayor Walter Veltroni (Left-Wing Democrats) Area  - City Proper  1290 km² Population  - City (2004)  - Metropolitan  - Density (city proper) 2,546,807 almost... Jump to: navigation, search Antiquity and modernity stand cheek-by-jowl in Egypts chief Mediterranean seaport Located on the Mediterranean Sea coast, Alexandria (in Arabic, الإسكندرية, transliterated al-ʼIskandariyyah) is the chief seaport in Egypt, and that countrys second largest city, and the capital of the Al Iskandariyah governate. ... Eusebius of Caesarea (~275 – May 30, 339) (often called Eusebius Pamphili, Eusebius [the friend] of Pamphilus) was a bishop of Caesarea in Palestine and is often referred to as the father of church history because of his work in recording the history of the early Christian church. ...

Despite being deposed by this synod, Paul still considered himself bishop and since he had friendly relations to Zenobia, the separatist queen of Palmyra ruling in Syria, he continued to occupy the bishop's house in Antioch. Late in 272 however, when the emperor Aurelian defeated Zenobia, Paul lost her protection. The Christians of Antioch brought their case before the Emperor who ordered Paul to yield the house to Domnus. Zenobia coin reporting her title, Augusta. ... Palmyra was the name of an ancient city in Syria, now called Tadmor. ... Events Roman emperor Aurelian reconquers the kingdom of Palmyra (Egypt and large parts of Asia Minor), forcing queen Zenobia to flee to Parthia. ... Contemporary coin of Aurelian. ...

This was no interference into doctrinal issues, as Aurelian was a pagan and later on even planned another persecution. The event however gives witness of the position of early Christians as Roman citizens and their relationship to the government in times when there was no persecution. Persecution is persistent mistreatment of an individual or group by another group. ...

Scholars will pay little heed to the charges of rapacity, extortion, pomp and luxury made against Paul by the authors of this letter. It also accuses him not only of consorting himself with two "sisters" of ripe age and fair to look upon; but of allowing his presbyters and deacons also to contract platonic unions with Christian ladies. No actual lapses however from chastity are alleged, and it is only complained that suspicions were aroused, apparently among the pagans.

Teachings

Paul's heresy is a form of Monarchianism, which emphasized the oneness of God. Paul taught that Jesus was born a mere man, but that at his baptism he was infused with the divine Logos or word of God. Hence, Jesus was seen not as God-become-man but as man-become-God. In his Discourses to Sabinus, of which only fragments are preserved in a book against heresies ascribed to Anastasius, Paul writes: Monarchianism, or Monarchism as it is sometimes called, is a belief that was held by some in the early time of Christianity and centers around God as one person, that God is the single and only ruler. ... Jump to: navigation, search Baptism is a water purification ritual practiced in certain religions such as Christianity, Mandaeanism, and Sikhism, and has its origins with the Jewish ritual of mikvah. ... The Greek word λόγος or logos is a word with various meanings. ...

I. " Having been anointed by the Holy Spirit he received the title of the anointed (i.e. Christos), suffering in accordance with his nature, working wonders in accordance with grace. For in fixity and resoluteness of character he likened himself to God; and having kept himself free from sin was united with God, and was empowered to grasp as it were the power and authority of wonders. By these he was shown to possess over and above the will, one and the same activity (with God), and won the title of Redeemer and Saviour of our race."

II. " The Saviour became holy and just; and by struggle and hard work overcame the sins of our forefather. By these means he succeeded in perfecting himself, and was through his moral excellence united with God; having attained to unity and sameness of will and energy (i.e. activity) with Him through his advances in the path of good deeds. This will be preserved inseparable (from the Divine), and so inherited the name which is above all names, the prize of love and affection vouchsafed in grace to him."

IV. " We do not award praise to beings which submit merely in virtue of their nature; but we do award high praise to beings which submit because their attitude is one of love; and so submitting because their inspiring motive is one and the same, they are confirmed and strengthened by one and the same indwelling power, of which the force ever grows, so that it never ceases to stir. It was in virtue of this love that the Saviour coalesced with God, so as to admit of no divorce from Him, but for all ages to retain one and the same will and activity with Him, an activity perpetually at work in the manifestation of good."

V. " Wonder not that the Saviour had one will with God. For as nature manifests the substance of the many to subsist as one and the same, so the attitude of love produces in the many an unity and sameness of will which is manifested by unity and sameness of approval and well-pleasingness."

Paul was an early forerunner of Adoptionism. Possibly, the Paulicians of Armenia ahered to his teachings, and received their name from him. However historical records show instead that the Paulicians were bitterly persecuted for their gnostic and iconoclastic views than for a position on homoousious. Paul's pupil Lucian also had some influence on Arianism. Adoptionism is a view held by some early medieval Christians, that Jesus was born a human only, and was not divine until his baptism, at which point he was adopted as the Son by God the Father. ... Bogomils was the name of an ancient Gnostic religious community which is thought to have originated in Bulgaria. ... Gnosticism is a blanket term for various religions and sects most prominent in the first few centuries A.D. General characteristics The word gnosticism comes from the Greek word for knowledge, gnosis (γνῶσις), referring to the idea that there is special, hidden mysticism (esoteric knowledge) that only a few possess. ... Illustration of the Beeldenstorm during the Dutch reformation Literally, iconoclasm is the destruction of religious icons and other sacred images or monuments, usually for religious or political motives. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Lucian Lucian of Samosata (Greek, Λουκιανὸς Σαμοσατεύς, Latin, Lucianus; c. ... Jump to: navigation, search Arianism was a Christological view held by followers of Arius, a Christian priest who lived and taught in Alexandria, Egypt, in the early 4th century. ...

This article incorporates text from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, which is in the public domain. Jump to: navigation, search Supporters contend that the Eleventh Edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica (1910-1911) represents the sum of human knowledge at the beginning of the 20th century; indeed, it was advertised as such. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ...