Photinus
Encyclopedia
Photinus was a Christian
heresiarch
and bishop
of Sirmium
in Pannonia
, best known for denying the incarnation of Christ. His name became synonymous in later literature for someone asserting that Christ was not God.
in Galatia
, where he was a student and later a deacon of bishop Marcellus
. Marcellus, in later life a staunch opponent of Arianism, was deposed in 336 but reinstated by the Synod of Serdica in 343, which also made Photinus bishop of Sirmium. In 344, the Synod of Antioch
deposed Marcellus and drew up the Macrostich, a creed which listed their beliefs and objections to Marcellus' doctrines (among others). R. P. C. Hanson (1973) described Photinus' Christology as consistent with the early teachings of Marcellus. between 340-350.
At the time Photinus voiced his own theological system, according to which Jesus
was not divine and the Logos did not exist before the conception of Jesus. For Photinus the Logos was simply an aspect of a monotheistic God, hence he denied the pre-existence of Christ
and saw theophanies in the Old Testament as of the father, and the Ancient of Days
as prediction only.
The church historian Socrates Scholasticus
identifies Photinus' beliefs with those of Sabellius
, Paul of Samosata
and Marcellus. Ambrose, among the many accusing Photinus of reducing Christ to a man adopted by God, notes that his favourite verses were 1 Timothy 2:5 and John 8:40.
Synods held in 345 and 347 excommunicated Photinus, but Photinus remained in office, due to his popular support. A synod at Sirmium was held and Hilarius of Poitiers quotes some of its Arian propositions.
Photinus appealed to emperor Constantius II
. At another synod in Sirmium in 351, Photinus argued with the semi-Arian Basil of Ancyra and Photinus was deposed on charges of Sabellianism
and Adoptionism
. He was anathematised and sent into exile, where he wrote several theological works.
He received an approving letter from Julian the Apostate in 362 AD, which attacked Diodore of Tarsus, then engaged in combatting Julian's attempts to de-Christianize the empire, and began:
From this letter comes the comment of Ambrosiaster, in the next generation, that Photinus 'because he did not regard Christ as God on the grounds that he was born, he appears wise to the worldly.'
In about 365, a letter from Liberius, bishop of Rome, to several Macedonian bishops lists Photinus among the latter.
He returned to his see during the reign of Julian
, but was exiled again by Valentinian I
, according to Jerome
. He settled in his native Galatia
and his doctrines, Photinianism, died in the West. By the time of Augustine
, a "Photinian" was anyone who believed Christ was a mere man.
Among all the criticisms of Photinus it is, however, notable that none of his contemporaries accuse him of denying the virgin birth. Even Vigilus of Thapse in the 6th Century does not bring this charge against him.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
heresiarch
Heresiarch
A heresiarch is a founder or leader of a heretical doctrine or movement, as considered by those who claim to maintain an orthodox religious tradition or doctrine...
and bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Sirmium
Sirmium
Sirmium was a city in ancient Roman Pannonia. Firstly mentioned in the 4th century BC and originally inhabited by the Illyrians and Celts, it was conquered by the Romans in the 1st century BC and subsequently became the capital of the Roman province of Lower Pannonia. In 294 AD, Sirmium was...
in Pannonia
Pannonia
Pannonia was an ancient province of the Roman Empire bounded north and east by the Danube, coterminous westward with Noricum and upper Italy, and southward with Dalmatia and upper Moesia....
, best known for denying the incarnation of Christ. His name became synonymous in later literature for someone asserting that Christ was not God.
Life
Photinus grew up in AncyraAnkara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
in Galatia
Galatia
Ancient Galatia was an area in the highlands of central Anatolia in modern Turkey. Galatia was named for the immigrant Gauls from Thrace , who settled here and became its ruling caste in the 3rd century BC, following the Gallic invasion of the Balkans in 279 BC. It has been called the "Gallia" of...
, where he was a student and later a deacon of bishop Marcellus
Marcellus of Ancyra
Marcellus of Ancyra was one of the bishops present at the Councils of Ancyra and of Nicaea. He was a strong opponent of Arianism, but was accused of adopting the opposite extreme of modified Sabellianism...
. Marcellus, in later life a staunch opponent of Arianism, was deposed in 336 but reinstated by the Synod of Serdica in 343, which also made Photinus bishop of Sirmium. In 344, the Synod of Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
deposed Marcellus and drew up the Macrostich, a creed which listed their beliefs and objections to Marcellus' doctrines (among others). R. P. C. Hanson (1973) described Photinus' Christology as consistent with the early teachings of Marcellus. between 340-350.
At the time Photinus voiced his own theological system, according to which Jesus
Christian views of Jesus
Christian views of Jesus are based on the teachings and beliefs outlined in the Canonical gospels, New Testament letters, and the Christian creeds. These outline the key beliefs held by Christian about Jesus, including his divinity, humanity, and earthly life. Generally speaking, adhering to the...
was not divine and the Logos did not exist before the conception of Jesus. For Photinus the Logos was simply an aspect of a monotheistic God, hence he denied the pre-existence of Christ
Pre-existence of Christ
The pre-existence of Christ refers to the doctrine of the ontological or personal existence of Christ before his conception. One of the relevant Bible passages is where, in the Trinitarian view, Christ is identified with a pre-existent divine hypostasis called the Logos or Word...
and saw theophanies in the Old Testament as of the father, and the Ancient of Days
Ancient of Days
Ancient of Days is a name for God in Aramaic: Atik Yomin; in the Greek Septuagint: Palaios Hemeron; and in the Vulgate: Antiquus Dierum....
as prediction only.
The church historian Socrates Scholasticus
Socrates Scholasticus
Socrates of Constantinople, also known as Socrates Scholasticus, not to be confused with the Greek philosopher Socrates, was a Greek Christian church historian, a contemporary of Sozomen and Theodoret, who used his work; he was born at Constantinople c. 380: the date of his death is unknown...
identifies Photinus' beliefs with those of Sabellius
Sabellius
Sabellius was a third century priest and theologian who most likely taught in Rome, but may have been an African from Libya. Basil and others call him a Libyan from Pentapolis, but this seems to rest on the fact that Pentapolis was a place where the teachings of Sabellius thrived, according to...
, Paul of Samosata
Paul of Samosata
Paul of Samosata was Bishop of Antioch from 260 to 268. He was a believer in monarchianism, and his teachings anticipate adoptionism.-Life:...
and Marcellus. Ambrose, among the many accusing Photinus of reducing Christ to a man adopted by God, notes that his favourite verses were 1 Timothy 2:5 and John 8:40.
Synods held in 345 and 347 excommunicated Photinus, but Photinus remained in office, due to his popular support. A synod at Sirmium was held and Hilarius of Poitiers quotes some of its Arian propositions.
Photinus appealed to emperor Constantius II
Constantius II
Constantius II , was Roman Emperor from 337 to 361. The second son of Constantine I and Fausta, he ascended to the throne with his brothers Constantine II and Constans upon their father's death....
. At another synod in Sirmium in 351, Photinus argued with the semi-Arian Basil of Ancyra and Photinus was deposed on charges of Sabellianism
Sabellianism
In Christianity, Sabellianism, is the nontrinitarian belief that the Heavenly Father, Resurrected Son and Holy Spirit are different modes or aspects of one God, as perceived by the believer, rather than three distinct persons in God Himself.The term Sabellianism comes from...
and Adoptionism
Adoptionism
Adoptionism, sometimes called dynamic monarchianism, is a minority Christian belief that Jesus was adopted as God's son at his baptism...
. He was anathematised and sent into exile, where he wrote several theological works.
He received an approving letter from Julian the Apostate in 362 AD, which attacked Diodore of Tarsus, then engaged in combatting Julian's attempts to de-Christianize the empire, and began:
- O Photinus, you at any rate seem to maintain what is probably true, and come nearest to being saved, and do well to believe that he whom one holds to be a god can by no means be brought into the womb. But Diodorus, a charlatan priest of the Nazarene, when he tries to give point to that nonsensical theory about the womb by artifices and juggler's tricks, is clearly a sharp-witted sophist of that creed of the country-folk.
From this letter comes the comment of Ambrosiaster, in the next generation, that Photinus 'because he did not regard Christ as God on the grounds that he was born, he appears wise to the worldly.'
In about 365, a letter from Liberius, bishop of Rome, to several Macedonian bishops lists Photinus among the latter.
He returned to his see during the reign of Julian
Julian the Apostate
Julian "the Apostate" , commonly known as Julian, or also Julian the Philosopher, was Roman Emperor from 361 to 363 and a noted philosopher and Greek writer....
, but was exiled again by Valentinian I
Valentinian I
Valentinian I , also known as Valentinian the Great, was Roman emperor from 364 to 375. Upon becoming emperor he made his brother Valens his co-emperor, giving him rule of the eastern provinces while Valentinian retained the west....
, according to Jerome
Jerome
Saint Jerome was a Roman Christian priest, confessor, theologian and historian, and who became a Doctor of the Church. He was the son of Eusebius, of the city of Stridon, which was on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia...
. He settled in his native Galatia
Galatia
Ancient Galatia was an area in the highlands of central Anatolia in modern Turkey. Galatia was named for the immigrant Gauls from Thrace , who settled here and became its ruling caste in the 3rd century BC, following the Gallic invasion of the Balkans in 279 BC. It has been called the "Gallia" of...
and his doctrines, Photinianism, died in the West. By the time of Augustine
Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo , also known as Augustine, St. Augustine, St. Austin, St. Augoustinos, Blessed Augustine, or St. Augustine the Blessed, was Bishop of Hippo Regius . He was a Latin-speaking philosopher and theologian who lived in the Roman Africa Province...
, a "Photinian" was anyone who believed Christ was a mere man.
Among all the criticisms of Photinus it is, however, notable that none of his contemporaries accuse him of denying the virgin birth. Even Vigilus of Thapse in the 6th Century does not bring this charge against him.