Praxeas
Encyclopedia
Praxeas was a Monarchian
from Asia Minor
who lived in the end of the 2nd century/beginning of the 3rd century. He believed in the unity of the Godhead
and vehemently disagreed with any attempt at division of the personalities or personages of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the Christian Church. He was opposed by Tertullian
in his tract, Against Praxeas (Adversus Praxean), and was influential in preventing the Roman Church
from granting recognition to the New Prophecy.
An early anti-Montanist, is known to us only by Tertullian's book "Adversus Praxean". His name in the list of heresies appended to the "De Praescriptionibus" of that writer (an anonymous epitome of the lost "Syntagma" of Hippolytus) is a correction made by some ancient diorthotes for Noetus
.
Praxeas was an Asiatic, and was inflated with pride (according to Tertullian) as a confessor of the Faith because he had been for a short time in prison. He was well received at Rome (c. 190-98) by the pope (Victor, or possibly Zephyrinus
). The latter pope had decided to acknowledge the prophetic gifts of Montanus, Prisca, and Maximilla (according to Tertullian). The intention had been sufficiently public to bring peace to the Churches of Asia and Phrygia—so much depended on the papal sanction; but Praxeas prevailed upon the pope to recall his letter.
He came to Carthage before Tertullian had renounced the Catholic communion (c. 206-8). He taught Monarchian doctrine there, or at least doctrine which Tertullian
regarded as Monarchian: "Patrem cruci fixit; Paraclitum fugavit" -- "Having driven out the Paraclete [Montanus], he now crucified the Father". He was refuted, evidently by Tertullian himself, and gave an explanation or recantation in writing, which, when Tertullian wrote several years afterwards, was still in the hands of the authorities of the Carthaginian Church, the carnal", as he affects to call them. When Tertullian wrote he himself was no longer in the Church; Monarchianism had sprung up again, but he does not mention its leaders at Rome, and directs his whole argument against his old enemy Praxeas.
But the arguments which he refutes are doubtless those of Epigonus and Cleomenes. There is little reason for thinking that Praxeas was a heresiarch, and less for identifying him with Noetus,or one of his disciples. He was very likely merely an adversary of the Montanists who used some quasi-Monarchian expressions when at Carthage, but afterwards them when he saw they might be misunderstood. On the identification by Hageman of Praxeas with Callistus
, see MONARCHIANS.
Monarchianism
Monarchianism is a set of beliefs that emphasize God as being one person. The term was given to Christians who upheld the "monarchy" of God against the Logos theology of Justin Martyr and apologists who had spoken of Jesus as a second divine person begotten by God the Father before the creation of...
from Asia Minor
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
who lived in the end of the 2nd century/beginning of the 3rd century. He believed in the unity of the Godhead
Godhead (Christianity)
Godhead is a Middle English variant of the word godhood, and denotes the Divine Nature or Substance of the Christian God, or the Trinity. Within some traditions such as Mormonism, the term is used as a nontrinitarian substitute for the term Trinity, denoting the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit not as...
and vehemently disagreed with any attempt at division of the personalities or personages of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the Christian Church. He was opposed by Tertullian
Tertullian
Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, anglicised as Tertullian , was a prolific early Christian author from Carthage in the Roman province of Africa. He is the first Christian author to produce an extensive corpus of Latin Christian literature. He also was a notable early Christian apologist and...
in his tract, Against Praxeas (Adversus Praxean), and was influential in preventing the Roman Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
from granting recognition to the New Prophecy.
An early anti-Montanist, is known to us only by Tertullian's book "Adversus Praxean". His name in the list of heresies appended to the "De Praescriptionibus" of that writer (an anonymous epitome of the lost "Syntagma" of Hippolytus) is a correction made by some ancient diorthotes for Noetus
Noetus
Noetus, a presbyter of the church of Asia Minor about AD 230, was a native of Smyrna, where he became a prominent representative of the particular type of Christology now called modalistic monarchianism or patripassianism....
.
Praxeas was an Asiatic, and was inflated with pride (according to Tertullian) as a confessor of the Faith because he had been for a short time in prison. He was well received at Rome (c. 190-98) by the pope (Victor, or possibly Zephyrinus
Pope Zephyrinus
Pope Saint Zephyrinus, born in Rome, was bishop of Rome from 199 to 217. His predecessor was bishop Victor I. Upon his death on December 20, 217, he was succeeded by his principal advisor, bishop Callixtus I.-Papacy:...
). The latter pope had decided to acknowledge the prophetic gifts of Montanus, Prisca, and Maximilla (according to Tertullian). The intention had been sufficiently public to bring peace to the Churches of Asia and Phrygia—so much depended on the papal sanction; but Praxeas prevailed upon the pope to recall his letter.
He came to Carthage before Tertullian had renounced the Catholic communion (c. 206-8). He taught Monarchian doctrine there, or at least doctrine which Tertullian
Tertullian
Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, anglicised as Tertullian , was a prolific early Christian author from Carthage in the Roman province of Africa. He is the first Christian author to produce an extensive corpus of Latin Christian literature. He also was a notable early Christian apologist and...
regarded as Monarchian: "Patrem cruci fixit; Paraclitum fugavit" -- "Having driven out the Paraclete [Montanus], he now crucified the Father". He was refuted, evidently by Tertullian himself, and gave an explanation or recantation in writing, which, when Tertullian wrote several years afterwards, was still in the hands of the authorities of the Carthaginian Church, the carnal", as he affects to call them. When Tertullian wrote he himself was no longer in the Church; Monarchianism had sprung up again, but he does not mention its leaders at Rome, and directs his whole argument against his old enemy Praxeas.
But the arguments which he refutes are doubtless those of Epigonus and Cleomenes. There is little reason for thinking that Praxeas was a heresiarch, and less for identifying him with Noetus,or one of his disciples. He was very likely merely an adversary of the Montanists who used some quasi-Monarchian expressions when at Carthage, but afterwards them when he saw they might be misunderstood. On the identification by Hageman of Praxeas with Callistus
Pope Callixtus I
Pope Saint Callixtus I or Callistus I was pope from about 217 to about 222, during the reigns of the Roman Emperors Elagabalus and Alexander Severus...
, see MONARCHIANS.