SHEMA Collllege off Theollogy SHEMA Co ege o Theo ogy

BY: BISHOP OSIAS M. CORNITA

SYMPOSIUM 2011

SUBJECT: The Historical Theology of the Godhead OBJECTIVE: To let the people of God know the historical aspects of the theology of the Godhead. Secondly, to prove that the doctrine of the true apostolic church which we embrace already exists since the apostolic time and before the constitution of the trinity doctrine in the council of Nicaea 325 AD headed by Emperor Constantine. INTRODUCTION: Have you not ask yourself sometimes whether the Theology of the Godhead (which simply means One God the creator of all things (Gen. 1:1) The Lord our God (Dt. 6:4) that no other God before Him and after him (Isa. 44:6, 8) and beside him there is no savior (Isa. 43:11) was manifest in the flesh (I Tim. 3:16) which was and is and is to come (Rev. 4:8)? HISTORICAL THEOLOGY OF THE GODHEAD I. DEFINITION OF KEY TERMS: 1) Monarchianism Its basic doctrine that God is one, the sole principle of all existence, was itself an acceptable and the truth of the ethical monotheism of the Old Testament of which Christianity was heir. Tertullian who first gave the name monarchianism in its Greek and Latin usage, that monarchia has no other meaning than single and Individual Rule. (Source: New Dictionary of Theology, by Sinclair B. Ferguson, David F. Wright, JJ. Parker, p. 444) 2) Monarchianism A Third Century belief, which denied the Triune nature of God in favor of a one-person God.
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Monarchianism professed, therefore, to affirm the doctrine of a divine monarchy, and it charged the orthodox with preaching two of three, it was essentially a denial of the alleged Christian doctrine of the Trinity. Further, under this teaching it admits the deity of Christ, but it denies that He is a person distinct from the Father and the Holy Spirit. (Source: Colliers Encyclopedia # 16, page 431) 3) Monarchianism The term monarchianism (or more technically, modalistic monarchianism) refers to the belief that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all different modes or revelations of one and the same person. This belief is also known in theological circles as: 1. Modalism; 2. Patripassiansm; and 3. Sabellianism In popular use, this belief is generally referred to as Jesus Only or Oneness Theology.
(Source: Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs, page 456, by: David W. Berest)

THE WARNING For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them (Acts 20:29-30). THE MARTYRS The MODALISTIC MONARCHIAN bishops from the apostle Peter to the last bishops of Rome known to have taught monotheism: Peter, AD 42-67 Linus, AD 67-79 Anacletus, AD 79-90 Clement, AD 90-99 Evaritus, AD 99-107 Alexander, AD 107-116 Sixtus, AD 116-125 Telesphorus, AD 125-136 Hyginus, AD 136-40 Pius, AD 140-54 Anicetus, AD 154-65 Soter, AD 165-74 Eleutherus, AD 174-89 Victor, AD 189-98 Zephyrinus, AD 198-217 Callistus, AD

217-22

Adolf Harnack held that . . . Eleutherus, Victor, Zephyrinus, and Callistus are all modalist.

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IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH He was among the Apostolic Fathers, the third Bishop of Antioch; he was a student of John the Apostle. Enroute to his martyrdom in Rome, he wrote series of letter which have been preserved as an example of very early Christian Theology. He was arrested by a persecution under Trojan. Must be said to be Monarchian. Described God in such a way as to emphasize the deity of Jesus. His letter to MAGNESIANS, (Magnesians 7:2) Jn. 16:28. Have been Appointed of Antioch in AD67 by Apostle John. He reportedly succeeds EVODIUS, who had been appointed Bishop by Peter in A.D. 40. p.14 = Grievous Wolves. Condemned by Trajan, He traveled from Antioch to Rome to die a martyrs death (A.D. 115). Allow himself to be called Theophorus (God-bearer) (Eph. 9:2). . . you all are fellow travelers, God-bearers, temple bearers, Christbearers and bearers of holiness, with the commandments of Jesus Christ for festal attire. Was reportedly torn apart by four-legged beast in a great sport crowd. No Trinitarian ideas or teaching until death of Ignatius. POLYCARP OF SMYRNA Was reputed to be Johns disciple and compassion of Papias. Tradition has it that Apostle John designated Polycarp as the Bishop of Smyrna. = Acquainted w/ Philip and his four daughters. = Like Ignatius, Polycarp fought against heresy in the church. He warned the faithful to keep aloof from seducers, false brethren, (2 Jn. 7.) (AD 114) had visited Rome in Ignatius martyrdom. (AD 154) he had fellowship w/ Anicetus, Roman Bishop to show the error of the Heretics. In a letter to Polycarp. . Ignatius was like later monarchians, a patripassianist. The Father suffured. . . Polycarp was about 30 yrs. old before the death of Apostle John. He had often heard the anointed powerful preaching of Apostle John against false prophets. Died a Martyr February 23, AD 156, captured by Authorities, brought into a public amphitheater at Smyrna. A crowd of blood thirsty pagans began to shout with uncontrolled fury anger, This is the teacher of Asia, the father of the Christians, the destroyer of our gods. Polycarp and Eleven Christians from Philadelphia were put to death.

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 Before his death he testified that he worshiped Christ alone. The manuscript entitled THE MRTYRDOM of POLYCARP was in the hands of Irenaeus in the 2nd century AD. He was the last known great Christian who had walked with the apostles. He died a martyr 51 yrs. old in Rome (AD 165) NOETUS: Bishop of Ephesus (AD 180-200) Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints (Jude 3). Noetus was born in Smyrna in Asia Minor, possibly as early as AD 130. Some sources have Noetus residing in Ephesus and teaching as late as AD 220-45. This, if true, would make his birth somewhat later; however, these late dates for his death seem to be based on a misinterpretation of the ancient Catholic writer Epiphanius. Hippolytus, in his polemic Contra Noetum, attempted to make Noetus the founder of the monarchian heresy, but most scholars now recognize that Noetus was simply holding on to an earlier faith, the Asiatic modalism of Ignatius and Polycarp. At least, he was not the originator of Oneness doctrine. One might speculate that Noetus sat under the ministry of Polycarp of Smyrna. Polycarp remained alive until c. AD 156. Moreover, unlike Irenaeus in his later life, Noetus taught the oneness of God, as indeed Polycarp had. And LeBreton has pointed out that the doctrine of Noetus was similar to that of Ignatius.3 We have already shown that Ignatius and Polycarp were in fellowship with one another. Therefore, it is logical to place Noetus in the same genre of theology as these two worthy men. He died c. AD 200, passively in Ephesus. The importance of Noetus is that he was a link with Asia Minor and the old Asiatic modalism of the sub-apostolic father (e.g., Ignatius and Polycarp). His modalism also serves as a link between these fathers and Sabellius. VICTOR, AD 89-98 Tertullian was angry over corroboration of the teaching of Praxeas. AGIANST ALL HERESIES wrote about Praxeas that He asserts that Jesus Christ is God and Father Almighty. He contends to have been crucified, suffered and died. PRAXEAS He that hath seen me hath seen the Father (John 14:9) A Minister in a Roman district of churches that had been taught since the Apostle Peter and Paul were there c. AD 67. Historical tradition points to the Apostle Peter as the founder of the Roman church as early as AD 42.
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 According to this Ancient writer (Pseudo) Tertullian (not Tertullian) Victor (Victorinus) corroborated the doctrine of Praxeas. Tertullian admitted that Praxeas and his followers (and by implication, the bishop of Rome and the majority of the Roman Christian) considered themselves to possess the Pure TRUTH. Tertullian accused Praxeas holding the Jewish faith, so to believe in one God. SABELLIUS: Champion of Oneness The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord (Mark 12:29). Sabellius was born c. AD 180, probably in the ancient Libyan city of Ptolemais.1 Ptolemais was one of five Greek cities or colonies called the Pentapolis, located along the coastal area of North Africa between Tripoli and the western desert of Egypt. Ptolemais (modern Tolmeta) was part of an area that formed the terminal stations of the caravans coming from Alexandria in Egypt. It was highly settled by Greeks and Jews. Although Sabellius seems to have been well-educated, the term Libyan applied to him by ancient trinitarian writers has a contemptuous connotation of country folk or lower class. It is possible that he was of Jewish or Greek extraction and may well have been a Roman by birth, since the Romans had conquered this area and lived there also. The Libyans, the native inhabitants of the area, were a proud and fierce nomadic people. However, they had been assimilated to a degree by the conquering peoples Carthaginians (Phoenician colonists), Greeks, and Romans. We do not really know, then, the ancestry of Sabellius. Most likely he spoke both Greek and Latin. When Sabellius was possibly a teenager, Septimius Severus, a fellow African from Leptis Magna, a seaport west of the Pentapolis area, became emperor of Rome in AD 193. This event marked the rise of Romans of African descent. It is perhaps not coincidental that Victor, bishop of Rome, AD 189-98, was also of African descent. The African emperors Severus, Caracalla, and Alexander Severus in the period of AD 193-235 served while Sabellius was in Rome. Too much cannot be made of this, and we are not suggesting any personal connection with these pagan men, but certainly the times were conducive for North African leaders such as Victor and Sabellius. Sabellius possibly arrived in Rome as early as AD 197 or 198 (at about the age of seventeen or eighteen), when his fellow countryman, Victor, was still the bishop of Rome. He came to attend the district-endorsed Bible College. R. B. Tollinton believed that Praxeas, who had come to Rome c. AD 190 from Asia Minor and who was an ally of Victor, was a teacher of Sabellius. The ancient trinitarian writers Augustine and Philaster held that Sabellius was taught by Noetus. If Noetus died c. AD 200, it is unlikely that he personally taught Sabellius, although he could possibly have preached or taught in Rome shortly before his
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death. Certainly, the unnamed Praxeas could have taught Sabellius, since he was in Rome from c. AD 190-206 or 208. Epigonus, Noetuss deacon, has been identified by some with Praxeas. BERYLLLUS: Champion of Oneness Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me (Isaiah 43:10). About the same time that Sabellius was preaching in North Africa and in the Middle East, another probable ancient champion of Oneness was active in Arabia. He was a pastor named Beryllus of Bostra (the Old Testament Bosrah), or Busrah, an Arabian city located south of Damascus, Syria. Beryllus was active in ministry between AD 230-44. Friedrich Schleiermacher said that he was a man of learning and wrote works on the oneness of God. Eusebius inspected Berylluss writings in the Jerusalem library. He stated in Ecclesiastical History6:33 that Beryllus taught that the Lord and Savior did not exist as a distinct person before the Incarnation and that the divinity of the Father dwelt in Him.2 In other words, Beryllus held that God the Father was incarnate in the man Jesus and that Jesus did not exist as a distinct divine person before the Incarnation, but rather He simply existed as God the Father. In the context of this period, we might remember that the church at Rome had become nominally trinitarian in AD 222. It was possibly the last large metropolitan center of the Roman Empire to turn trinitarian. This story is told in William Chalfant, The Fall of the Apostolic Church (revised 1998). *Why there was a fall of the Apostolic Church? A history of the Christian Church (p. 57-58) Williston Walker Rowes History of the Christian People, page 74 1. Trinity becomes prominent in the 2nd century, the belief that the Spirit is different from Christ as a separate person, Montanus. 2. Persecuted Church 100-313 AD. Ref. Highlights in Church History (S. C. McClain) a. MONTANUS introduce Trinity Doctrine, AD 156. b. Political Leaders in the church, 200 AD. c. The first controversy arose over the Doctrine of the Trinity, Emperor Constantine called special council at Nicaea, A,D, 325,to formulate roles for hi news church order and to decide on the formula the church would use. Munsens Antichrist in History, page 7. d. Images put in the Church 406 e. Pope gains power over Kings 1433 AD. The Dark Age.

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*How has Sabellianism or Modalism been revived in the Twentieth century? It can be found in many groups. 1. 1901 The Later Rain Outpouring of the Holy Spirit spread like a wild fire from Topeka Kansas. Bethel Bible College, like the Day of Pentecost, 2. 1915 The split of the Assemblies of God religious organization between the white and black Americans. 3. 1916 Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (colored American) 4. 1947 the United Pentecostal Church International Abingdon Dictionary of Living Religions, (Keith Crim, Gen. Ed., p.564) 5. 1957 United Pentecostal Church Philippines a. The SHEMA FAMILIA Harvesters CONCLUSION: According to S. C. McClain, Apostolic Martyrs claimed to have personal encounter with the God of our Patriarchs and Apostolic Forefathers until death. They upheld fast the doctrine of monotheism without compromise. Tertullian admitted that Praxeas and his followers (and by implication, the bishop of Rome and the majority of the Roman Christian) considered themselves to possess the Pure TRUTH. Further more how could I be persuaded to hold such a doctrine of TRINITY, when the blood of the Apostolic Martyrs of God was the price of its formulation and existence? Sources: *(New Dictionary of Theology. by Sinclair B. Ferguson, David F. Wright, JJ. Parker, p.444 *Colliers Encyclopedia *Dictionary of Early Christian beliefs by David W. Berest *A History of the Christian Church by Wilson Walker * Munsens Antichrist in History *Rowes History of the Christian People *Their Story: 20th Century Pentecostal by Fred J. Foster *Ancient Champion of Oneness by William B. Chalfant *Highlights in Church History by S. C. McClain

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