Markus Vinzent

Der Paradox Eine: Antignostischer Monarchianismus Im Zweiten Jahrhundert (Texts an Studies of Early Christian Life and Language) (German Edition) Markus Vinzent German edition

These essays propose a new dating of, and historical setting for the letters of "Ignatius of Antioch". In so doing this volume offers a contribution to the study of Monarchianism and early church history. An examination of the fragments of "Noetus of Smyrna", the founder of Monarchianism, leads to the discovery of the oldest "Regula fidei", and of its origin as part of anti-gnostic polemics. On the ground of late 2nd-century parallels, this "Regula" can be dated between 160 and 180 CE. It is within this context that the so-called "Letters of Ignatius" fit. As a result of these findings this volume argues for a significant revision of our understanding of early church history. Monarchianism ("Sabellianism", "Partripassianism"), later considered heretical, is shown to have been the almost universally accepted belief within the Church up to the period of the Roman bishops Zephyrinus and Callistus.