Noetus

NATM of Smyrna was a church scholar, who was about the end of the second century in Asia Minor, probably from Smyrna in modern Turkey (Izmir ) was obtained. He was an advocate of the unity of God ( that is, it was against the speech of three divine persons ( the Trinity ) ); he may be the founder of modalistic Monarchianism ( Patripassianismus ) apply and was excommunicated.

By himself no texts have been preserved, but the opponents we owe fragments of his theological conception.

Teaching

NATM of Smyrna is in connection with the disputes about Christology and the Trinity - bearing in mind that a formulated doctrine of the Trinity is present only 381 -, and also to mention the question of the capacity for suffering of God. His views counted:

• Christ is the one full appearance of the one God ( Frequency, Latin modus, therefore, is spoken of modalism ).
• The father suffers itself in the form of the Son on the Cross ( Patripassianismus ).

This perspective aims at maintaining the unity of God, the Greek monarchia (hence Sabellianism ). As a further Modalist Praxeas be mentioned.

In the West ( Rome) of modalism or Patripassianismus was first contested by Tertullian, especially in its written by 212 font " Adversus Praxeam " ( polemic against Praxeas ). The views of the NATM were later taken up and continued by Sabellius. The date of death of the NATM is unknown. The issue is so explosive because the Ignatian letters probably among others respond to Noëts views and therefore the dating of the term of office of Ignatius of Antioch depends on it.