Paul of Samosata

Paul of Samosata was in the years 260-268 Bishop of Antioch, and was later excommunicated as heretics from the church.

Political Environment

The work of Samosata in (city on the upper reaches of the Euphrates ), born Paul in Antioch fell into a politically turbulent time (see Reich crisis of the 3rd century ). The eastern border of the Roman Empire was beset by the Persians, and Antioch was in a short time existing palmyrischen Empire between Rome and Persia, to the Roman rule was backed up in this room by Aurelian in 272 again.

Dogmas of historical importance

Paul of Samosata was of the teaching that Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, was just a normal person. This ordinary man is, however, as well as other saints before him, moved in a special way by the Word and Spirit of God. This heretical doctrine is Paul of Samosata, at least according to the historian Eusebius of Caesarea Church considers a direct precursor of Marcellus of Ancyra.

Since no writings of Paul have survived, have incurred the good half a century later records in the De ecclesiastica theologia (I, 20.43; III, 8.4 ) of Eusebius, which may well be incomplete or biased, to represent the serve position of Paul. According to Eusebius was the central point of the heresy that the Son of God as a mere man ( ψιλός ἄνθρωπος ) was considered. It follows that God would ( ὑπόστασις μία ) as a hypostasis with three modes ( πρόσωπα ) understood: God the Father, God, Jesus Christ (more precisely, the indwelling God word Λόγος ) and God the Holy Spirit are all three one and the same God. He represented so that a modalism, who was close to the content of the doctrine of Sabellius, with whom he later often mentioned in the same breath, such as in the Tome ad Antiochenos of 362 In contrast, the church represented the doctrine of the Trinity (Trinity), the three hypostases emanates.

In a church synod in Antioch in 264 Pauls were then discussed views. His statements were his views still appear to be acceptable. It was only on a sequence synod in 268 his removal was demanded as bishop, which was due to the political situation only 272. Also, some of his followers did not follow the dismissal; until the beginning of the 4th century a community of ' Paulianisten ' with Paul could hold as bishop. Paul of Samosata is mentioned in canon 19 of the First Council of Nicaea.