Theodotian

Augustine on the Theodotians in the work “De Haeresibus ad Quodvultdeum Liber Unus” (“Heresy, by the Passion of God, in one book”). "Smaragdus . " manuscript of the 9th century .

Theodotiane ( dr. Greek θεοδοτιανοί ; lat. Theodotiani ; dr. fodoti nє ) - heresy or sect of the II century , which received its name from the name of Theodotus .

This heresy is described at the end of the 4th century by Epiphanius in the Panarion , among 80 heresies. Epiphanius knows of the Theodotians only from written sources.

Theodotus was born in Byzantium and was a tanner , although he received a good education. During one of the persecutions of Christians (which Epiphanius does not know), Theodotus was captured with others and was tortured. During torment, Theodotus denied Christ . After the persecution of Christians has ended, in order to justify his renunciation, Theodotus creates a new creed. According to this teaching, Christ is not God, but a simple man. For this reason, Theodotus did not renounce God, but renounced the common man. Epiphanius says that Theodotus previously belonged to the heresy of alogs . For this reason, as aliens, Theodotians did not recognize the Gospel of John and other writings attributed to John , especially the Apocalypse .

The early unknown authors quoted by Eusebius of Caesarea in the book Church History (Epiphanius probably drew information from here) provide more details about Theodotus and his followers. Theodotus lived in Rome , at the same time as the bishop of Rome, Victor (late II century ). Theodotus was the first to declare that Christ is a simple man. For this, Victor excommunicated Theodotus from the church. After the death of Victor, two disciples of Theodotus: Asklepiodot and the exchange of Theodotus persuaded one bishop, confessor Natalia, to be their bishop for one hundred and fifty dinars a month. Natalia was for some time the bishop of Theodotians, after which he repented for apostasy and simony and returned to the Church, where he was received by Bishop Zephyrin . Eusebius of Caesarea reports that the Theodotians calmly forged the Holy Scriptures; in the Scriptures themselves, the Theodotians tried diligently to find some kind of syllogism to affirm their creed. Some of the Theodotians believed that he had never become God, even at the descent of the Spirit; while other Theodotians believed that Christ became God after the resurrection from the dead .

Some of the Theodotians diligently studied the geometry of Euclid , admired the works of Aristotle and Theophrastus ; respected Galen with great respect.

Philastria in the book Liber de Haeresibus devoted Theodotus chapter 50.