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Benedictines

(1,363 words)

Author(s): Bienert, Wolfgang A.
1. The term “Benedictine” applies in a general sense to all monks who live communally according to the rule of Benedict of Nursia (ca. 480-ca. 547). More narrowly Benedictines are members of a Benedictine confederation set up in 1893 by Pope Leo XIII (1878–1903). To this group belong 21 autonomous congregations with some 9,000 male members and 18,500 female members under an abbot primate in Rome ( Catalogus monasteriorum OSB 17 [1990]). 2. Benedict composed the rule that would decisively shape Western monasticism originally for ¶ his own monastery at Monte Cassino (after 529). After the destruction of this house in 577, the rule apparently became accepted in Rome. From there, often in combination with other rules, especially that of Columbanus (ca. 543–615), it spread to the Franks and (in mixed form) to England. Whether the monks whom Gregory the Great (pope 590–604) sent to England brought the Benedictine rule is debated. But by the pictu…

Cluny, Order of

(807 words)

Author(s): Bienert, Wolfgang A.
1. The Benedictine monastery of Cluny, northwest of Mâcon in Burgundy, was founded in 910 by Duke William III of Aquitaine. In the 10th and 11th centuries it became the center of a reforming movement that began as a return to the original goals of monasticism (i.e., renunciation of the world in anticipation of the life of paradise in adoration and praise). In the course of time, it radically changed the Christian world in the West. 2. The basis of the reform was the demand for a stricter following of the Benedictine Rule in the tradition of Benedict of Aniane (d. 821). This demand was made i…

Sabellius/Sabellianer

(292 words)

Author(s): Bienert, Wolfgang A.
[English Version] . In den theol. Streitigkeiten des 4.Jh. war »Sabellianismus« häufig Bez. für den als Häresie verurteilten modalistischen Monarchianismus. V.a. Markell von Ancyra und seine Anhänger galten als »Sabellianer«, weil sie die Lehre von den drei göttlichen Hypostasen (vgl. Origenes) als Tritheismus verwarfen und statt dessen die Einheit Gottes unter Berufung auf Joh 10,30 als μοn̆α´ς/monás betonten. Eusebius von Caesarea sah in Markell einen »neuen S.«, teilte jedoch nichts näheres über den Urheber dieser Häresie mit, so daß in späterer …

Nepos

(186 words)

Author(s): Bienert, Wolfgang A.
[English Version] von Arsinoe¨, äg. Bischof (Anfang 3.Jh.), verteidigte mit seiner Schrift »Widerlegung der Allegoristen« den Chiliasmus der Apk im wörtl., leiblichen Sinne. Der daraus ent…

Pierius

(232 words)

Author(s): Bienert, Wolfgang A.
[English Version] von Alexandrien (gest. ca.312), Presbyter und Leiter des alexandrinischen »Didaskaleions« seit der Zeit des Bf. Theonas (281/82–300), möglicherweise zusammen mit dessen Nachfolger Petrus (I.) von Alexandrien (300–311) und dem späteren Bf. Achillas (ca.311–312). Eusebius von Caesarea, ein Zeitgenosse, beschreibt P. (h.e. VII 32, 26f.) als hervorragenden Prediger, gelehrten und philos. gebildeten Bibelexegeten, der das Leben eines Asketen geführt habe. Hieronymus erwähnt, man habe i…

Petrus

(239 words)

Author(s): Bienert, Wolfgang A.
[English Version] (I.)

Schneemelcher

(228 words)

Author(s): Bienert, Wolfgang A.
[English Version] Schneemelcher, Wilhelm (21.8.1914 Berlin – 6.8.2003 Königswinter), ev. Theologe (Kirchenhistoriker, Schwerpunkt: Patristik; Schüler H. Lietzmanns), Wissenschaftsorganisator und Ökumeniker. Lic. theol. 1940 Berlin, Habil. 1949 Göttingen (Urkunden zur Gesch. des arianischen Streites; Athanasius-Forschung); 1953 Prof. für NT und Kirchengesch. (1954) in Bonn (bis zu seiner Emeritierung 1979). – International wurde Sch. bekannt durch die Herausgabe des zweibändigen Werkes »Ntl. Apokryphen in dt. Übers.« (begr. durch E. Hennecke, 1865–1951, 31959). …

Pantaenus

(201 words)

Author(s): Bienert, Wolfgang A.
[English Version] (Pantainos; gest. um 200), vielleicht aus Sizilien s…

Liberius, Pope

(214 words)

Author(s): Bienert, Wolfgang A.
[German Version] (episcopate May 17, 352 – Sep 24, 366). Liberius, the successor to Julius I as bishop of Rome, refused to sign the condemnation of Athanasius, because the proceedings against him had not followed ecclesiastical norms. He was therefore exiled to Beroea in Thrace (356–358) by Emperor Constantius II. His experience in exile soon caused him to change his mind. Although he was fundamentally an adherent of the Nicene Creed, he signed the theological formula of the Homoeans in 357 (Sirmi…

Peter of Alexandria

(238 words)

Author(s): Bienert, Wolfgang A.
[German Version] (died 311, Alexandria), head of the “Catechetical School” of Alexandria (III), possibly together with Pierius and Achillas in the time of Bishop Theonas and his successor in the episcopate (300–311). During the Diocletianic persecution (Persecutions of Christians: I), which began soon afterward, ther…

Schneemelcher, Wilhelm

(296 words)

Author(s): Bienert, Wolfgang A.
[German Version] (Aug 21, 1914, Berlin – Aug 6, 2003, Königswinter), Protestant theologian (church historian, with a focus on patristics; student of H. Lietzmann), scholarly organizer, and ecumenist. He earned his Lic.theol. in 1940 in Berlin and received his habilitation in 1949 in Göttingen (documents on the history of the Arian conflict, Athanasian studies). In 1953 he was appointed professor of New Testament and church history (1954) at Bonn, a position he held until his retirement in 1979. Schneemelcher was known internationally for his two-volume Neutestamentliche Apokryphen in deutscher …

Pierius

(244 words)

Author(s): Bienert, Wolfgang A.
[German Version] (of Alexandria; died c. 312), presbyter and leader of the Alexandrian Didaskaleion from the time of Bishop Theonas (281/282–300), perhaps in conjunction with Theonas’s successor Peter of Alexandria (300–311) and the later bishop Achillas (c. 311–312). Eusebius of Caesarea, a contemporary, describes Pierius ( Hist. eccl. VII 32. 26f.) as an excellent preacher, and a scholarly and well-informed biblical exegete, who led the life of an ascetic. Jerome mentio…

Junilius (Junillus) Africanus

(192 words)

Author(s): Bienert, Wolfgang A.
[German Version] (born in North Africa), high official ( Quaestor sacri palatii) at the court of Justinian I (527–565). Around 542, he translated an exegetical handbook by the Nestorian (Nestorianism) Paul of Nisibis from the Greek into Latin and edited it as a textbook. The book especially emphasized the literal meaning of the Bible in the tradition of Theodore of Mopsuestia. Under the title Instituta regularia divini legis, this brief introduction to the study of the Bible, rather widely distributed in the Middle Ages, was often considered the work of an othe…

Beryllus of Bostra,

(127 words)

Author(s): Bienert, Wolfgang A.
[German Version] bishop of Bostra in Arabia (Jordan), was one of the “learned churchmen” (Eusebius Hist. eccl. VI, 20) of the 3rd century. His writings and letters were kept in the library established by Alexander of Jerusalem, but none have been preserved. Historical theology knows Beryllus for denying the pre-existence and Christ's independent divinity (so-called dyn…

Alexander of Jerusalem

(160 words)

Author(s): Bienert, Wolfgang A.
[German Version] (Aelia Capitolina). Alexander, who came from Asia Minor, studied in Alexandria with Pantaenus and Clement of Alexandria (who dedicated one of his works to Alexander); initially he was a bishop in Cappadocia (later sources say bishop of Flavias in Cilicia). While in Jerusalem during a pilgrimage c. 212, he was elected coadjutor to assist the aged Narcissus, whom he succeeded c. 222. He suffered martyrdom in 250 during the Decian persecution (Persecutions of Christians). He was a particular admirer of Origen (Eusebius,

Sabellius/Sabellians

(304 words)

Author(s): Bienert, Wolfgang A.
[German Version] In the theological conflicts of the 4th century, the Modalistic Monarchianism that was condemned as a heresy was often called Sabellianism. Marcellus of Ancyra and his followers in particular were considered “Sabellians,” because they rejected the doctrine …

Pantaenus

(204 words)

Author(s): Bienert, Wolfgang A.
[German Version] (died c. 200), a Stoic from Sicily (perhaps), who converted to Christianity. He is said to have carried the gospel to the peoples of the East, traveling as far as India. From about 180, he was a member of the Alexandria presbytery and led there, as one famous for his learning, “the school of the faithful” (Eus. Hist. eccl., V 10.1). Eusebius of Caesarea describes him as the leader of the Alexandrian Catechetical School (VI 6; Alexandrian theology), and names as his student and successor Clement of Alexandria, who was later followed by Origen. Clement speaks with great resp…

Nepos of Arsinoe

(193 words)

Author(s): Bienert, Wolfgang A.
[German Version] Nepos of Arsinoe, Egyptian bishop (early 3rd cent.). He defended the millenarianism of the book of Revelation in a literal, physical sense in his writing Refutation of the Allegorists. A schismatic movement arising from this was led, after Nepos’s death, by a certain Korakion. Bishop Dionysius of Alexandria oppose…

Eusebius of Emesa

(259 words)

Author(s): Bienert, Wolfgang A.
[German Version] (born c. 300 in Edessa, died shortly before 359) was a student of Polychronius of Skythopolis and Eusebius of Caesarea in Palestine; he also studied in Antioch and Alexandria; he was one of the founders of Antiochene biblical exegesis (interpretations of the Pentateuch, of the books of Kings, and of individual letters of Paul – probably in continuation of the exe…

Modalism

(609 words)

Author(s): Bienert, Wolfgang A.
[German Version] Modalism, the opposite of tritheism, is a collective term for a heterodox interpretation of the Trinity; in order to maintain the unity of God, it understands the divine triad – Father, Son, and Spirit – not as truly distinct persons but merely as aspects or manifestations ( modi) of the one divine being. The term was already in common use in the 18th century (e.g. J.F. Buddeus, 1723). Since the 19th century, it has been used primarily in the history of dogma (Dogma, History of) to categorize certain early Christian heresies, …
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