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1. The term “Benedictine” applies in a general sense to all monks w…

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…

[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 Zeit die Lehren Markells mit denen des S. verschmolzen und kaum mehr voneinander zu unterscheiden waren (vgl. Epiph.haer. 62). Es blieb lediglich die Erinnerung daran (vgl. Synodalschreiben der orientalischen Bischöfe auf dem Konzil von Ser…

[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 entstandenen schismatischen Bewegung, die nach seinem Tode von einem gewissen Korakion geleitet wurde, trat Bf. Dionysius von Alexandrien in Gesprächen und mit zwei Büchern »Über die Verheißungen« entgegen – u.a. mit einer philol. und hist. begründeten Unterscheidung zw. den Schriften des Apostels Johannes und der Ap…

[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…

[English Version] (I.) von Alexandrien (gest.311 Alexandrien), Leiter der alexandrinischen »Katechetenschule« (Alexandrien: III.), möglicherweise zusammen mit Pierius und Achillas z.Z. des Bf. Theonas und dessen Nachfolger im Bischofsamt (300–311). Während der bald darauf einsetzenden Diokletianischen Verfolgung (Christenverfolgungen: I.) kam es zum Konflikt mit Bf. Melitius von Lykopolis in Oberägy…

[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). Daneben vf. er zahlreiche Beiträge zum Urchristentum, zur frühchristl. Lit. und zur Patristik sowie zum luth.-orth. Dialog. – Sch. war Präsident des Fakultätentages, Vorsitzender der Theologentage 1958 und 1960 und Mitbegründer des Eur. Theologenkongresses (Wien 1963); 1963–1967 Mitglied des Wissenschaftsrats, 1973 ordentliches Mitglied der Rheinisch-Westfälischen Akademie der Wiss. (1982–1985 Präsident). – Als Ökumeniker engagierte sich Sch. v.a. im Dialog der EKD mit dem ökum. Patriarchat von Konstantinopel und im orth. Zentrum in Chambésy/Genf.…

[English Version] (Pan…

[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…

[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, there was a conflict with Bishop Melitius of Lycopolis in Upper Egypt over the question whether the “lapsed” could repent (Repentance) and be received back into the church; Peter advocated leniency. The …

[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.…

[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 mentions that he was called “the younger Origen” ( …

[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…

[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…

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[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 of three divine hypostases (Hypostasis; cf. Origen) as tritheism, emphasizing God’s unity as μονάς/ monás instead, citing John 10:30. Eusebius of Caesarea considered Marcellus a “new Sabellius” but had nothing more to say about the author of this heresy, so that later the teachings of Marcellu…

[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 th…

[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 opposed the movement in discussions and in two books On the Promises. He distinguished between the writings of John the Apostle and the book of Revelation, on philological and…

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[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,…