Theodotus of Byzantium

2025-08-25T22:24:17Z

167.10.240.1:

{{Short description|Late 2nd century Greek Christian writer}}
{{hatnote|Not to be confused with [[Theodotus the Gnostic]], a Valentinian writer.}}

'''Theodotus of Byzantium''' ({{langx|grc|Θεόδoτoς}} ''Theodotos''; also known as '''Theodotus the Tanner''', '''Theodotus the Shoemaker''', '''Theodotus the Cobbler''', and '''Theodotus the Fuller''';<ref>Reinhold Seeberg, ''Text-Book of the History of Doctrines'', (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1956), 163</ref> flourished late 2nd century) was a [[Adoptionism|dynamic monarchian]] theologian from [[Byzantium]], one of several named Theodotus whose writings were condemned as [[heresy]] in the early church.

Theodotus held the profession of a leatherworker or fuller in Byzantium. He taught that [[Jesus]] was a virgin born man and, though he (Jesus) later received the spirit of God upon [[baptism]] (that is to say, he received the Christ in the form of a dove, thus according to Hippolytus agreed with Gnostics<ref>{{Cite web |title=Henry Wace: Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century A.D., with an Account of the Principal Sects and Heresies. - Christian Classics Ethereal Library |url=https://www.ccel.org/ccel/wace/biodict.html?term=Theodotus%20of%20Byzantium |access-date=2025-05-15 |website=www.ccel.org}}</ref>), he was not himself [[God]] until after his [[resurrection]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Hippolytus |title=Refutation of All Heresies |url=https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/050107.htm |publisher=New Advent |quote=But (among the followers of Theodotus) some are disposed (to think) that never was this man made God, (even) at the descent of the Spirit; whereas others (maintain that he was made God) after the resurrection from the dead. |accessdate=April 7, 2025}}</ref> This Christology, now referred to as "Dynamic [[Monarchianism]]" by modern scholars, was declared [[heresy|heretical]] by [[Pope Victor I]], and Theodotus was [[excommunication|excommunicated]]. Eusebius in referencing Theodotus' beliefs, refers to the group calling the correct "preaching [to] have been delayed" ultimately "until the times of Victor". He argued that " if Victor agreed with their opinions", why were they cast out?<ref>{{Cite web |title=CHURCH FATHERS: Church History, Book V (Eusebius) |url=https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250105.htm |access-date=2025-05-15 |website=www.newadvent.org}}</ref> Meanwhile, Hippolytus lists Theodotus's denial of Christ during persecution as the reason for his beliefs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Henry Wace: Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century A.D., with an Account of the Principal Sects and Heresies. - Christian Classics Ethereal Library |url=https://www.ccel.org/ccel/wace/biodict.html?term=Theodotus%20of%20Byzantium |access-date=2025-05-15 |website=www.ccel.org}}</ref>

Ultimately, Theodotus' following seems to have been quite small, and later having a "fruitless attempt" at establishing a church in Rome.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Theodotus and His Teachings |url=https://ccel.org/s/schaff/encyc07/htm/ii.xii.v.iii.htm |access-date=2025-05-15 |website=ccel.org}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Artemon]]
* [[Beryllus of Bostra]]
* [[Paul of Samosata]]
* [[Photinus]]
* [[Natalius]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
*[https://books.google.com/books?id=s98K8snXyeUC&pg=PA344&lpg=PA344 Lampe P, Johnson MD. Steinhauser M. (trans.) From Paul to Valentinus: Christians at Rome in the First Two Centuries Published by Fortress Press, 2003 Chapter 33: The Theodotians p. 344-9] {{ISBN|0-8006-2702-4}} {{ISBN|978-0-8006-2702-7}}

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[[Category:2nd-century people from Byzantium]]
[[Category:2nd-century Christian theologians]]
[[Category:Nontrinitarian Christians]]
[[Category:Leatherworkers]]
[[Category:People excommunicated by the Catholic Church]]

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{{Christian-theologian-stub}}
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Theodotus of Byzantium