Photinus

For other people, see Photinus (name). For the firefly, see Photinus (beetle). Not to be confused with Plotinus

Photinus (Greek: Φωτεινός; died 376)[1] was a Christian bishop of Sirmium in Pannonia Secunda (today the town Sremska Mitrovica in Serbia), best known for denying the incarnation of Christ, thus being considered a heresiarch by both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. His name became synonymous in later literature for someone asserting that Christ was not God. His teachings are mentioned by various ancient authors, like Ambrosiaster (Pseudo-Ambrose), Hilary of Poitiers, Socrates Scholasticus, Sozomen, Ambrose of Milan, Augustine of Hippo, John Cassian, Sulpicius Severus, Jerome, Vigilius of Thapsus and many others.[2]

None of his writings are extant; his views must be reconstructed through his critics.[3][4][5]

  1. ^ About annum of his death and previous attempts to identify him with some other bishops with the same name, from the territory of Illyricum, before and after the year 376., see work that contradicts this earlier views: Aleksandar Ivanović, Fotin Sirmijumski i njegov nauk- novi pokušaj rekonstrukcije fotinističke Hristologije (Photinus of Sirmium and his Doctrine- New Attempt of Reconstruction of Photinian Christology), p. 4. [1]
  2. ^ Aleksandar Ivanović, Fotin Sirmijumski i njegov nauk – novi pokušaj rekonstrukcije fotinističke Hristologije (Photinus of Sirmium and his Doctrine – New Attempt of Reconstruction of Photinian Christology), p. 1. [2].
  3. ^ Susanna Elm, Sons of Hellenism, Fathers of the Church 0520951654 2012 p233 "What did Photinus argue, and where was he in the early 360s? None of his writings are extant, and we know little of his whereabouts; much has to be reconstructed from what opponents such as Gregory say."
  4. ^ Kari Kloos Christ, Creation, and the Vision of God 2010 Page 75 "On the difficulty of identifying the doctrine of Photinus, see Charles Hefele, A History of the Councils of the Church from the Original Documents, vol. 2 (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1876), 186–193. Due to the lack of extant writings by Photinus and ..."
  5. ^ The New Westminster Dictionary of Church History: Robert Benedetto, James O. Duke - 2008 "As none of Photinus's writings are extant, evidence for his views comes from his detractors. His theology was condemned by at least two small synods, in Milan and Rome"