Novatian
Who was Novatian?
3rd century scholar, priest, theologian and antipope
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Novatian (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Novatian (c. 200 – c. 258) was a Roman scholar, priest, theologian, and antipope during a turbulent time in early Christian history. Born in Phrygia, he later moved to Rome, where he became known as a knowledgeable theologian and writer. He was the first Roman theologian to write his major works in Latin instead of Greek, a change that would have a big impact on Western Christian theology.
Before Fame
Not much is known for sure about Novatian's early life. It's believed he was born in the Roman province of Phrygia and later moved to Rome, where he got a solid education in philosophy and rhetoric. Some ancient sources say he was baptized while seriously ill by having water poured over him while bedridden, a method called clinical baptism. This was later used by critics to question the legitimacy of his ordination as a priest. Despite these challenges, he became prominent in the Roman church and was known as a talented writer and theologian before getting involved in the church politics of the mid-third century.
Key Achievements
- First Roman theologian to write major theological works in Latin, helping to establish Latin as the language of Western Christian thought.
- Authored 'De Trinitate,' the earliest surviving Latin systematic theological treatise on the doctrine of the Trinity.
- Founded the Novatianist church, a schismatic movement that persisted for several centuries across the Roman Empire.
- Consecrated as a rival bishop of Rome in 251, making him one of the earliest recorded antipopes in Christian history.
- Produced a body of theological and ethical writings, including works on Jewish dietary laws, Jewish spectacles, and the nature of modesty, that contributed to early Christian moral theology.
Did You Know?
- 01.Novatian was reportedly baptized by affusion — having water poured over him — while lying on a sickbed, which his later enemies argued made his subsequent ordination as a priest canonically irregular.
- 02.His treatise 'De Trinitate' is the earliest surviving systematic treatment of the doctrine of the Trinity written by a Latin-speaking theologian in Rome.
- 03.The Novatianist schismatic church he founded after his excommunication in 251 survived for several centuries, with communities documented as far east as Constantinople and as far west as Spain.
- 04.Novatian wrote an unusual theological treatise called 'De Cibis Iudaicis' (On Jewish Foods), which addressed questions about dietary laws and their applicability to Christians.
- 05.He is believed to have died as a martyr during the persecution under Emperor Valerian around 258, a death that earned him veneration in certain early Christian communities despite his status as an antipope.