Church History Session 19 Paul of Samosata

The councils of Antioch dealing with the heretical bishop of that city, one Paul of Samosata, give a fascinating glimpse of the direction the church is moving.

Firstly we see for the first time the growing desire for ecumenical consensus on important matters with bishops and ministers invited to councils from across a wide geographic area and letters and accounts sent even further afield. Secondly we see for the first time the imperial authority, in the form of Emperor Aurelian being called in to arbitrate and finally resolve a church dispute. These two strands would combine to make possible the ecumenical councils and later councils like those at Dort and Westminster.

We also see the beginnings and formative steps of two key heresies which will dominate the fourth century--Arianism which declares there was a time when the Son did not exist, and Apollinarianism which claimed that Jesus didn't have a human soul but instead a divine soul.

Though often overlooked these factors make the councils of Antioch in the late AD260's important events to consider when studying Church History.