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Life of St Athanasius the Great and Account of Arianism

By Archibald Robertson.

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Page 28

At the same time we trace the influence of the Apologists here and there in his Christology (III. 6, 19, and the explanation of the 'Theophanies,' iv. 20). But in his younger contemporary Tertullian, the reaction of Monarchianism makes itself felt. He is himself one of the Apologists, and at the same time under Asiatic influences. The two trains of influence converge in the name Trinitas, which he is the first to use (trias first in the Asiatic Apologist Theophilus). In combating the Monarchian Praxeas (see below) he carries subordinationism very far (cf. Hermog. 3. 'fuit tempus cum Ei filius non fuit'), he distinguishes the Word as 'rationalis deus' from eternity, and 'sermonalis' not from eternity (cf. again, Theophilus, supra). The Generation of the Son is a probole (also 'eructare' from Ps. xlv. 1), but the divine 'Substance' remains the same (river and fountain, sun and ray, Prax. 8, 9). He aims at reconciling 'subordination' with the 'Monarchia,' (ib. 4). In the Incarnate Christ he distinguishes the divine and human as accurately as Leo the Great (ib. 27, 29). In spite of inconsistencies such as were inevitable in his strange individuality (Stoic, philosopher, lawyer, Apologist, 'Asiatic' theologian, Catholic, Montanist) we see in Tertullian the starting-point of Latin Theology (but see also Harnack ii. 287 note).

We must now examine more closely the history of Monarchian tendencies, and firstly in Rome. The sub-Apostolic Church, simply holding the Divinity of Christ and the Unity of God, used language (see above) which may be called 'naively Monarchian.' This holds good even of Asiatic theology, as we find it in its earlier stage. The baptismal creed (as we find it in the primitive basis of the Apostles' Creed) does not solve the problem thus presented to Christian reflexion. Monarchianism attempted the solution in two ways.

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