In early Christian heresiology , the Panarion ( Koinē Greek : Πανάριον , derived from Latin panarium , meaning "bread basket"), to which 16th-century Latin translations gave the name Adversus Haereses (Latin: "Against Heresies"), is the most important of the works of Epiphanius of Salamis . It was written in Koine Greek beginning in 374 or 375, and issued about three years later, as a treatise on heresies , with its title referring to the text as a "stock of remedies to offset the poisons of heresy." It treats 80 religious sects , either organized groups or philosophies, from the time of Adam to the latter part of the fourth century, detailing their histories, and rebutting their beliefs. The Panarion is an important source of information on the Jewish–Christian gospels , the Gospel of the Ebionites , and the Gospel of the Hebrews .
23-651: The treatise can be considered a sequel to the Ancoratus (374), which takes the form of a letter to the church of Syedra in Pamphylia , describing how the " barque " of the church can counteract the contrary winds of heretical thought, and become "anchored" ( ἀγχυρωτός ); hence the title of the work; the Ancoratus even outlines the content of the Panarion within its text. The treatise begins with two proems :
46-502: A snake. Necessarily much of the information in this large compilation varies in value. The Panarion reflects the character of Epiphanius and his method of working. Sometimes, his intense passion prevents him from inquiring carefully into the doctrines he opposes. Thus, on his own avowal ( Haer. , lxxi), he speaks of Apollinarianism on hearsay. At Constantinople , he had to acknowledge to the Origenist monks, whom he opposed, that he
69-461: A table of contents, and a description of Epiphanius's methods and purpose in writing. The work is divided into three books, with a total of seven volumes. It ends with what has since been called De Fide , a short description of the orthodox catholic faith of the Great Church . The number of sects covered in the work is based on Song of Songs 6:8-9, quoted below in the original Hebrew, and in
92-446: A time, but at the end of both their lives, Athanasius resisted Basil of Caesarea's attempts to have him generally condemned, and re-established communion with Marcellus. The Second Ecumenical Council condemned 'Marcellians', but not Marcellus himself. J. W. Hanson (1899) and other Universalist Church of America historians read that Marcellus's theology included a belief in universalism , that all people would eventually be saved. He
115-645: Is also said to have destroyed the temple of Zeus Belos at Apamea. A few years after the Council of Nicaea (in 325) Marcellus wrote a book against Asterius the Sophist , a prominent figure in the party which supported Arius. Of this book only fragments survived. Marcellus was accused of maintaining that the Trinity of persons in the Godhead was but a transitory dispensation. According to the surviving fragments, God
138-476: Is quoted by his opponent Eusebius as having said "For what else do the words mean, 'until the times of the restitution' (Acts 3:21), but that the apostle designed to point out that time in which all things partake of that perfect restoration." ( Against Marcellus 2:14) However the reference to Acts 3:21 indicates that Eusebius is probably using "restoration" apokatastasis here in the Jewish sense. Aside from
161-688: Is the only one to give us any information concerning the Gothic sect of the Audians ( Haer. , lxx), as well as the Arabian sect of the Collyridians . He has made use of the lost report of the discussion between Photinus ( Haer. , lxxi), and Basil of Ancyra . He has transcribed a very important letter from Bishop Marcellus of Ancyra ( Haer. , lxxii) to Pope Julius , and fragments of the treatise of Acacius of Caesarea against Marcellus. With regard to
184-720: The Semiarians ( Haer. , lxxiii), he gives in the Acts of the Council of Ancyra (358) a letter from Basil of Ancyra and one from George of Laodicea , and the stenographic text of a singular sermon of Melitius at the time of his installation at Antioch . In the chapter dealing with the Anomeans ( Haer. , lxxvi) he has preserved a monograph of Aetius . Epiphanius also wrote the Anacephalaeoses , as an epitome, or abridged version, of his Panarion . Augustine used them as
207-470: The Christian dogma from Bible and tradition . This work also includes two professions of faith . One of them composed by Epiphanius himself and the other is the one normally used at that time during the rite of baptism by the church of Salamis. It was later adopted by the Council of Constantinople in 381. Marcellus of Ancyra Marcellus of Ancyra ( Greek : Μάρκελλος Άγκυρας, died c. 374)
230-504: The English translation from JPS 1917: Epiphanius interpreted the fourscore (80) concubines as sects, who take the name of Christ without being truly matrimonial; the threescore queens as the generations from Adam to Jesus; the one dove as the true wife, the church; and the numberless virgins as all the philosophies unrelated to Christianity. The first section of the first of the three books contains an account of 20 heretical sects before
253-894: The Holy Spirit.") At the consummation of all things, however, Christ would return to the Father and the Godhead would be an absolute unity again. ( 1 Cor 15:28 [NRSV trans.], "When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who put all things in subjection under him, so that God may be all in all.") The bishops at the First Synod of Tyre in 335 (which also deposed Athanasius) seem to have written to Constantine against Marcellus when he refused to communicate with Arius at Constantine's thirtieth-anniversary celebrations at Jerusalem. Eusebius of Caesarea wrote against him two works: "Contra Marcellum", possibly
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#1732765343449276-524: The basis for his Contra Omnes Haereses , "Against all Heresies". The original text was written in Koine Greek . Three Latin versions were published in the 16th and 17th centuries, from writers focused on ecclesiastical interests. Since then, writers have been interested in the historical content of the text itself. An Old Church Slavonic translation was made, probably at the Preslav school during
299-419: The bishops who had deposed Marcellus, arguing that Marcellus was innocent of the charges brought against him. The Council of Serdica (343) formally examined his book and declared it free of heresy. But he seems not to have been reinstated in his see when Constantius II , threatened by his brother with war, allowed the restoration of Athanasius of Alexandria and Paul of Constantinople to their sees in 345. However,
322-659: The fourth century, either because the author confines himself to transcribing documents preserved by him alone, or because he writes down his personal observations. With regard to Hieracas ( Haer. , lxvii), he makes known a curious Egyptian sect by whom asceticism and intellectual work were equally esteemed. In connection with the Melitians of Egypt ( Haer. , lxviii), he has preserved important fragments of contemporary Egyptian history of this movement. With regard to Arianism ( Haer. , lxix), he provides an apocryphal letter of Constantine . He transcribes two letters of Arius . He
345-412: The heresy]. The general form, though not universal, in which Epiphanius described each sect included four parts: a brief mention of the sect's relationship to previously-mentioned sects; a description of the sect's beliefs; a lengthy refutation of its doctrine, including arguments from the scriptures and reductio ad absurdum of their beliefs; a comparison of the sect to a repulsive animal, particularly
368-589: The prosecution document at Marcellus's trial, and "On the Theology of the Church" or "Ecclesiastical Theology", a refutation of Marcellus's theology from the perspective of Arian theology. Marcellus was deposed at Constantinople in 336 at a council under the presidency of Eusebius of Nicomedia , the Arian, and Basil of Ancyra appointed to his see. Marcellus sought redress at Rome from Pope Julius I , who wrote to
391-470: The reign of Tsar Simeon I of Bulgaria in the early 10th century. It is preserved in the 12th-century kormchaya of Ephraim. A full Russian translation was published in the 19th century. A partial translation exists in German and another in English (by Philip Amidon). The first English translation of the entire Panarion was published in 1987 (Book I) and 1993 (Books II and III), by Frank Williams. This
414-514: The synod made Marcellus's student Photinus , who later taught a variation of Marcellus's theology, bishop of Sirmium. In 344, the Synod of Antioch excommunicated Marcellus again and drew up the Macrostich , a creed which listed their beliefs and objections to Marcellus's doctrines (among others). Athanasius's relations with Marcellus were complex, and communion between them was broken off for
437-414: The time of Jesus ; the remaining portion is occupied with the description of 60 sects of Christianity . However, the total number of sects is actually 77, because three of the first 20 are general names: Hellenism , Samaritanism , and Judaism . In the editions of the Panarion , each heresy is numbered in order; hence it is customary to quote the Panarion as follows: Epiphanius, Haer. N [the number of
460-482: Was a Bishop of Ancyra and one of the bishops present at the Council of Ancyra and the First Council of Nicaea . He was a strong opponent of Arianism , but was accused of adopting the opposite extreme of modified Sabellianism . He was condemned by a council of his enemies and expelled from his see, though he was able to return there to live quietly with a small congregation in the last years of his life. He
483-477: Was based on Karl Holl's edition, released in 1915 (Book I), 1922 (Book II), and 1933 (Book III), totaling 1500 pages. Ancoratus The Ancoratus is a catechetical work by Epiphanius of Salamis that examines some dogmatic themes in light of the heresies of the fourth century. He does not devote much space to developing heretical doctrines or their confutation as in the Panarion , but he explains
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#1732765343449506-419: Was not acquainted with either their school or their books, and that he only spoke from hearsay ( Sozomen , Hist. eccl. , VIII, xl). There is, however, much information not found elsewhere. Chapters devoted only to the doctrinal refutation of heresies are rare. As an apologist , Epiphanius appeared generally weak to Photius . The Panarion furnishes very valuable information concerning the religious history of
529-591: Was originally only one Being ( hypostasis ), but at the creation of the universe the Word or Logos went out from the Father and was God's Activity in the world. This Logos became incarnate in Christ and thus constituted the Image of God. The Holy Ghost likewise went forth as third Divine Person from the Father and from Christ according to John 20:22 . (John 20:22 [NRSV trans.], "he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive
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