Novatianism

(253–260). Novatian should not be confused with one Novatus, a priest of Carthage, who advocated re-admitting the lapsi without an enforced penance. Cyprian of Carthage came to a position opposed to both and advocated a council be held to establish a policy under which former idolaters could be once again admitted to communion with the church. Lardner argues that Eusebius and the Greeks in general were correct in calling the Roman presbyter Novatus, not Novatianus. He attributes the origin of the latter name to Cyprian, who called the Roman presbyter Novatianus, as being a follower of his own rebellious priest, Novatus of Carthage. Novatian in his writings defended the doctrine of the Trinity (but it differs greatly from the Nicene Creed, that was later accepted by the Church), argued that the Old Testament prohibitions on meats must be understood spiritually, condemned Christians who attend public games and praised chastity. Novatian was heavily influenced by the works of Tertullian. == Beliefs ==

Lapsi Novatian believed that the lapsi should not be let back into the church. Novatians cited the Book of Hebrews to support this idea. God Novatian was a trinitarian. In his teachings, however, subordinationism and the unity of God as God the Father, not three, play an important role. Novatian's writings defended the Father as the creator of the world to combat the teachings of the Gnostics. Novatian also defended the unity of the godhead and humanity in Jesus, and wrote about a distinction between the Son and the Father, to combat Marcionites, Modalists and Adoptionists. Novatian believed that the role of the Holy Spirit was solely to be the source of blessings given during Baptism. Novatians always had a successor of Novatian in Rome (where Novatian was from) and they used the episcopal polity. Baptism Augustine writes that the Novatians would rebaptize people who came from the Catholic Church. Some have argued that the Novatians did not baptize infants, though the stance of the Novatians is disputed and the arguments that Novatians were credobaptist is founded on somewhat weak evidence, and by this point infant baptism had become common and clear among the orthodox writers. ==After Novatian==

Novatian's strict views existed before him and may be found in The Shepherd of Hermas. to reflect their desire not to be identified with what they considered the lax practices of a corrupted and what was hitherto a universal Church. While Novatian had refused absolution to the lapsi (those who had renounced their Christianity under persecution but later wanted to return to the church), his followers extended the doctrine to include all mortal sins (idolatry, murder, and adultery, or fornication). Most of them forbade second marriage. They always had a successor of Novatian at Rome and were everywhere governed by bishops. Because Novatianists (including Novatian) did not submit to the Catholic bishop of Rome, they were labeled by Roman Catholics as schismatics. Additionally, Roman Catholics also labeled Novatianists heretics for denying that the Church had the power to grant absolution in certain cases (such as to the lapsi). In the 4th and 5th centuries, the Donatist sect in Africa Proconsulare maintained a similar belief about Christians who had lapsed under the pressures of persecution; they too were declared heretics. Some Novatians blended with the Montanists. ==See also==