Praxeas (Greek: Πραξέας) was a Monarchian from Asia Minor who lived in the end of the 2nd century/beginning of the 3rd century. He believed in the unity of the Godhead and vehemently disagreed with any attempt at division of the personalities or personages of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the Christian Church. He was opposed by Tertullian in his tract Against Praxeas (Adversus Praxean), and was influential in preventing the Roman Church from granting recognition to the New Prophecy.
An early anti-Montanist, he is known only by virtue of Tertullian's book "Adversus Praxean". His name in the list of heresies appended to the "De Praescriptionibus" of that writer (an anonymous epitome of the lost "Syntagma" of Hippolytus) is a correction made by some ancient diorthotes for Noetus.[1]
He taught Monarchian doctrine there, or at least a doctrine which Tertullian regarded as Monarchian: "Paracletum fugavit et patrem crucifixit."[2]- "Having driven out the Paraclete, he [Praxeas] now crucified the Father". He was refuted, evidently by Tertullian himself, and gave an explanation or recantation in writing, the "carnal" as he affects to call them, which, when Tertullian wrote several years afterwards, was still in the hands of the authorities of the Carthaginian Church. Monarchianism had sprung up again, but Tertullian does not mention its leaders at Rome, and directs his whole argument against his old enemy Praxeas.
But the arguments which he refutes are doubtless those of Epigonus and Cleomenes. There is little reason for thinking that Praxeas was a heresiarch, and less for identifying him with Noetus, or one of his disciples. He was very likely merely an adversary of the Montanists who used some quasi-Monarchian expressions when at Carthage, but afterwards revised them when he saw they might be misunderstood.
Praxeas is mentioned in the Belgic Confession (1562) as and example of "certain false Christians and heretics... who were rightly condemned by the holy fathers."[3]
^A History of Christianity: Volume I: Beginnings to 1500: Revised Edition pg 144-146. By Kenneth S. Latourette, Published by Harper Collins, 1975 ISBN 0-06-064952-6, ISBN 978-0-06-064952-4 [1]
^ Adversus Praxen 1,12, in: CC SL, 2 (E. Kroymann / E. Evans, 1954), p. 1159-1205
enemy Praxeas. But the arguments which he refutes are doubtless those of Epigonus and Cleomenes. There is little reason for thinking that Praxeas was a...
“The treatise Against Praxeas is widely recognized as Tertullian’s greatest work on the Trinity. The view apparently taught by Praxeas has come to be called...
Concerned with defending the absolute unity of God, modalists such as Noetus, Praxeas, and Sabellius explained the divinity of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit...
Adversus Praxeas 4 (ANF 3:599–600): "I believe the Spirit to proceed from no other source than from the Father through the Son" Tertullian Adversus Praxeas 5...
also combated new heresies and apostasies, chief of which were Marcion, Praxeas, Valentine and the Montanists. Eusebius insists that Zephyrinus fought...
conciliatory letters to the Montanists, but based on the complaints of Praxeas "concerning the prophets themselves and their churches, and by insistence...
the early 3rd century Tertullian and Hippolytus of Rome wrote Against Praxeas and Against Noetus, respectively, which are sometimes considered the first...
Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching, pg. 5 Tertullian Against Praxeas "Against Praxeas, chapter 2". Ccel.org. 1 June 2005. Retrieved 19 March 2018. Mulhern...
the cross. Tertullian coined the term in his work Adversus Praxeas, Chapter I: "By this Praxeas did a twofold service for the devil at Rome: he drove away...
state the later doctrine of the immanent Trinity. In his treatise against Praxeas, who taught patripassianism in Rome, he used the words "trinity", "economy"...
represented the Jewish heretics who denied Christ. Most notably, Theodotus, Praxeas, Noetus, Paul of Samosata, Sabellius, and Arius. After the fifth trumpet...
Hippolytus to have misrepresented the opinions of their opponents". Sabellius Praxeas A History of Christianity: Volume I: Beginnings to 1500: Revised Edition...
Patripassianism is attested as early as the 2nd century; theologians such as Praxeas speak of God as unipersonal. Patripassianism was referred to as a belief...
a mere descriptor of God's action. Notable adherents included Noetus, Praxeas, and Sabellius, hence why the view is commonly called Sabellianism. Nevertheless...
cross. It was coined by Tertullian in his work Adversus Praxeas, Chapter I: "By this Praxeas did a twofold service for the devil at Rome: he drove away...
Greek scriptures can be traced back to Tertullian in his work Against Praxeas. Irenaeus uses the phrase New Testament several times, but does not use...
Adversus Praxeas 4 (ANF 3:599–600): "I believe the Spirit to proceed from no other source than from the Father through the Son" Tertullian Adversus Praxeas 5...
for our salvation; and in the Holy Spirit". Around AD 213 in Adversus Praxeas (chapter 3) Tertullian provided a formal representation of the concept...
Charles Hartshorne, Man's Vision of God Plato, Sophist Tertullian, Against Praxeas Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica Wikiquote has quotations related to Omnipotence...
Adversus Praxeas 4 (ANF 3:599–600): "I believe the Spirit to proceed from no other source than from the Father through the Son" Tertullian Adversus Praxeas 5...
wrote letters in support of Montanism, although he was later persuaded by Praxeas to recall them. In 193, an anonymous writer found the church at Ancyra...
17. Kärkkäinen 2010, p. 276. Adversus Praxeas IV[permanent dead link] Ad Praxeas V Ad Praxaes II Ad Praxeas, XIII Agreed Statement of the North American...
Reform. InterVarsity Press. ISBN 978-0-8308-1505-0. "Tertullian, Against Praxeas, chapter II". Ccel.org. 1 June 2005. Retrieved 8 August 2010. "Trinity...
incarnate for our salvation; and in the Holy Spirit. Around 213 AD in Adversus Praxeas (chapter 3) Tertullian provided a formal representation of the concept...
support of his allegation, Bernard quotes Tertullian as writing against Praxeas: The simple, indeed (I will not call them unwise or unlearned), who always...
Early Christian Doctrines A & C Black (1965) p.143, quoting Eph 7,2 Contra Praxeas, 27 Kelly, J. N. D. Early Christian Doctrines. A & C Black (1965) pp.151...
theological meaning by Tertullian in his work, Adversus Praxean (Against Praxeas), in order to distinguish the three "persons" of the Trinity. Christianity...
evidence that Clement was familiar with the verse. Tertullian, in Against Praxeas (c. 210), supports a Trinitarian view by quoting John 10:30: So the close...
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