MARCELLUS, Bishop of Ancyra in Galatia, appeared as a
zealous adherent of the homoousian doctrine at the synods of Nicaea (325), where he met Athanasius, Tyre and Jerusalem (335), hut fell, by
his work De subjectione Dornini Christi, written against the Arians,
under the suspicion of Sabellianism, and
was deposed, by the Council of Constantinople,
336. Eusebius of Caesarea wrote against him, Contra Marcellum and De ecclesiastica theologia; and the copious
quotations in the books of Eusebius give a tolerably clear idea of his peculiar
theology. After the death of Constantine the
Great, he was able to resume his see. Nevertheless, he was again deposed,
probably at the same time as Bishop Paulus of Constantinople, and sought refuge
in the West. Bishop Julius of Rome recognized him as orthodox; and so did the
synod of Sardica, 343. It does not seem, however, that he ever returned to
Ancyra; and when, under Constantius, the Arians came into ascendency, he was
condemned, together with Athanasius, by the synods of Aries (353) and Milan
(355). Even his relation with Athanasius was disturbed by his Sabellianism,
though the confession which the Marcellians of Ancyra sent to Athanasius was by
him accepted as satisfactory. See Eugenii legatio ad Athanasium, in
MONTFAUCON: Nova Coll. Veterum Patrum, ii.; MANSI: Coil. Conc.,
iii.; and RETTBERG: Marcelliana. After the rupture with Athanasius, he
seems to have lived in retirement; and, according to Epiphanius, he died two years before the publication
l of Ad. Hær., that is, in 373 or 374. See ZAHN: Marcelius von
Ancyra, Gotha, 1867.
W. Möller, "Marcellus," Philip Schaff,
ed., Religious Encyclopaedia or Dictionary of Biblical, Historical,
Doctrinal, and Practical Theology, 3rd edn, Vol. 3. Toronto, New York &
London: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1894. p.1402.
 |
Marcellus
of Ancyra (Catholic Encyclopedia) |
 |
J.T. Leinhard, "The
Exegesis of 1 Cor 15:24-28 from Marcellus of Ancyra to Theodoret of Cyrus," Vigiliae Christianae 37 (1983): 340-59. |
|
J.T. Leinhard, "Basil of Caesarea,
Marcellus of Ancyra and "Sabellius'," Church History 58 (1990):
157-67. |
 |
 Joseph T. Lienhard, Contra
Marcellum: Marcellus of Ancyra and Fourth-century Theology. Washington, DC:
Catholic University of America Press, 1999. Hbk. ISBN: 0813209013. pp.280. |
|
M.J. Suggs, "Eusebius' Text of John in
the 'Writings Against Marcellus'," Journal of Biblical Literature75
(1956): 137-42. |
|
Henry
Wace, "Marcellus," A Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the
End of the Sixth Century A.D., with an Account of the Principal Sects and
Heresies. |
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