Noetus

Noetus (Greek: Νοητός) was a presbyter of the church of Asia Minor about AD 230. He was a native of Smyrna, where (or perhaps in Ephesus) he became a prominent representative of the particular type of Christology now called modalistic monarchianism or patripassianism.^[1]

His views, which led to his excommunication by local presbyters, are known chiefly through the writings of Hippolytus, his contemporary at Rome, where he settled and had a large following. He accepted the fourth Gospel, but regarded its statements about the Logos as allegorical. His disciple Cleomenes held that God is both invisible and visible; as visible He is the Son.

The Catholic Encyclopedia notes: "It is true that it is easy to suppose Tertullian and Hippolytus to have misrepresented the opinions of their opponents".^[2]

See also

• Sabellius
• Praxeas