Audianism, orAnthropomorphism, was a sect of Christians in the 4th century inSyria and thePontic–Caspian steppe, named after its founder Audius or Audaeus,[1] who interpreted the text of theFirst Epistle to Timothy 3:16 to mean that God created humanity in his image in a literal physical sense.
The distinguishing beliefs and practices included both theologicalanthropomorphism andquartodecimanism.
Audius lived in Syria in the 4th century. His views extended intoScythia. Towards the end of the 4th century, the opinion of the Audians appeared among some African Christians.[2] One Syrian village,Jubb'addin's, name (inAramaic) means "the well of Audius."[citation needed]
In 325 at theFirst Council of Nicaea, it was decreed that all Christians should follow the Roman tradition of celebrating Pascha (Easter) onEaster Sunday, and no longer on the date of 14Nisan (the JewishPassover), as the so-calledQuartodecimans used to do.[3] The Audians, however, continued the Quartodeciman practice.
Epiphanius of Salamis called attention to the Audians (as well as other sects he considered heretical) in hisPanarion. Although Epiphanius is not always a trustworthy source, he correctly quotes the viewpoint of the Audians,[4] that the church had "abandoned the fathers' Paschal rite in Constantine's time from deference to the emperor, and changed the day to suit the emperor".[5]
Roman EmperorsConstantine I the Great andTheodosius I legislated against the Audians, but the sect was still practicing quartodecimanism in SyrianAntioch in the 380s.
TheChurch FatherTheodoret wrote on the belief the following, as Chapter IX of hisEcclesiastical History (Book IV), titled "Of the heresy of the Audiani":
The illustrious emperor thus took heed of the apostolic decrees, but Audaeus, a Syrian alike in race and in speech, appeared at that time as an inventor of new decrees. He had long ago begun to incubate iniquities and now appeared in his true character. At first he understood in an absurd sense the passage "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." From want of apprehension of the meaning of the divine Scripture he understood the Divine Being to have a human form, and conjectured it to be enveloped in bodily parts; for Holy Scripture frequently describes the divine operations under the names of human parts, since by these means the providence of God is made more easily intelligible to minds incapable of perceiving any immaterial ideas. To this impiety Audaeus added others of a similar kind. By an eclectic process he adopted some of theManichean doctrines ofManes and denied that the God of the universe is creator of either fire or darkness. But these and all similar errors are concealed by the adherents of his faction.
They allege that they are separated from the assemblies of the Church. But since some of them exact a cursed usury, and some live unlawfully with women without the bond of wedlock, while those who are innocent of these practices live in free fellowship with the guilty, they hide theblasphemy of their doctrines by accounting as they do for their living by themselves. The plea is however an impudent one, and the natural result of Pharisaic teaching, for thePharisees accused the Physician of souls and bodies in their question to the holy Apostles "How is it that your Master eateth with publicans and sinners?" and through the prophet, God of such men says "Which say, 'come not near me for I am pure' this is smoke of my wrath." But this is not a tithe to refute their unreasonable error. I therefore pass on to the remainder of my narrative.[6]
Other early Christian writers such asMelito of Sardis,Tertullian,Origen andLactantius were also accused of anthropomorphism.[2]
Anthropomorphism was revived in northern Italy during the 10th century but was effectually suppressed by the bishops, notably byRatherius, bishop ofVerona.[2]
In modern times,Benny Hinn has also been accused of teaching a form of anthropomorphism.[7]
In reality, very little is known about Audians.[8] It is not known whether Audians wereQuartodecimans or just protopaschites.[9] Their anthropomorphism was "metaphorical", i.e. centered upon a purely mental image, and not upon a physically concrete representation of God.[10]
