Introduction. Catechesis, Christianization, and Conversion They spend the Saturday night of Holy Week in the church, keeping vigil in prayer and song. They have gathered with the clergy and their baptismal sponsors in order to be initiated as Christians. Very early on Easter Sunday morning, long before the sun comes up, the rites begin. Before they can be baptized, they must declare their fidelity to Christ and… Read more
4. The Apogee of Valentinian Number Symbolism: Marcus “Magus” The most complex number symbolism of any Christian theology in the second century is found in the writings of a Valentinian named Marcus. He was given the epithet magus by ancient heresiologists because of his liturgi-cal alchemy and his interest in ideas normally associated with magical texts. Very little is known about him. Förster, the only modern scholar… Read more
5. Alternate Paths in theEarly Christian Theology of Arithmetic: Monoïmus and the Paraphrase of the “Apophasis Megale” Although the Valentinians provided a great variety of theologies of arithmetic, they were in reality part of a general trend. In this chapter we turn to two unrelated systems, those of Monoïmus and the Paraphrase of the “Apophasis Megale,” both attested almost exclusively in Hippolytus’ Refutation of All Heresies. The… Read more
6. The Orthodox Limits of theTheology of Arithmetic: Irenaeus of Lyons Most scholarly reconstructions of Valentinianism attempt to excise Irenaeus’ interpretation, so as to achieve as uncontaminated an account of the movement as possible. The ultimate goal, a bias-free view of the Valentinians, is misguided. For the unintended consequence—or so I argue in this chapter—of excluding Irenaeus and his writings is to leave the picture of their… Read more
7. The Orthodox Possibilities of theTheology of Arithmetic: Clement of Alexandria Clement, a Christian intellectual who flourished in late second-century Alexandria, offers a perspective on the orthodox theology of arithmetic that departs from, yet complements, that of Irenaeus. Unlike Irenaeus and his head-on refutation, Clement criticizes the Valentinians subtly, preferring to co-opt heretical number symbolism for orthodox ends. And Clement’s interest only begins with gnosticizing Christians. Just… Read more
8. How the Early Christian Theology of Arithmetic Shaped Neo-Platonism and Late Antique Christianity After the early third century, the controversy over the theology of arithmetic disappeared from the Church. The dispute need not have died down. Gnosticizing writings well into the fourth century show a continued interest in speculative number symbolism. But the only orthodox Christian responses to be found come from recherché apologies like Epiphanius’… Read more
Excursus A. One versus One: The Differentiation between Hen and Monad in Hellenistic and Late Antique Philosophy Theon of Smyrna’s Mathematics Useful for Reading Plato, written in the second century CE, collects arithmetical, geometrical, musical, and astronomical lore relevant to Plato’s writings. In one passage, Theon summarizes various ideas about the distinction between the terms ‘one’ (ἕν) and ‘unit’ or ‘monad’ (μονάς). The passage provides important background… Read more
Excursus B. The Pythagorean Symbol of the Τετρακτύς The Pythagoreans symbolized the number ten with a special term for the first four numbers, the τετρακτύς. [1] The term is probably of Doric origin, but it is unclear exactly how this unusual word, which comes from the root meaning “four,” was coined. [2] The term is first attested… Read more
Excursus C. The Dyadic Character of A Valentinian Exposition The Nag Hammadi text A Valentinian Exposition has been said to champion monadic rather than dyadic Valentinianism. Four reasons are generally given: First, the Father is described as being alone, and is called ‘Monad’ (NH 11.2:22.19–23.21). Second, Silence, the usual consort of the Father in Irenaeus’ reports, comes on the scene slowly, through synonyms such as ‘quietness’ (… Read more
Appendix. Greek Texts Irenaeus Revelation to Marcus Chapter 4 above (pp. 62–80). (1.14.1) Οὗτος <οὐν ὁ> Μάρκος μήτραν καὶ ἐκδοχεῖον τῆς Κολαρ-βάσου Σιγῆς αὐτὸν μονώτατον γεγονέναι λέγων, ἅτε Μονογενὴς ὑπάρχων, [αὐτὸ] τὸ σπέρμα τὸ κατατεθὲν εἰς αὐτὸν ὧδέ πως ἀπεκύησεν. Αὐτὴν τὴν πανυπερτάτην ἀπὸ τῶν ἀοράτων καὶ ἀκατονομάστων τόπων Τετράδα κατεληλυθέναι σχήματι γυναικείῳ πρὸς αὐτὸν, ἐπειδή, φησί, τὸ ἄρρεν αὐτῆς ὁ κόσμος φέρειν οὐκ ἠδύνατο,… Read more
