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THERE were two men of the same name at Laodicea in Syria, a
father and son: their name was Apollinaris; the former of them was a
presbyter, and the latter a reader in that church. Both taught Greek
literature, the father grammar, and the son rhetoric. The father was
a native of Alexandria, and at first taught at Berytus, but
afterwards removed to Laodicea, where he married, and the younger
Apollinaris was born. They were contemporaries of Epiphanius the
sophist, and being true friends they became intimate with him; but
Theodotus bishop of Laodicea, fearing that such communication should
pervert their principles, and lead them into paganism, forbade their
associating with him: they, however, paid but little attention to
this prohibition, their familiarity with Epiphanius being still
continued. George, the successor of Theodotus, also endeavored to
prevent their conversing with Epiphanius; but not being able in any
way to persuade them on this point, he excommunicated them. The
younger Apollinaris regarding this severe procedure as an act of
injustice, and relying on the resources of his rhetorical sophistry,
originated a new heresy, which was named after its inventor, and still
has many supporters. Nevertheless some affirm that it was not for the
reason above assigned that they dissented from George, but because
they saw the unsettledness and inconsistency of his profession of
faith; since he sometimes maintained that the Son is like the
Father, in accordance with what had been determined in the Synod at
Seleucia, and at other times countenanced the Arian view. They
therefore made this a pretext for separation from him: but as no one
followed their example, they introduced a new form of doctrine, and at
first they asserted that in the economy of the incarnation, God the
Word assumed a human body without a soul. Afterwards, as if changing
mind, they retracted, admitting that he took a soul indeed, but that
it was an irrational one, God the Word himself being in the place of
a mind. Those who followed them and bear their name at this day affirm
that this is their only point of distinction [from the Catholics];
for they recognize the consubstantiality of the persons in the
Trinity. But we will make further mention of the two Apollinares in
the proper place?
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