A presbyter of Rome who responded to Novatian, another presbyter, holding that the bishop could forgive even grave sins. His view was popular enough to get him elected bishop of Rome by a majority.

[tags]BlogRodent, church-history, ChurchRodent, Cornelius, history, Novatian[/tags]

A Presbyter of Rome and highly respected theologian. He argued that the church had no power to grant forgiveness to those guilty of murder, adultery, and apostasy. It could only intercede for God's mercy at the Last Judgment. Eventually, the people supported his opponent for the Roman Bishopric. The minority that followed Novatian, Novatianists, formed a network of small congregations and considered the Catholic churches polluted as a result of their lenient attitude toward sinners.

[tags]BlogRodent, church-history, ChurchRodent, history, Novatian[/tags]

A presbyter and highly respected theologian, Novatian argued that the church had no power to grant forgiveness to those guilty of murder, adultery, and apostasy. It could only intercede for God's mercy at the Last Judgment. Novatian found resistance in the person of Cornelius, another presbyter, who held that the bishop could forgive even grave sins. The church was split over the matter. Cornelius was eventually elected bishop of Rome. The Novatianists organized their own network of churches.

[tags]BlogRodent, church-history, ChurchRodent, Cornelius, history, Novatian, Novationists[/tags]