Theophilus of Antioch

About Theophilus of Antioch

Theophilus of Antioch was a Christian bishop and writer in the later second century. Jean-Marie Hannick places his episcopal appointment around 170, while emphasizing how little is known about his life. His birthplace and birth year cannot be securely recovered; a possible Mesopotamian origin remains only a suggestion.

In his own account, reading the prophets helped turn disbelief into Christian conviction.

His responsibilities included teaching and defending the community entrusted to him. Eusebius records instructional writings and works directed against Hermogenes and Marcion, alongside three books addressed to Autolycus. This is evidence of a wider literary ministry than the surviving apology alone would suggest. Eusebius also names Maximinus as his successor in the episcopal seat at Antioch.

The three books To Autolycus form the principal surviving evidence for his thought. They were not necessarily composed at one sitting: the Catholic Encyclopedia describes them as works written at different times. Their author was still alive after the death of Marcus Aurelius in 180. The same reference cautions that the placement of bishops in Eusebius’s Chronicle supplies approximate synchronisms, not exact accession dates.

Autolycus remains an unconvinced friend. Hannick describes an argument answering objections to Christianity’s novelty. Theophilus criticizes Greek authors and defends the antiquity and truth of scripture.

In a theological interpretation he groups God, the Word and Wisdom together under the term rendered Trinity by Marcus Dods.

Other works attributed to him require care. Bacchus distinguishes the ancient reports of a Gospel commentary from a later Latin commentary whose identification with Theophilus’s work he rejects. The record therefore preserves both a surviving voice and the outlines of books that cannot simply be reconstructed from later attributions.

Hannick dates his death to approximately 185.

Vatican News lists this bishop among the saints for October 13.

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