Beryllus of Bostra (fl. c. 222–235) was a bishop of

Bostra Bosra ( ar, بُصْرَىٰ, Buṣrā), also spelled Bostra, Busrana, Bozrah, Bozra and officially called Busra al-Sham ( ar, بُصْرَىٰ ٱلشَّام, Buṣrā al-Shām), is a town in southern Syria, administratively belonging to the Dara ...

whose writings are lost but is mainly remembered for denying the

pre-existence of Christ The pre-existence of Christ asserts the existence of Christ before his incarnation as Jesus. One of the relevant Bible passages is where, in the Trinitarian interpretation, Christ is identified with a pre-existent divine hypostasis (substantive ...

, and also for dynamic

Monarchianism Monarchianism is a Christian theology that emphasizes God as one indivisible being,
at Catholic Encyclopedia, newadvent.org

, the denial of Christ's independent divinity. According to

Eusebius Eusebius of Caesarea (; grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος ; 260/265 – 30 May 339), also known as Eusebius Pamphilus (from the grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος τοῦ Παμφίλου), was a Greek historian of Christianity, exegete, and Christian ...

he was among the "learned churchmen" ('' Hist. eccl.'' VI, 20) of the period. His writings and letters were held in the library established by

Alexander of Jerusalem Alexander of Jerusalem (died 251 AD) was a third century bishop who is venerated as a martyr and saint by the Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Roman Catholic Church. He died during the persecution of Emperor Decius. ...

, but have not been preserved. Historical theology knows Beryllus.

Origen Origen of Alexandria, ''Ōrigénēs''; Origen's Greek name ''Ōrigénēs'' () probably means "child of Horus" (from , "Horus", and , "born"). ( 185 – 253), also known as Origen Adamantius, was an Early Christianity, early Christian scholar, ...

disputed with Beryllus at the

Councils of Arabia The Councils of Arabia were two councils of the early Christian Church held in Bostra, in Arabia Petraea; one in 246 and the other in 247. Both were held against Beryllus, the local bishop, and his followers, who believed that the soul perished up ...

regarding Monarchianism between 238 and 244 and appears to have persuaded him, though he may have retained his view on pre-existence. Beryllos offers an early example of the heretical beliefs Hellenic Christians imputed to the Arabs as a race.''Byzantium and the Arabs in the Fourth Century'', Dumbarton Oaks, 201, 278–79

References

{{Authority control 3rd-century Syrian bishops People of Roman Syria 3rd-century people