The Novatian Doctrines

Of the Novatian doctrines and discipline, Jones says:AGP 203.1

“The doctrinal sentiments of the Novatians appear to have been very scriptural, and the discipline of their churches rigid in the extreme. They were the first class of Christians who obtained the name of (Cathari) Puritans, an appellation which doth not appear to have been chosen by themselves, but applied to them by their adversaries; from which we may reasonably conclude that their manners were simple and irreproachable.” “The History of the Christian Church,” William Jones, chap. 3, sec. 2, p. 181.

Robertson adds this:AGP 203.2

“As to the chief doctrines of the gospel, however, the Novatianists were and continued steadily orthodox, and many of them suffered, even to death, for the faith. The Council of Nicaea attempted to heal the schism by conciliatory measures; but the Novatianists still regarded the laxity of the church’s discipline as a bar to a reunion with it, although they were drawn into more friendly relations with the Catholics by a community of danger during the ascendancy of Arianism. The sect long continued to exist.” “History of the Christian Church,” James C. Robertson, M. A., Vol. I, p. 170. London: John Murray, 1907.

Of the conflict with Catholic Church discipline, and the challenge of arbitrary church authority by Novatian, Neander has written:AGP 204.1

“With regard to the second main point of the controversy, the idea of the church, Novatian maintained that, purity and holiness being one of the essential marks of a true church, every church which, neglecting the right use of discipline, tolerates in its bosom, or readmits to its communion, such persons as, by gross sins, have broken their baptismal vow, ceases by that very act to be a true Christian church, and forfeits all the rights and privileges of a true church. On this ground the Novatianists, as they held themselves to be alone the pure immaculate church, called themselves. … the Pure.” “General History of the Christian Religion and Church,” Augustus Neander, Vol. I, p. 343. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1853.

“Novatian, on the other hand, laid at the basis of his theory the visible church as pure and holy, and these qualities were, in his view, the essential conditions of the truly catholic church. The catholic (universal) church, though carried on by the succession of bishops, ceases, in his opinion, to be a truly catholic one as soon as it becomes stained and desecrated through fellowship with unworthy men.” Id., pp. 344, 345.

The Novatians gained the confidence and sympathy of people everywhere who saw the peril and “groaned for relief.” When this one man, Novatian, showed the courage to break away from the professing Christian church, the crisis was on, and thousands took their stand with these Reformers. Truly he was led of God. It was such courageous loyalty to the teachings of Christ and the apostles that kept the channel open for the manifestation of the prophetic gift. It should likewise be remembered that a succession of the Novatians under different names continued till the Reformation of the sixteenth century.AGP 204.2