Gnostic Catholic Church

[MarkA]

Marcion and Valentinian who were both in Rome at the same time in OTL, mend their differences and so maximize the pontifical vote for Valentinian.

He wins and becomes the first Gnostic Pope. In reality he almost won as it was!

Orthodox Catholics are expelled from all Church offices. The revolution sweeps all before it as the orthordox are replaced in the other cities as well.

How would this affect the future state/church relations in Europe? Can Irenaeus stem the flow and establish a rival catholic orthordox organization to win back the church? What would our world look like?

 

[Rick Robinson]

What were the dates of this? A single Pope might not have been able to tip things, depending on how far Orthodoxy in general had gone toward rejecting Gnosticism. The early church was conciliar, at least regarding major points of doctrine, and the Pope could not turn people out of offices.

-- Rick

 

[MarkA]

circa 166. That is when Valentine died. It is also the date that Marcion published his Bible. I suspect that Valentine died from the plague rampent in the Empire at the time.

You are correct in that the early church was less easily swayed by the decisions of a pope. Note however the immense influence the bishops of Rome had on the beliefs of the church. Rome was the centre of orthodoxy. The early church Fathers all paid some heed to Rome's decisions.

When I talk of the church offices I am talking about the primitive church. Orthodox deacons, prophets, etc were all sanctioned by the church in the sense they were 'official' because they were succored and protected by the organisation.

Irenaeus wrote his Against Heresies to combat Marcion's attempt (the first christian attempt) at compiling a bible. The danger to the unity of the early church of the gnostics and other heretics was acute.