Hippolytus of Rome

## Who Was Hippolytus of Rome?

Hippolytus of Rome was an elder and teacher in the Roman church in the early third century. He was the last major Christian writer in Rome to write in Greek.

He clashed with Bishop Callistus, whom he accused of being lax toward sinners and confused about the Trinity. Many historians believe Hippolytus led a rival congregation and was the first antipope. In 235 Emperor Maximinus Thrax exiled him and Bishop Pontian to the mines of Sardinia. Tradition says the two reconciled before both died there.

## Major Works

Refutation of All Heresies, ten books tracing heresies back to Greek philosophy and pagan religion.

Apostolic Tradition, a church order whose connection to Hippolytus is debated.

Commentary on Daniel, the oldest surviving Christian commentary on a book of the Bible.

On Christ and Antichrist, a study of biblical prophecy.

## Refutation of All Heresies

Hippolytus argued that each heresy borrowed its ideas from Greek philosophers, mystery cults, or astrology rather than from Scripture. He covered more than 30 groups.

Book 1 circulated for centuries under Origen’s name. In 1842 a manuscript containing books 4 through 10 turned up at Mount Athos in Greece. Books 2 and 3 are still lost. Scholars today generally credit the work to Hippolytus or to a writer in his circle.

## Apostolic Tradition (Attributed, Debated)

In 1551 workers in Rome found a statue of a seated figure with a list of books carved on its base. One title matched a known church order. In the early 1900s scholars connected that church order to Hippolytus.

Many scholars now doubt that link. Some see the Apostolic Tradition as a compilation built up over time by different communities. It survives only in later translations and adaptations in Latin, Coptic, Arabic, and Ethiopic.

## Against Heresies

Hippolytus fought hardest against the teaching that the Father and the Son are one person who takes different roles, known as modalism or Sabellianism. He insisted the Son is truly distinct from the Father. Some critics thought he went too far the other way and made the Son sound like a second God.

## Church Order and Worship

Whoever wrote it, the Apostolic Tradition gives a detailed picture of early church practice. Candidates for baptism studied for up to three years. Their conduct was examined, and certain jobs had to be given up, such as gladiator or maker of idols. At baptism they renounced Satan, were asked three questions about their faith, and were immersed after each answer.

Its Eucharistic prayer became the basis for Eucharistic Prayer II in the Roman Catholic Mass after 1970.

## How to Read Hippolytus Today

Read the Commentary on Daniel sections on the four kingdoms first. They show how early Christians read prophecy.

Read Refutation of All Heresies book 10 for his own summary of the whole work.

His works are free in the Ante‑Nicene Fathers, volume 5.

For the Apostolic Tradition, use Bradshaw, Johnson, and Phillips, *The Apostolic Tradition* (Hermeneia series), which lays out the versions side by side.

## About the Author

CK Quarterman is a USAF veteran, independent author, and publisher at CKQbooks. He writes the Malaterrestrials nonfiction series, which examines evil earthbound non‑human intelligences through Scripture and history, along with the Watchers’ Universe and Sons of the Flood fiction series. Find his books at ckqbooks.com.

Truth · History · Scripture