Bishops and Their Position of Power in the Late Third Century CE: The Cases of Gregory Thaumaturgus and Paul of Samosata

Abstract

This study offers an examination of the position and public role of bishops within their local urban communities in the late third century CE. Two case studies, of the bishops Gregory Thaumaturgus and Paul of Samosata, explore how individual bishops searched for a way to publicly present themselves that was acceptable not only to their own congregation but especially to the general population of the city where their congregation was situated. Whereas Gregory was received with great respect and admiration in Neocaesarea, Paul’s public behavior caused negative reactions from within the Christian community of Antioch. Nevertheless, both cases reflect the struggle by which the Christian church tried to obtain a firm position within Roman society. Furthermore, this study aims to demonstrate that bishops and the Christian communities that they represented enjoyed imperial recognition several decades prior to the conversion of Constantine.