Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century/Theognostus, a priest of Alexandria

Theognostus (1), a priest of Alexandria and a writer of about the middle of cent. iii., whom we only know from quotations in St. Athanasius and Photius. He composed a work called Hypotyposes in seven books, still extant when Photius wrote (Cod. 106). He used language in bk. ii. of very Arian sound, speaking of the Son as a creature, and in bk. iii. of the Holy Ghost in a style as little orthodox as that of Origen. In bk. v. he attributed bodies to angels and devils. In bks. vi. and vii. he discussed the doctrine of the Incarnation in a more orthodox manner than in bk. ii. Yet St. Athanasius regarded him as a useful witness against Arianism. Philip of Side says that he presided over the school of Alexandria after Pierius 282 (cf. Dodwell, Dissert. in Irenaeum, p. 488). The fragments of Theognostus are collected in Routh's ''Reliq. Sac.'' t. iii. 407–422, and trans. in ''Ante-Nic. Lib.'' Cf. Migne, ''Patr. Gk.'' t. x. col. 235–242; Ceill. ii. 450; Athan. Ep. 4 ''ad Serap., de Decretis Nic. Syn.''

[G.T.S.]