John Arkhaph
John Arkhaph (also spelled Arkaph or Archaph) was the bishop of
The origin and meaning of "Arkhaph" are uncertain.
John is first mentioned in the Breviarium Melitii, a list of bishops and other clergy of the Church of the Martyrs submitted by Melitios to the Council of Nicaea in 325. Nothing of his earlier life is known. Nor do any writings by him survive. He is "a shadowy and controversial figure".[3]
Melitios chose John as his successor shortly before his death in 327.
There is a note added beside John's name in Athanasius' copy of the Breviarium: "was ordered by the emperor to be with the bishop". The exact meaning of the note and the identity of the bishop are a matter of academic debate. It may mean that John was ordered to submit to Athanasius in 328, or it may mean that John had been the representative of his church to the Alexandrian church at the time of the Council of Nicaea.[4] Ultimately, the rivalry between John and Athanasius resulted in the latter's condemnation at the Council of Tyre in 335.[3] Athanasius then went into exile, while John and his clergy were restored to their positions. Constantine, however, took exception to the council and exiled John and the rest of his clergy. In 337, the emperor died and Athanasius returned.[5] Nothing more is known of John after the Tyrian settlement fell apart.[2]
References
- ^ a b c Scott T. Carroll (1989), The Melitian Schism: Coptic Christianity and the Egyptian Church (PhD diss., Miami University), p. 115.
- ^ a b W. Telfer (1955), "Meletius of Lycopolis and Episcopal Succession in Egypt", Harvard Theological Review 48(4): 227–237.
- ^ a b c d David M. Gwynn (2018), "John Arkaph", in David G. Hunter, Paul J.J. van Geest and Bert Jan Lietaert Peerbolte (eds.), Brill Encyclopedia of Early Christianity Online. Consulted online on 7 September 2019.
- ^ a b Hans Hauben (2000), "John Arkhaph and 'the bishop' (Athan., Apol. Sec. 71.6): A Reassessment", Ancient Society 30: 271–275.
- ^ Carroll (1989), p. 144.
Further reading
- Hauben, Hans. 1994. "Jean Arkhaph, évêque de Memphis, dans le catalogue mélitien". In A. Schoors and P. van Deun, eds. Philohistôr. Miscellanea in honorem Caroli Laga septuagenarii. Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta, 60. Leuven, 1994, pp. 23–33.