Chapter 7, Gallus to Gallienus Summary and Analysis

Eusebius will draw primarily from Dionysius, the Bishop of Alexandria, for his history of the period between Gallus and Gallienus. Emperor Decius had reigned less than two years, but he and his sons were murdered. Gallus became Emperor and Origen, who was seventy, died. Cornelius was Bishop of Rome for three years and Lucius replaced him. But he died in a little over seven months and Stephen became the Roman Bishop.

Dionysius wrote a letter to Stephen on baptism; a fight had sprung up over the issue of whether those people who abandoned a heresy should be baptized. Cyprian, pastor of Carthage, maintained that heretics should be re-baptized, but Stephen thought innovation that defied tradition was wrong, and he protested. In the letter, Dionysius points out that since the persecutions died down, Novatus's heresy had...