During the reign of Pope Zephyrinus, Hippolytus opposed his solution to
the Modalist heresy, a solution devised with the help of his adviser
Callistus (Hippolytus’ own Christology was questionable, being suspect of
Ditheism). When Callistus was later elected Pope, Hippolytus opposed him
openly in his work the Philosophumena for his alleged leniency towards
repentant adulterers and fornicators, advocating a much more rigorous
attitude. Gathering together a small group of devotees, Hippolytus formed
his own church and had himself elected as Bishop of Rome in opposition to
Callistus, thus becoming the first antipope and affecting a formal schism.
Though Tertullian and Hippolytus subscribed to different teachings, they
both shared the denial of ecclesial absolution (then known as the
Exomologesis) to those who had committed mortal sins of the flesh after
baptism. In this they were upholding various rigorous customs that
developed during the second century. One custom would deny absolution
for all serious sins committed after baptism; another deny absolution only
for murder, idolatry, apostasy, adultery and fornication; another only for
adultery and fornication; another allow absolution for all mortal sins but
only once, or twice. Persons guilty of such post-baptismal sins were no
longer part of the Church. Rather, they were reduced for the rest of their
lives to the level of penitents, there left to the mercy of God.
On the other hand, Pope Callistus never waivered from the Church’s long-
held practice of reconciling sinners and forgiving “seventy times seven.”
During his short reign of five years, he bore the caustic attacks patiently
and is renowned not only for confirming the availability of confession and
absolution for all post-baptismal mortal sins, but also for recognizing the
validity of marriages before God contracted by Christian women of higher
rank with Christian men of social inferiority, even though such marriages
were unrecognized in Roman law. For this act he earned the greater scorn
of the rebel intellectuals and puritanical extremists. Nevertheless, he laid
the foundation for the noble teachings that the availability of the
sacraments is always independent of social position and the authority of the
State.
Ironically, it is through the bitter attacks of his foes that the true greatness
of Pope Callistus shines forth. What Callistus was condemned for is now
his glory: his saneness, solidity, love and forgiveness. In the end (October
14, 222) he was rewarded with the martyr’s crown, being set upon by a
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