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Tropici

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

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are those who explain away, by figurative interpretations, texts of Scripture which Catholic faith and tradition require to be otherwise interpreted. Athanasius (Ad Serap. 1, 2,10, 21) gives the name Tropici to the Pneumatomachi (q.v.) in so marked a manner that it has narrowly escaped becoming a proper name of that sect. For example, they argued that in 1 Timothy 5:21 the name of the Holy Spirit would naturally follow the names of Father and Son, that the term "elect angels," tropically taken, includes the Holy Spirit, the inference being that the Holy Spirit is a created angel. The word Tropici has been used, again, by Catholic writers to describe those who err regarding the holy sacraments, and explain as mere figures the words of our Lord in John 3:5; Matthew 16:26.