NOETIANS, in church-history, Christian heretics
in the third century, followers of Noetius, a philoso-
pher of Ephesus, who pretended that he was another
Moses sent by God, and that his brother was a
new Aaron. His heresy consisted in affirming that
there was but one person in the Godhead; and that
the Word and the Holy Spirit were but external de-
nominations given to God in consequence of different
operations: that as Creator, he is called Father; as
Incarnate, Son; and as descending on the apostles,
Holy Ghost.