Editing Monarchianism

{{Short description|Christian theological doctrine}}
{{distinguish|Monarchism}}
{{Historical Christian theology}}

'''Monarchianism''' is a doctrine that emphasizes [[God in Christianity|God]] as one indivisible being,<ref name="EECO 2018">{{cite encyclopedia |author-last=Gerber |author-first=Simon |year=2018 |title=Monarchianism |editor1-last=Hunter |editor1-first=David G. |editor2-last=van Geest |editor2-first=Paul J. J. |editor3-last=Lietaert Peerbolte |editor3-first=Bert Jan |encyclopedia=Brill Encyclopedia of Early Christianity Online |location=[[Leiden]] and [[Boston]] |publisher=[[Brill Publishers]] |doi=10.1163/2589-7993_EECO_SIM_00002261 |issn=2589-7993}}</ref><ref name="EB">[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/388843/Monarchianism Encyclopædia Britannica: ''Monarchianism'']</ref><ref name="CE">[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10448a.htm Monarchians] at Catholic Encyclopedia, newadvent.org</ref><ref>Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (Oxford University Press 2005 {{ISBN|978-0-19-280290-3}}): ''Monarchianism''</ref> in direct contrast to [[Trinity|Trinitarianism]], which defines the [[Godhead in Christianity|Godhead]] as three co-eternal, [[consubstantiality|consubstantial]], [[immanence|co-immanent]], and equally divine [[hypostatic union|hypostases]].

==History==
During the [[patristic period]], Christian theologians attempted to clarify the relationship between the [[God the Father|Father]], [[God the Son|Son]] and [[God the Holy Spirit|Holy Spirit]].{{Sfn|McGrath|2013|p=54}} Monarchianism developed in the 2nd century and persisted further into the 3rd century.<ref name="EECO 2018"/><ref name="EB">[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/388843/Monarchianism Encyclopædia Britannica: ''Monarchianism'']</ref> ''Monarchianism'' (from the Greek ''monarkhia'', meaning "ruling of one," and ''-ismos'', meaning "practice or teaching") stresses the absolute, uncompromising unity of God in contrast to the doctrine of the Trinity,<ref name="EECO 2018"/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Tuggy |first1=Dale |title=Trinity |url=https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/trinity/ |website=The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy |publisher=Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University |date=2020}}</ref> which is often lambasted as veiled [[tritheism]] by [[nontrinitarianism|nontrinitarian]] Christians and other monotheists.<ref>{{cite book |last1=di Berardino |first1=Angelo |last2=Studer |first2=B |title=Encyclopedia of ancient Christianity |date=2014 |publisher=InterVarsity Press |location=Downers Grove, IL |isbn=9780830829439}}</ref> 

Monarchians were opposed by [[Logos (Christianity)|Logos]] theologians ([[Tertullian]], [[Hippolytus of Rome|Hippolytus]], [[Clement of Alexandria]], and [[Origen|Origen of Alexandria]]). The Trinitarian view gained prominence and was adopted at the [[First Council of Constantinople]] in 381.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=WyKFBJm7xQQC ''The SCM Press A-Z of Patristic Theology''], entry [https://books.google.com/books?id=WyKFBJm7xQQC&q=%22Monarchianism+225%22 Monarchianism], [https://books.google.com/books?id=WyKFBJm7xQQC&q=%22Monoenergism+227%22 p. 227]</ref> Monarchianism was considered a [[heresy]] after the 4th century.<ref name="EB"/>

==Types==
{{Citations missing|section|date=September 2019}}
Two types of monarchianism were propounded.<ref name="EB"/> [[Adoptionism]] (or ''dynamic monarchianism'' or ''Dynamism'') holds that God is one being, above all else, wholly indivisible, and of one nature. It holds that the Son was not co-eternal with the Father and that [[Jesus Christ]] was essentially granted godhood (adopted) for the plans of God and for his own perfect life and works. Different variations of Dynamism hold that Jesus was "adopted" either at the time of his [[Baptism of Jesus|baptism]] or his [[Ascension of Jesus|ascension]]. Notable adherents included [[Artemon]], [[Beryllus of Bostra]], a third-century bishop who debated with [[Origen]], [[Paul of Samosata]], a [[patriarch of Antioch|bishop of Antioch]], and [[Theodotus of Byzantium]].<ref name="CE" />

[[Modalistic monarchianism]] (or Modalism) considers God to be one, who appears and works through the different "modes" of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Following this view, all of the Godhead is understood to dwell in the person of Jesus from the [[incarnation]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kurian |first1=George |title=The encyclopedia of Christian civilization |date=2011 |publisher=Blackwell Pub. Ltd |location=Malden, MA |isbn=9781405157629}}</ref> The terms "Father" and "Son" are then used to describe the distinction between the ''transcendence'' of God and the incarnation. Lastly, since God is understood as a Spirit in the context of the Gospel of John,<ref>{{cite web |title=Bible Gateway passage: John 4:24 - King James Version |url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%204%3A24&version=KJV |website=Bible Gateway |language=en}}</ref> it is held that the [[Holy Spirit]] should not be understood as a separate entity but rather as a mere descriptor of God's action. Notable adherents included [[Noetus]], [[Praxeas]], and [[Sabellius]], hence why the view is commonly called [[Sabellianism]]. Nevertheless, Sabellius's writings did not survive and so the little that is known about his beliefs is from secondary sources.

The name "Monarchian" properly does not strictly apply to the Adoptionists, or Dynamists, as they (the latter) "did not start from the monarchy of God, and their doctrine is strictly Christological".<ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10448a.htm/ Catholic Encyclopedia - Monarchians] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129081101/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10448a.htm |date=2013-01-29 }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Christianity}}
* [[Arianism]]
* [[Monarchian Prologue]]
* [[Monism]]
* [[Nicene Christianity]]
* [[Nontrinitarianism]]
* [[Oneness Pentecostalism]]
* [[Subordinationism]]
* [[Unitarianism]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
* {{cite book | last = McGrath | first = Alister E. | author-link = Alister McGrath | title = Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought | publisher = Wiley-Blackwell | edition = 2nd | date = 2013 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=I59Rasgj3SIC| isbn = 978-0-470-67286-0 }}

== External links ==
* [https://gospelguidebook.com/Oneness.html Gospel Guidebook: Getting and Keeping It Right . "Articles on the Nature of God."]
* {{EB1911|noprescript=1|wstitle=Monarchianism}}

{{Heresies condemned by the Catholic Church}}
[[Category:Nontrinitarianism]]
[[Category:Christian terminology]]
[[Category:Heresy in ancient Christianity]]
[[Category:Nature of Jesus Christ]]