antinomian

American  

[an-ti-noh-mee-uhn] / ˌæn tɪˈnoʊ mi ən /

noun

1. a person who maintains that Christians, by virtue of divine grace, are freed not only from biblical law and church-prescribed behavioral norms, but also from all moral law.

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antinomian British  

/ ˌæntɪˈnəʊmɪən /

adjective

1. relating to the doctrine that by faith and the dispensation of grace a Christian is released from the obligation of adhering to any moral law

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noun

1. a member of a Christian sect holding such a doctrine

Other Word Forms

• antinomianism
  noun

Etymology

Origin of antinomian

First recorded in 1635–45; from Medieval Latin Antinom(ī) name of sect (plural of Antinomus “opponent of (the moral) law,” from Greek antí anti- + nómos “law”) + -ian

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

antinomian

Early Christianity and Paul himself are antinomian in their rejection of many Jewish laws, as the new sect of the Christ-followers separated itself from its origins in Judaism.

From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2022

Nomos means "law" in classical Greek; antinomian refers to the "anti-law" tradition in Christianity.

From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2022

Marcus’ work shows how to use research without being used by it, and how to make grown-up arguments about the antinomian, instinctive, innocent weirdness in great pop songs.

From Slate ● Sep. 9, 2014

The bloody-minded antinomian in all of us is more likely to transgressively click in response to being enjoined not to click.

From The Guardian ● Sep. 2, 2014

In the following year he made his first antinomian attack upon Melanchthon.

From Historical Introductions to the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church by F. (Friedrich) Bente