Monarchianism

[muh-nahr-kee-uh-niz-uhm]

noun

Theology.

1. any of several doctrines of the Christian church in the 2nd and 3rd centuries a.d., emphasizing the unity of God by maintaining that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are three manifestations or aspects of God.

Other Word Forms

• Monarchian adjective
• Monarchianist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Monarchianism¹

First recorted in 1835–45; Monarchian (from Late Latin monarchiānus; monarchy, -an ) + -ism

Example Sentences

The name Adoptionist has been so long applied to a heresy of the eighth century, chiefly in Spain, that it leads to confusion to use the term in connection with Monarchianism.

From Project Gutenberg

In reply, Dionysius of Alexandria pointed out at length, in a Refutation and Defence, his actual opinion on the matter as a whole, rather than as merely opposed to Modalistic Monarchianism or Sabellianism.

From Project Gutenberg

The importance of Paul is that in his teaching is to be found an attempt to combine the Logos theology of Origen with Dynamistic Monarchianism, with results that appeared later in Arianism, on the one hand, and Nestorianism, it is thought, on the other.

From Project Gutenberg

Monarchianism is a general term used to include all the unsuccessful attempts of teachers within the Church to explain the divine element in Christ without doing violence to the doctrine of the unity of God, and yet without employing the Logos christology.

From Project Gutenberg

The following passages from the great work of Hippolytus give the earlier form of Modalistic Monarchianism.

From Project Gutenberg