Nontrinitarianism

Nontrinitarianism is a form of Christianity that rejects the mainstream Christian theology of the Trinity—the belief that God is three distinct hypostases or persons who are coeternal, coequal, and indivisibly united in one being, or essence (from the Ancient Greek ousia).^[1] Certain religious groups that emerged during the Protestant Reformation have historically been known as antitrinitarian.^{[citation needed]}

According to churches that consider the decisions of ecumenical councils final, trinitarianism was definitively declared to be Christian doctrine at the 4th-century ecumenical councils,^[2]^[3]^[4] that of the First Council of Nicaea (325), which declared the full divinity of the Son,^[5] and the First Council of Constantinople (381), which declared the divinity of the Holy Spirit.^[6]

In terms of number of adherents, nontrinitarian denominations comprise a small minority of modern Christians. After the denominations in the Oneness Pentecostal movement, the largest nontrinitarian Christian denominations are the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, La Luz del Mundo, and Iglesia ni Cristo. There are a number of other smaller groups, including Christadelphians, Church of the Blessed Hope, Christian Scientists, Dawn Bible Students, Living Church of God, Assemblies of Yahweh, Members Church of God International, Unitarian Christians, Unitarian Universalist Christians, The Way International, the Philadelphia Church of God, The Church of God International, the United Church of God, Church of God General Conference, Restored Church of God, Christian Disciples Church, and Church of God of the Faith of Abraham.^[7]

Nontrinitarian views differ widely on the nature of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Various nontrinitarian philosophies, such as adoptionism and monarchianism, existed prior to the codification of the Trinity doctrine in AD 325, 381, and 431, at the Councils of Nicaea, Constantinople, and Ephesus.^[8] Nontrinitarianism was later renewed by Cathars in the 11th through 13th centuries, in the Unitarian movement during the Protestant Reformation, in the Age of Enlightenment of the 18th century, and in some groups arising during the Second Great Awakening of the 19th century.^{[citation needed]}

The doctrine of the Trinity, as held in mainstream Christianity, is not present in the other major monotheistic Abrahamic religions.

^ "What is nontrinitarianism?". GotQuestions.org. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
^ Olson, Roger E; Hall, Christopher Alan (2002). The Trinity. Wm. B. Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-8028-4827-7. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
^ Cite error: The named reference Kelly was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Olson, Roger E (1999). The Story of Christian Theology. InterVarsity Press. p. 173. ISBN 978-0-8308-1505-0. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
^ Lohse, Bernhard (1966). A Short History of Christian Doctrine. Fortress Press. ISBN 978-1-4514-0423-4. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
^ Geanakoplos, Deno John (1989). Constantinople and the West. Univ of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 978-0-299-11884-6. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
^ Halsey, A. (1988). British Social Trends since 1900: A Guide to the Changing Social Structure of Britain. Palgrave Macmillan UK. p. 518. ISBN 978-1-349-19466-7. his so called 'non-Trinitarian' group includes the Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Christadelphians, Apostolics, Christian Scientists, Theosophists, Church of Scientology, Unification Church (Moonies), the Worldwide Church of God and so on.
^ von Harnack, Adolf (1894-03-01). "History of Dogma". Retrieved 2007-06-15. [In the 2nd century,] Jesus was either regarded as the man whom God hath chosen, in whom the Deity or the Spirit of God dwelt, and who, after being tested, was adopted by God and invested with dominion, (Adoptionist Christology); or Jesus was regarded as a heavenly spiritual being (the highest after God) who took flesh, and again returned to heaven after the completion of his work on earth (pneumatic Christology)

[1] "What is nontrinitarianism?". GotQuestions.org. Retrieved 2024-09-12.

[2] Olson, Roger E; Hall, Christopher Alan (2002). The Trinity. Wm. B. Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-8028-4827-7. Retrieved 5 March 2015.

[Kelly-3] Cite error: The named reference Kelly was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[4] Olson, Roger E (1999). The Story of Christian Theology. InterVarsity Press. p. 173. ISBN 978-0-8308-1505-0. Retrieved 5 March 2015.

[5] Lohse, Bernhard (1966). A Short History of Christian Doctrine. Fortress Press. ISBN 978-1-4514-0423-4. Retrieved 5 March 2015.

[6] Geanakoplos, Deno John (1989). Constantinople and the West. Univ of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 978-0-299-11884-6. Retrieved 5 March 2015.

[Halsey1988-7] Halsey, A. (1988). British Social Trends since 1900: A Guide to the Changing Social Structure of Britain. Palgrave Macmillan UK. p. 518. ISBN 978-1-349-19466-7. his so called 'non-Trinitarian' group includes the Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Christadelphians, Apostolics, Christian Scientists, Theosophists, Church of Scientology, Unification Church (Moonies), the Worldwide Church of God and so on.

[8] von Harnack, Adolf (1894-03-01). "History of Dogma". Retrieved 2007-06-15. [In the 2nd century,] Jesus was either regarded as the man whom God hath chosen, in whom the Deity or the Spirit of God dwelt, and who, after being tested, was adopted by God and invested with dominion, (Adoptionist Christology); or Jesus was regarded as a heavenly spiritual being (the highest after God) who took flesh, and again returned to heaven after the completion of his work on earth (pneumatic Christology)

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