Theological Term of the Week: Adoptionism

adoptionism
A heresy “which held that although Jesus was essentially nondivine, he was adopted by the Father—perhaps at his baptism or even at his birth.”1 Also called dynamic monarchianism.

• Scripture refuting adoptionism:
  

  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1: 1-3)
  

• From the Nicene Creed, refuting adoptionism:
  

  I believe in … one Lord Jesus Christ,
  …very God of very God,
  …who for us men and for our salvation
  came down from heaven,
  and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost
  of the Virgin Mary,
  and was made man….

• From Christological Controversies in the Early Church by Coleman Ford:
  

  Theodotus of Byzantium (fl. late 2nd cent.)—called “the Tanner” or “Shoemaker”—taught that the Father and Son were distinct but Jesus, being an exceptionally virtuous man, became God’s son through adoption at his baptism. The descriptor “dynamic” [as in dynamic monarchianism] comes from the Greek dynamis (power) to describe the means by which Jesus became God’s son. Theodotus brought his views to the church in Rome and was soon excommunicated, though his teaching continued through others into the third centuries. Paul of Samosata (fl. mid-to-late 3rdcent.) was the most prevalent of the adoptionists.

Learn more:

1. GotQuestions: What is adoptionism?
2. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry: Adoptionism
3. Ligonier Ministries: Early Christian Heresies
4. Coleman Ford: Christological Controversies in the Early Church
5. Tony Costa: Was Adoptionism the Earliest Christology?

Related terms:

• Arianism
• docetism 
• modalism

Filed under Defective Theology and Trinity

1The Christian Faith by Michael Horton, page 471.

---

Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured as a Theological Term of the Week? Email your suggestion using the contact button in the navigation bar above. 

Clicking on the Theological Terms button above the header will take you to an alphabetical list of all the theological terms.

Sunday's Hymn: Abide With Me

Abide with me: fast falls the eventide:
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide:
When other helpers fail, and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need thy presence ev’ry passing hour;
What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r?
Who like thyself my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.

I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless:
Ills have no weight and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me.

Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes:
Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies:
Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee:
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

 —Hen­ry F. Lyte

Other hymns of worship songs for this Sunday:

• O Blessed Hour at The Happy Wonderer 

Theological Term of the Week: John of Damascus

John of Damascus
“[T]he most outstanding Christian figure who lived and worked under Islamic rule.”1 Sometimes called the last of the Greek church fathers, he lived from 675 to 749. 

• From 2000 Years of Christ’s Power, Volume 2 by N. H. Needham, page 31-33: 

John was a firm adherent of the Creed of Chalcedon., and opposed both Nestorianism and Monophysitism; he based his teaching largely on the Cappadocian fathers … . 

John also wrote a thoughtful and powerful defence of icons in the iconoclastic controversy, and a number of the most beautiful and popular of all Greek hymns.

The live and writings of John of Damascus, then, show us how a great Christian theologian could live and flourish under Islam.

• Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain, a hymn of John of Damascus: 

Come, ye faithful, raise the strain 
of triumphant gladness!
God hath brought forth Israel 
into joy from sadness,
loosed from Pharaoh’s bitter yoke
Jacob’s sons and daughters,
led them with unmoistened foot 
through the Red Sea waters.

’Tis the spring of souls today:
Christ hath burst his prison,
and from three days’ sleep in death 
as a sun hath risen.
Now rejoice, Jerusalem,
and with true affection
welcome in unwearied strains 
Jesus’ resurrection.

Neither shall the gates of death, 
nor the tomb’s dark portal,
nor the watchers, nor the seal 
hold thee as a mortal.
But arisen ’midst thy friends 
thou didst stand, bestowing
thy true peace, which evermore 
passes human knowing.

Learn more:

1. Got Questions: Who was John of Damascus?
2. Theopedia: John of Damascus
3. Christian History: John of Damascus

Related terms:

• Cappadocian fathers
• Creed of Chalcedon
• Nestorianism
• monophysitism

Filed under Christian History

1From 2000 Years of Christ’s Power, Volume 2 by N. R. Needham.

---

Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured as a Theological Term of the Week? Email your suggestion using the contact button in the navigation bar above. 

Clicking on the Theological Terms button will take you to an alphabetical list of all the theological terms.