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.

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