Adoptionism

Quick meaning: Adoptionism is a noun meaning (Christianity) A form of Christianity which maintains that Jesus is divine only in the sense that God the Father adopted him, either at Jesus' birth, or at his death, as opposed to the orthodox understanding of the nature of the Trinity.

Meaning

(Christianity) A form of Christianity which maintains that Jesus is divine only in the sense that God the Father adopted him, either at Jesus' birth, or at his death, as opposed to the orthodox understanding of the nature of the Trinity.

Example Sentences

This account is close to Matthew 3:13–17 and its parallels in Mark and Luke, with one key difference—the addition of the phrase, “This day I have begotten you.” The Ebionites chose the moment of Jesus’ baptism by John as the key moment in which Jesus became God’s son, rather than the moment of Jesus’ birth. Jesus became God’s son by being “adopted” by him (a “spiritual birth,” so to speak) rather than by being literally fathered by God and born of a virgin. This idea is called adoptionism.

Word Forms

• adoptionisms

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include adoptianism, adoptian, incarnation, subordinationism, monophysitism, monophysism.

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