Eunomianism

E145796

Eunomianism was a 4th-century Christian theological movement associated with Arianism that taught the Son was of a different substance from the Father and claimed God’s essence could be fully known and defined.

All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
Eunomianism canonical 3

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf 4th-century Christian heresy
Christian theological movement
nontrinitarian Christological doctrine
associatedWith Arianism
classifiedAs heresy by the mainstream church
condemnationDate 381
condemnedBy First Council of Constantinople
controversy Arian controversy
surface form: Nicene–Arian controversy
doctrinalFocus nature and knowability of the divine essence
ontological distinction between Father and Son
ecclesiasticalStatus followers were excommunicated by Nicene bishops
foundedBy Eunomius of Cyzicus
geographicRegion Byzantine Empire
surface form: Eastern Roman Empire
historicalPeriod 4th century
influencedBy Aetius of Antioch
keyConcept anomoeanism (unlikeness of the Son to the Father)
logical and dialectical theology
unbegottenness as unique to the Father
language originally articulated in Greek theological writings
legacy cited historically as an example of rationalist extremism in theology
mainClaim God’s essence can be fully known
God’s essence can be precisely defined in human language
the Son is of a different substance from the Father
namedAfter Eunomius of Cyzicus
opposedBy Athanasius of Alexandria
Basil of Caesarea
Cappadocian Fathers
Gregory of Nazianzus
Gregory of Nyssa
relationToArianism developed from Anomoean Arianism
extreme or radical Arianism
religiousTradition Christianity
scripturalApproach strongly rationalistic exegesis
scripturalTextUsed John 17:3
Book of Proverbs
surface form: Proverbs 8:22
theologicalPosition denial of consubstantiality of the Son with the Father
emphasis on divine simplicity
emphasis on unbegottenness as defining property of God the Father
radical form of Arian subordinationism
the Son is a created being
the Son is unlike the Father in essence
viewedAs threat to Nicene orthodoxy
viewOnGod God’s essence is identical with being unbegotten
viewOnKnowledgeOfGod God can be comprehended by human reason
viewOnLanguage divine essence can be captured in a single definition
viewOnSon the Son is begotten and therefore not truly God in essence
viewOnTrinity rejection of Nicene doctrine of the Trinity

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Basil of Caesarea opposed Eunomianism
Canon 1 condemns Eunomianism
Against Eunomius opposes Eunomianism