Sabellius

E32494

Sabellius was a 3rd-century Christian theologian best known for teaching a non-trinitarian, modalistic understanding of God that was later deemed heretical by the early Church.

Observed surface forms (1)

Surface form As subject As object
Hippolytus of Rome 0 1

Statements (29)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Christian theologian
ancient Roman-era person
associatedConcept Patripassianism (teaching that the Father suffered on the cross)
surface form: Patripassianism

Sabellianism
associatedWith early Church controversies on the Trinity
christology emphasized unity of the Godhead over personal distinctions
classification non-Nicene theologian
condemnedAs heretic
countryOfActivity Roman Empire
doctrinalConflictWith emerging orthodox trinitarian doctrine
doctrineCharacterization heretical by the early Church
era Patristic period
fieldOfWork theology
historicalReputation major representative of modalistic Monarchianism
influenced later non-trinitarian movements
knownFor modalistic understanding of God
non-trinitarian theology
teaching later labeled Sabellianism
legacy name used historically as label for modalistic views
movement Modalism
surface form: Modalistic Monarchianism
opposedBy Saint Hippolytus
surface form: Hippolytus of Rome

Tertullian
religion Christianity
sourceOfInformation writings of his opponents rather than his own works
theologicalPosition affirmed one God who appears in different modes or manifestations
rejected Nicene-style trinitarian distinctions of persons
timePeriod 3rd century
viewOnFatherSonSpirit Father, Son, and Spirit are not distinct eternal persons
surface form: saw Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as modes of one divine person
writingsStatus original writings lost

Referenced by (2)

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

Modalism associatedWithPerson Sabellius
Modalism opposedByPerson Sabellius
this entity surface form: Hippolytus of Rome