User:A.J.A./Tohu&Bohu/Non-Trinitarians

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The earliest non-Trinitarian belief claiming descent from Jesus was Gnosticism, which generally held that the God of the Old Testament was a lower, evil god, while Jesus was an emissary from the higher good god.[1]

Modalists such as Sabellians[2] and Oneness Pentecostals[3] regard God as a single person, with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit considered modes or roles by which the unipersonal God expresses himself. Others believe in a greater distinction between the persons than Trinitarians accept, often restricting true divinity to the Father. Ancient Arianism[4] and modern Jehovah's Witnesses[5] consider Christ the highest created being. Adoptionists believed that Jesus was born human and recieved a higher status later[6], while ancient Ebionites[7], Reformation-era Socinians[8], and the Socinians' modern descendants the Unitarians[9] view Jesus as never more than human. Latter-day Saints accept the divinity of all three, but deny they have a common essence, believing them to be united only by a shared purpose.[10]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^
  2. ^ Kelly, J.N.D. (1960, reprint Aug. 2004). Early Christian Doctrines. Peabody, Massachusetts: Prince Press, pp. 119-123. ISBN 1565639111.; Letham, Robert (2004). The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship. Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P&R Publishing, pp. 97-98. ISBN 0875520006.
  3. ^ Arnold III, William. Is Jesus God the Father?. Retrieved on September 7, 2006.
  4. ^ Kelly, J.N.D. (1960, reprint Aug. 2004). Early Christian Doctrines. Peabody, Massachusetts: Prince Press, pp. 226-231. ISBN 1565639111.
  5. ^ What Does the Bible Say About God and Jesus?. Should You Believe in the Trinity?. Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania (1989). Retrieved on September 7, 2006.
  6. ^ Kelly, J.N.D. (1960, reprint Aug. 2004). Early Christian Doctrines. Peabody, Massachusetts: Prince Press, pp. 115-119. ISBN 1565639111.
  7. ^ Kelly, J.N.D. (1960, reprint Aug. 2004). Early Christian Doctrines. Peabody, Massachusetts: Prince Press, pp. 139. ISBN 1565639111.
  8. ^ Socinianism: Unitarianism in 16th-17th Century Poland and Its Influence. Retrieved on September 7, 2006. (Note that the icon at the top of the page expresses Trinitarian theology with a symbolic hand gesture.)
  9. ^ Unitarian Views of Jesus. Retrieved on September 8, 2006.
  10. ^ Hinckley, Gordon (March, 1998). First Presidency Message: The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Ensign. Retrieved on September 8, 2006.
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