Semi-Arianism
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Semi-Arianism is a name given to the Trinitarian position of the conservative majority of the Eastern Christian Church in the 4th century, to distinguish it from strict Arianism.
Arianism was the view of Arius and his followers that Jesus was subordinate and inferior to God the Father; this was in opposition to the orthodox catholic view of the Trinity that the three persons were of one being or substance. Arianism spread among the Church of Alexandria and the Eastern Mediterranean. After the First Council of Nicaea condemned Arianism as heresy, many Christians took a compromise view in which they remained in communion with Arians while not adopting Arianism itself. Various formulae were proposed to compromise between the homoousios (of one substance) of the Nicene Creed and Arian teachings.
After the 325 Council of Nicea defeated Arianism, a 381 Council of Constantinople was called in order to attempt to deal with the binitarians, who were called Semi-Arians then. However, as the trinity was officially finalized at this time, the offended Semi-Arians walked out. "Semi Arianism...They rejected the Arian view that Christ was created and had a different nature from God (anomoios dissimilar), but neither did they accept the Nicene Creed which stated that Christ was "of one substance (homoousios) with the Father." Semi Arians taught that Christ was similar (homoios) to the Father, or of like substance (homoiousios), but still subordinate" (Pfandl, Gerhard. The Doctrine of the Trinity Among Adventists. Biblical Research Institute Silver Spring, MD June 1999, http://www.macgregorministries.org/seventh_day_adventists/trinity.html).
In the mid-4th century Epiphanius noted, "Semi-Arians...hold the truly orthodox view of the Son, that he was forever with the Father...but has been begotten without beginning and not in time...But all of these blapheme the Holy Spirit, and do not count him in the Godhead with the Father and the Son" (Epiphanius. The Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis, Books II and III (Sects 47-80), De Fide). Section VI, Verses 1,1 and 1,3. Translated by Frank Williams. EJ Brill, New York, 1994, pp.471-472).
Although they do not consider themselves as Semi-Arians, the largest three current groups that appear to hold a view consistent with them are the Church of God (Seventh Day), United Church of God, and the Living Church of God.
