Information About

Sabellianism




The chief opponent of Sabellianism was Tertullian , who labelled the movement "Patripassianism", from the Latin words ''patris'' for "father", and ''passus'' for "to suffer" because it implied that the Father suffered on the Cross. It was Coined by Tertullian in his work ''Adversus Praxeas'', Chapter II, "By this Praxeas did a twofold service for the devil at Rome: he drove away prophecy, and he brought in heresy; he put to flight the Paraclete, and he crucified the Father." It is important to note that our only sources extant for our understanding of Sabellianism are from their detractors. Scholars today are not in agreement as to what exactly Sabellius or Praxeus taught.

Today, Sabellianism is rejected by most types of Christianity. It is accepted primarily by some Pentecostal groups, sometimes referred to as Oneness Pentecostals or " Jesus Only " Pentecostals.

Historic Sabellianism taught that God The Father was the only person of the Godhead. This teaching purports that the identity of God the Father and Jesus is the same. According to this belief, the terms "Father" and "Holy Spirit" both describe the one God who dwelt in Jesus. Some Oneness detractors call this the " Jesus-Only Doctrine ".