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Modalistic Monarchianism (also known as Oneness Christology) is a Christian theology that upholds the oneness of God as well as the deity of Jesus Christ. It is a form of Monarchianism and as such stands in contrast with Trinitarianism. Modalistic Monarchianism considers God to be one while working through the different "modes" or “manifestations” of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Following this view, all the Godhead is understood to have dwelt in Jesus Christ from the incarnation. The terms Father and Son are then used to describe the distinction between the transcendence of God and the incarnation (God in immanence). Lastly, since God is a spirit, it is held that the Holy Spirit should not be understood as a separate entity but rather to describe God in action.

Modalistic Monarchians believe in the deity of Jesus and understand Jesus to be a manifestation of Yahweh, the God of the Old Testament, in the flesh. For this reason they find it suitable to ascribe all worship appropriate to God alone to Jesus also.

There is evidence that Modalistic Monarchians formed the majority until Greek philosophy was introduced into theology and was discredited by the councils.^[1] At present, Modalistic Monarchian Theology is most closely present in Oneness Pentecostals who endeavor to apply an Apostolic hermeneutic to scripture.^[2]

History

The first Christians were Jewish so they held to the Shema and prayed to Yahweh as God alone. But after the resurrection of Jesus, there was a shift and the early church came to understand and worship Jesus as God. As a result, though their language seems fluid, there was a distinction made in their language between God in transcendance and the man Jesus. The apparent dissonance lead to the creation of various models to resolve the relationship between the two. Monarchians seek to explain this relationship without causing a division within God. Writing against Praxeas (a Modalistic Monarchian) in the third century, Tertullian gave evidence that the majority of Christians were Monarchian when he noted their startled reaction to his teaching of God as three in one.^[1] Other notable adherents in early Christianity include Noetus and Sabellius (see Sabellianism). However, their writings were destroyed and so their views are only known from their opponents.

Monarchians were opposed by Logos theologians (Tertullian, Hippolytus, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen of Alexandria) who believed Jesus to be only the incarnation of a preexistant Logos, rather than the incarnation of God in his fullness. Though much debate occurred, gradually all Monarchians became silenced and the Trinitarian view gained prominence being adopted in the First Council of Constantinople. After this, Modalistic Monarchianism was labeled as a heresy under the name of Sabellianism.

Beliefs

Modalistic Monarchians believe in the deity of Jesus and understand Jesus, the Son of God, to be a manifestation of the God of the Old Testament, Yahweh, in the flesh. When Jesus was on earth he referred to God as his Father since God caused his conception through the Holy Spirit. Since God is spirit, the Holy Spirit is used to describe God in action. In this way, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are considered titles pertaining to the one God.

Since Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are maintained to be titles, most Modalistic Monarchians would believe that they do not fulfill the commandment of Jesus in Mat 28:19 to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Since Jesus is the name given for salvation (Acts 4:12), Modalistic Monarchians would argue that this lead the Apostles in the book of Acts fulfilling the commandment of Jesus by solely baptizing in the name of Jesus Christ.

Much of their theology attempts to begin with an Old Testament understanding of God in order to understand what the first Apostles would have believed about Jesus. They also seek to avoid use of theological categories produced by Platonic/Aristotelian epistemologies, preferring rather to tell the story of redemption through narrative.^[3] Thus, the distinction found in the New Testament writers between God the Father and Jesus is understood to be from the attempts to identify God the Father and Jesus together, rather than to separate them more than necessary.

References

^ ^a ^b Tertullian. "Against Praxeas, chapter 3". Ccel.org. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
^ Norris, David S. (2009). I am : a oneness Pentecostal theology. Hazelwood, Mo.: Word Aflame Press. pp. 8–10. ISBN 9781567227307. OCLC 312444348.
^ Norris, David S. (2009). I am : a oneness Pentecostal theology. Hazelwood, Mo.: Word Aflame Press. p. 27. ISBN 9781567227307. OCLC 312444348.

[Against_Praxeas_3-1] Tertullian. "Against Praxeas, chapter 3". Ccel.org. Retrieved 8 April 2018.

[2] Norris, David S. (2009). I am : a oneness Pentecostal theology. Hazelwood, Mo.: Word Aflame Press. pp. 8–10. ISBN 9781567227307. OCLC 312444348.

[3] Norris, David S. (2009). I am : a oneness Pentecostal theology. Hazelwood, Mo.: Word Aflame Press. p. 27. ISBN 9781567227307. OCLC 312444348.

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-'''Modalistic Monarchianism''', also known as '''Oneness [[Christology]]''' is a [[Christian theology]] that upholds the oneness of God as well as the deity of [[Jesus]]. It is a form of [[monarchianism]] and as such stands in contrast with [[trinitarianism]]. Modalistic monarchianism considers God to be one while working through the different "modes" or “manifestations” of [[God the Father|Father]], [[Son of God|Son]], and [[Holy Spirit in Christianity|Holy Spirit]]. Following this view, all the [[Godhead in Christianity|Godhead]] is understood to have dwelt in Jesus Christ from the [[incarnation]]. The terms Father and Son are then used to describe the distinction between the [[Transcendence (religion)|transcendence]] of God and the [[Incarnation (Christianity)|Incarnation]] (God in [[immanence]]). Lastly, since God is a spirit, it is held that the Holy Spirit should not be understood as a separate entity but rather to describe God in action.
+'''Modalistic Monarchianism''' (also known as '''Oneness [[Christology]]''') is a [[Christian theology]] that upholds the oneness of God as well as the deity of [[Jesus|Jesus Christ]]. It is a form of [[Monarchianism]] and as such stands in contrast with [[Trinitarianism]]. Modalistic Monarchianism considers God to be one while working through the different "modes" or “manifestations” of [[God the Father|Father]], [[Son of God|Son]], and [[Holy Spirit in Christianity|Holy Spirit]]. Following this view, all the [[Godhead in Christianity|Godhead]] is understood to have dwelt in Jesus Christ from the [[incarnation]]. The terms Father and Son are then used to describe the distinction between the [[Transcendence (religion)|transcendence]] of God and the [[Incarnation (Christianity)|incarnation]] (God in [[immanence]]). Lastly, since God is a spirit, it is held that the Holy Spirit should not be understood as a separate entity but rather to describe God in action.
-Modalistic monarchians believe in the deity of Jesus and understand Jesus to be a manifestation of [[Yahweh]], the God of the Old Testament, in the flesh. For this reason they find it suitable to ascribe all worship appropriate to God alone to Jesus also.
+Modalistic Monarchians believe in the deity of Jesus and understand Jesus to be a manifestation of [[Yahweh]], the God of the Old Testament, in the flesh. For this reason they find it suitable to ascribe all worship appropriate to God alone to Jesus also.
-There is evidence that modalistic monarchians formed the majority until [[Greek philosophy]] was introduced into theology and was discredited by the councils.<ref name="Against Praxeas 3"></ref> At present, Modalistic Monarchian Theology is most closely present in [[Oneness Pentecostals]] who endeavor to apply an Apostolic hermeneutic to scripture.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/312444348|title=I am : a oneness Pentecostal theology|last=Norris|first=David S.|date=|publisher=Word Aflame Press|year=2009|isbn=9781567227307|location=Hazelwood, Mo.|pages=8-10|oclc=312444348}}</ref>
+There is evidence that Modalistic Monarchians formed the majority until [[Greek philosophy]] was introduced into theology and was discredited by the councils.<ref name="Against Praxeas 3"></ref> At present, Modalistic Monarchian Theology is most closely present in [[Oneness Pentecostals]] who endeavor to apply an Apostolic hermeneutic to scripture.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/312444348|title=I am : a oneness Pentecostal theology|last=Norris|first=David S.|date=|publisher=Word Aflame Press|year=2009|isbn=9781567227307|location=Hazelwood, Mo.|pages=8-10|oclc=312444348}}</ref>
 ==History==
-The first Christians were Jewish so they held to the [[Shema]] and prayed to [[Yahweh]] as God alone. But after the resurrection of Jesus, there was a shift and the early church came to understand and worship Jesus as God. As a result, though their language was fluid, there was a distinction made in their language between God the Father and Jesus. The apparent dissonance lead to the creation of various models to resolve the relationship between God the Father and the Son of God. Monarchians seek to explain this relationship without causing a division within God.
+The first Christians were Jewish so they held to the [[Shema]] and prayed to [[Yahweh]] as God alone. But after the resurrection of Jesus, there was a shift and the early church came to understand and worship Jesus as God. As a result, though their language seems fluid, there was a distinction made in their language between God in transcendance and the man Jesus. The apparent dissonance lead to the creation of various models to resolve the relationship between the two. Monarchians seek to explain this relationship without causing a division within God.
-Writing against [[Praxeas]] (a monarchian) in the third century, [[Tertullian]] gave evidence that the majority of Christians were monarchian when he noted their startled reaction to his teaching of God as three in one.<ref name="Against Praxeas 3">{{cite web|last1=Tertullian|title=Against Praxeas, chapter 3|url=http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf03.v.ix.iii.html|website=Ccel.org|accessdate=8 April 2018}}</ref> Other notable adherents in early Christianity include [[Noetus]] and [[Sabellius]] (see [[Sabellianism]]). However, their writings were destroyed and so their views are only known from their opponents. From what is known about them they differed in their views.
+Writing against [[Praxeas]] (a Modalistic Monarchian) in the third century, [[Tertullian]] gave evidence that the majority of Christians were Monarchian when he noted their startled reaction to his teaching of God as three in one.<ref name="Against Praxeas 3">{{cite web|last1=Tertullian|title=Against Praxeas, chapter 3|url=http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf03.v.ix.iii.html|website=Ccel.org|accessdate=8 April 2018}}</ref> Other notable adherents in early Christianity include [[Noetus]] and [[Sabellius]] (see [[Sabellianism]]). However, their writings were destroyed and so their views are only known from their opponents.
-Monarchians were opposed by Logos theologians (Tertullian, [[Hippolytus of Rome|Hippolytus]], [[Clement of Alexandria]], and [[Origen|Origen of Alexandria]]) who believed Jesus to be only the incarnation of a preexistant [[Logos]], rather than the incarnation of God in his fullness. Though much debate occurred, gradually all monarchians became silenced and the Trinitarian view gained prominence being adopted in the [[First Council of Constantinople]]. After this, modalistic monarchianism was labeled as a heresy under the name of Sabellianism.
+Monarchians were opposed by Logos theologians (Tertullian, [[Hippolytus of Rome|Hippolytus]], [[Clement of Alexandria]], and [[Origen|Origen of Alexandria]]) who believed Jesus to be only the incarnation of a preexistant [[Logos]], rather than the incarnation of God in his fullness. Though much debate occurred, gradually all Monarchians became silenced and the Trinitarian view gained prominence being adopted in the [[First Council of Constantinople]]. After this, Modalistic Monarchianism was labeled as a heresy under the name of Sabellianism.
 ==Beliefs==
-Modalistic monarchians believe in the deity of Jesus and understand Jesus, the [[Son of God]], to be a manifestation of the God of the Old Testament, Yahweh, in the flesh. When Jesus was on earth he referred to God as his Father since God caused his conception through the Holy Spirit. Since God is spirit, the Holy Spirit is used to describe God in action. In this way, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are considered titles pertaining to the one God.
+Modalistic Monarchians believe in the deity of Jesus and understand Jesus, the [[Son of God]], to be a manifestation of the God of the Old Testament, Yahweh, in the flesh. When Jesus was on earth he referred to God as his Father since God caused his conception through the Holy Spirit. Since God is spirit, the Holy Spirit is used to describe God in action. In this way, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are considered titles pertaining to the one God.
-Since Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are maintained to be titles, modalistic monarchians believe that they do not fulfill the commandment of Jesus in Mat 28:19 to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Since Jesus is the name given for salvation (Acts 4:12), modalistic monarchians would argue that this lead the Apostles in the book of Acts fulfilling the commandment of Jesus by solely baptizing [[Jesus' Name doctrine|in the name of Jesus Christ]].
+Since Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are maintained to be titles, most Modalistic Monarchians would believe that they do not fulfill the commandment of Jesus in Mat 28:19 to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Since Jesus is the name given for salvation (Acts 4:12), Modalistic Monarchians would argue that this lead the Apostles in the book of Acts fulfilling the commandment of Jesus by solely baptizing [[Jesus' Name doctrine|in the name of Jesus Christ]].
 Much of their theology attempts to begin with an Old Testament understanding of God in order to understand what the first Apostles would have believed about Jesus. They also seek to avoid use of theological categories produced by [[Platonism|Platonic]]/[[Aristotelianism|Aristotelian]] [[epistemologies]], preferring rather to tell the story of redemption through narrative.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/312444348|title=I am : a oneness Pentecostal theology|last=Norris|first=David S.|date=|publisher=Word Aflame Press|year=2009|isbn=9781567227307|location=Hazelwood, Mo.|pages=27|oclc=312444348}}</ref> Thus, the distinction found in the New Testament writers between God the Father and Jesus is understood to be from the attempts to identify God the Father and Jesus together, rather than to separate them more than necessary.
 ==See also==
-* [[Nontrinitarianism]]
 * [[Oneness Pentecostalism]]
+* [[Names of God in Christianity]]
+* [[Nontrinitarianism]]
 * [[United Pentecostal Church International]]