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christian-councils-heresiesfeatured in 22 works

Modalism (Sabellianism)

One God wearing three masks — a unity so strict it dissolves the three persons

Modalism, also called Sabellianism after Sabellius, teaches that Father, Son, and Spirit are merely three modes or roles of one person rather than three distinct persons. It sought to protect God's oneness but, in doing so, denied the real distinctions later affirmed in Trinitarian doctrine. Writers such as Tertullian and Hippolytus opposed it, and the Church condemned it as a form of monarchianism.

How it traveled

  1. Against Praxeas.
    — · 220
    challenges
  2. A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity.
    Rome · 258
    challenges
  3. The Church History of Eusebius
    Caesarea · 339
    explains
  4. Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.)
    Alexandria · 373
    challenges
  5. Defence of Dionysius. (De Sententia Dionysii.)
    Alexandria · 373
    challenges
  6. On the Councils of Ariminum and Seleucia. (De Synodis.)
    Alexandria · 373
    challenges
  7. The Letters
    Caesarea (Cappadocia) · 379
    challenges
  8. De Spiritu Sancto
    Caesarea (Cappadocia) · 379
    challenges
  9. The Second Ecumenical Council: The First Council of Constantinople
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 381
    challenges
  10. Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen
    Nazianzus · 390
    explains
  11. The Great Catechism
    Nyssa · 395
    challenges
  12. Exposition of the Christian Faith
    Milan · 397
    challenges
  13. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    challenges
  14. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    challenges
  15. The Letters of St. Jerome
    Bethlehem · 420
    challenges
  16. Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John
    Hippo Regius · 430
    challenges
  17. The Seven Books of John Cassian on the Incarnation of the Lord, Against Nestorius
    Marseille · 435
    challenges
  18. The Ecclesiastical History of Socrates Scholasticus
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 439
    explains
  19. The Ecclesiastical History, Dialogues, and Letters of Theodoret
    Cyrrhus · 458
    challenges
  20. John of Damascus: Exposition of the Orthodox Faith
    Damascus · 749
    challenges
  21. Treatise on The Most Holy Trinity (QQ[27-43])
    Paris · 1274
    challenges
  22. Book First. of the Knowledge of God the Creator
    Geneva · 1564
    challenges

Key passages(20)

A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity., He Skilfully Replies to a Passage Which the Heretics Employed in Defence of Their Own Opinion.↗challenges

A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity. · Novatian

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A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity., Moreover, Against the Sabellians He Proves that the Father is One, the Son Another.↗challenges

A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity. · Novatian

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Against Praxeas., Christ Not the Father, as Praxeas Said. The Inconsistency of This Opinion, No Less Than Its Absurdity, Exposed. The True Doctrine of Jesus Christ According to St. Paul, Who Agrees with Other Sacred Writers.↗challenges

Against Praxeas. · Anti-marcion

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Against Praxeas., It Was Christ that Died.  The Father is Incapable of Suffering Either Solely or with Another. Blasphemous Conclusions Spring from Praxeas' Premises.↗challenges

Against Praxeas. · Anti-marcion

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Against Praxeas., More Passages from the Same Gospel in Proof of the Same Portion of the Catholic Faith. Praxeas' Taunt of Worshipping Two Gods Repudiated.↗challenges

Against Praxeas. · Anti-marcion

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Against Praxeas., Satan's Wiles Against the Truth. How They Take the Form of the Praxean Heresy. Account of the Publication of This Heresy.↗challenges

Against Praxeas. · Anti-marcion

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Against Praxeas., Sundry Passages of St. John Quoted, to Show the Distinction Between the Father and the Son. Even Praxeas' Classic Text--I and My Father are One--Shown to Be Against Him.↗challenges

Against Praxeas. · Anti-marcion

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Against Praxeas., The Distinction of the Father and the Son, Thus Established, He Now Proves the Distinction of the Two Natures, Which Were, Without Confusion, United in the Person of the Son. The Subterfuges of Praxeas Thus Exposed.↗challenges

Against Praxeas. · Anti-marcion

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Against Praxeas., The Identity of the Father and the Son, as Praxeas Held It, Shown to Be Full of Perplexity and Absurdity. Many Scriptures Quoted in Proof of the Distinction of the Divine Persons of the Trinity.↗challenges

Against Praxeas. · Anti-marcion

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Against Praxeas., The Very Names of Father and Son Prove the Personal Distinction of the Two. They Cannot Possibly Be Identical, Nor is Their Identity Necessary to Preserve the Divine Monarchy.↗challenges

Against Praxeas. · Anti-marcion

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Exposition of the Christian Faith — Book III. — part 11↗challenges

Exposition of the Christian Faith · Ambrose of Milan

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Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John — Chapter VIII. 15–18. — part 4↗challenges

Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John · Augustine of Hippo

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Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John — Chapter VIII. 19, 20. — part 2↗challenges

Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John · Augustine of Hippo

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On the Councils of Ariminum and Seleucia. (De Synodis.) — On the Councils of Ariminum and Seleucia. (De Synodis.) — History of Arian Opinions. — part 7↗challenges

On the Councils of Ariminum and Seleucia. (De Synodis.) · Athanasius of Alexandria

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Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen — On the Arrival of the Egyptians. — part 2↗challenges

Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen · Gregory of Nazianzus

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The Church History of Eusebius — Book VII — The Heresy of Sabellius.↗explains

The Church History of Eusebius · Eusebius of Caesarea

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Treatise on The Most Holy Trinity (QQ[27-43]) — Question. 31 - OF WHAT BELONGS TO THE UNITY OR PLURALITY IN GOD (FOUR ARTICLES) — part 2↗challenges

Treatise on The Most Holy Trinity (QQ[27-43]) · Thomas Aquinas

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Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John — Chapter VII. 14–18.↗challenges

Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John · Augustine of Hippo

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Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen — The Fifth Theological Oration. On the Holy Spirit. — part 2↗challenges

Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen · Gregory of Nazianzus

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Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) — Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) — Discourse IV — part 2↗challenges

Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) · Athanasius of Alexandria

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