Catholic Dictionary

Term

MONARCHIANISM

Definition

A heretical doctrine begun in the second century, that so stressed God's unity of nature as to deny the Trinity of Persons. Three forms are distinguishable: crude monarchianism denied any distinction of persons in the Godhead and claimed that the Father became incarnate. The modalist type admitted only a distinction of functions in God, who as Father created the world, as Son redeemed, and as the Holy Spirit sanctified the world. The subordinationist variety recognized a real distinction of persons but subordinated one to the other. (Etym. Greek monarch_s, sole ruler, a sovereign.)