Catholic Dictionary

Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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SABELLIANISM

A third-century heresy called after Sabellius, a theologian of the Monarchian school. His followers advocated belief in one Divine God, the Father who became Man in Jesus Christ and died to redeem the world. Later they modified this single belief to profess that, though only one Person, God had three modes or aspects of manifesting himself as Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. This heresy, known in the East as Sabellianism, in the West was called Patripassianism. It was condemned by Pope St. Callistus I but remained in Christian history under a variety of other forms.