That's a good one. I've studied theology and even I couldn't make sense out of Wikipedia's introduction. To wit:
In Christianity, Sabellianism (also known as modalism or modal monarchism) is the belief that the Heavenly Father, Resurrected Son and Holy Spirit are different modes or aspects of one God (for us only), rather than three distinct persons (in Himself).
The amusing thing is that christians used to kill other christians over minutia like this.
LMAO
P.S. The Great Agnostic Libra Lover should credit his source. Better yet, just put the Wikipedia link in and don't copy the article into the discussion.
2007-02-16 09:21:18
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answer #1
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answered by Dave P 7
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Sabellianism denied that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are separate Persons of the Godhead, the Holy Trinity.
It claimed instead that they are modes, aspects, energies, phases, or offices of a single divine Person.
The heresy was also called "Monarchianism."
With love in Christ.
2007-02-17 16:10:35
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answer #2
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answered by imacatholic2 7
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In Christianity, Sabellianism (also known as modalism or modal monarchism) is the belief that the Heavenly Father, Resurrected Son and Holy Spirit are different modes or aspects of one God (for us only), rather than three distinct persons (in Himself). The question is: "is God's threeness a matter of our falsely seeing it to be so (Sabellianism/modalism), or a matter of God's own essence revealed as three-in-one (orthodox trinitarianism)?" Modalists note that the only number ascribed to God in the Holy Bible is One and that there is no inherent threeness ascribed to God explicitly in scripture. The number three is never mentioned in relation to God in scripture, which of course is the number that is central to the word Trinity. The only possible exception to this is the Comma Johanneum.
It is attributed to Sabellius, who taught a form of this doctrine in Rome in the third century. Hippolytus knew Sabellius personally and mentioned him in the Philosophumena. He knew Sabellius disliked Trinitarian theology, yet he called Modal Monarchism the heresy of Noetos, not that of Sabellius. Sabellianism was embraced by Christians in Cyrenaica, to whom Demetrius, Patriarch of Alexandria, wrote letters arguing against this belief.
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.
Historic Sabellianism taught that God the Father was the only person of the Godhead, a belief known as Monarchianism.
Sabellianism has been rejected by the majority of Christianity who instead accept Trinitarianism. A related theology is Oneness Pentecostalism. However, Oneness Pentecostalism differs significantly by rejecting sequential modalism and by the full acceptance of the begotten humanity of the Son, not eternally begotten, who was the man Jesus and was born, crucified, and risen, and not the deity. This directly opposes Patripassianism and the pre-existance of the Son, which Sabellianism does not. Oneness Pentecostalism can be compared to Sabellianism as both are Nontrinitarian, but they do not correctly identify each other.
2007-02-16 09:18:57
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answer #3
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answered by Anonymous
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This was dictated doctrine, such as is still practiced in the Catholic Church. Protestants do not practice this sort of block rule. But the Pope has mandated it continue, giving the priests and above dominion over their flocks.
Good Q
Good luck
2007-02-17 21:54:49
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answer #4
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answered by Mr. Mister 2
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The person above should probably mention that s/he got that straight from wikipedia.
2007-02-16 09:21:47
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answer #5
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answered by Angry Moogle 2
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Sabeanism. Like the Sabeans and the Chaldeans. I'm sorry I don't know what you are talking about.
2007-02-16 09:20:49
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answer #6
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answered by Jeancommunicates 7
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didn't you just answer your own question? do your homework!
2007-02-16 09:19:22
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answer #7
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answered by Anonymous
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