Did any early Christian groups Deny Jesus was god or the son of god ?

Answer 1

The first council at Nicea was called to answer any of these questions. There must have been some that questioned it or they would not have felt the need to clarify

Answer 2

It's hard to "deny" what has not yet been considered. Christ's apostles perceived God working through Jesus, Jesus being filled with God's "spirit" much as a prophet would be, but as Jews, monotheists, they could not conceive that God could become incarnate as a human being. In his epistles, Paul speaks of Jesus being "raised" from the dead by God, not rising. There is a very early tradition that describes the spirit coming upon Jesus at his baptism. Mark's gospel begins Jesus' ministry with this event.

In time, as the Christian communities stopped waiting so anxiously for Christ's return and began to consider their faith more deeply, questions arose about exactly what Jesus was in relation to God. Was he a man adopted by God, a man taken over by God, God disguised as a man? There were groups that believed each of these things. And each of these beliefs had implications for humanity's relationship with God. It took decades to sort it out but one group came to the conclusion that Jesus had to be both human and divine.

They did not immediately prevail. Bishops, theologians and elders argued the issue. Communities literally fought over the theology, to the point that it sometimes threatened public order. It wasn't settled until the Fourth Century, after Christianity was legalized and councils could be convened to address the issue Church-wide. It was determined that, by their understanding of what Christ's sacrifice accomplished, he could only be God AND man. And eventually all other interpretations, Arian, Nestorian, Marcionist, were suppressed and excommunicated.

Answer 3

The Ebionites might have - but we don't have any of their writings.

Some people think that the Arians denied the Deity of Christ, but they only think that because they have not studied Greek philsophy. The Arians were trying to say that Jesus *was* God - that is why they said that the Son's essence was identical to the Father. No one at Nicea questioned whether or not Jesus was God - they just disagreed about how he was God.

Answer 4

The followers of Jesus were first called Christians at Antioch. The purpose of calling them Christian was because they believed Jesus to be the Deity, the Son of God.

Answer 5

The earliest followers of Jesus believed him to be a Prophet. The idea of him being God's son is rooted in pagan mythology which influenced the early church under the Roman Empire

Answer 6

The early Christians were somewhat confused as to the status of Jesus. The Council of Nicea eventually defined him as God as part of the Trinity.

Answer 7

Yes, the Gnostics denied His nature and the Arians denied His divinity. The Arian heresy is represented today by the Jehovah Witnesses, Iglesia ni Cristo, Ang Dating Daan and oneness Pentecostals.

In Christ
Fr. Joseph

Answer 8

That question does not make sense. Being a Christian means you believe Jesus was the Son of God and that he came and died for our sins. Being a Christian means that we live our lives to be list Christ. You can't be a Christian and not believe in Jesus.

Answer 9

Well they probably wouldn't have called themselves "Christian" groups...

There were many people of his time who didn't believe He was God and just thought he was a scary nutcase...

That's how He ended up on a cross.

Answer 10

If you look at the Pauline epistles, which actually predate the Gospels, without reference TO the Gospels . . . you'll note that Paul *never* refers to any earthly ministry or even an earthly existence for Jesus.