X-Nico

3 unusual facts about Sabellius


Patripassianism

Patripassianism was referred to as a belief ascribed to those following Sabellianism, after its founder Sabellius, especially by the chief opponent Tertullian.

Pope Theonas of Alexandria

At the time of this saint, a man by the name of Sabellius appeared in Alexandria who was teaching that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one person.

Sabellius

However, it cannot be certain whether Sabellius taught a dispensational Modalism or taught what is known today as the Oneness Pentecostal Theology since all we have of his teaching comes through the writing of his enemies.


Similar

Sabellius |

Carafa Chapel

The characters in the foreground are mostly heretics (also identified by golden inscriptions on their garments) including Man with a finger on his lips, Eutyches with a pearl earring, Sabellius (whose figures resembles the depiction of Dacian prisoners in the Arch of Constantine), Arius and others.

Patripassianism

Because the writings of Sabellius were destroyed it is hard to know if he did actually believe in Patripassianism but one early version of the Apostles' Creed, recorded by Rufinus, explicitly states that the Father is 'impassible.'

Satisfaction theory of atonement

It could not be said that Christ as God Incarnate died for this theory was condemned as Patripassionism, and Theopassionism, as it was taught by Sabellius because it required the Father to suffer equally with the Son since the Trinity is God.


see also