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82-533: Semi-Arianism was a position regarding the relationship between God the Father and the Son of God , adopted by some 4th-century Christians . Though the doctrine modified the teachings of Arianism , it still rejected the doctrine that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are co-eternal, and of the same substance, or consubstantial , and was therefore considered to be heretical by many contemporary Christians. Arius held that

164-610: A Sabellian tendency." This was because Sabellius also considered the Father and the Son to be "one substance", meaning that, to Sabellius, the Father and Son were "one essential Person" interacting with creation as necessary. In the Lent of 358, Basil, along with many bishops, was holding the dedicatory feast of a new church he had built at Ancyra when he received a letter from George of Laodicea , relating how Eudoxius had approved of Aëtius, and begging Macedonius of Constantinople , Basil, and

246-404: A conference which lasted until night. A confession of faith, ridiculed under the name of the "dated creed", was drawn up by Marcus on 22 May (Hilary, "Fragment. xv"). Arianism was of course rejected, but the homoios kata ten ousian was not admitted, and the expression kata panta homoios , "like in all things", was substituted. Basil was disappointed, and added to his signature the explanation that

328-587: A creed which was unexceptionable but for its omission of the Nicene formula "of One Substance." Even disciples of Arius such as bishop George of Laodicea (335–47) and Eustathius of Sebaste (c. 356–80) joined the moderate party, and after the death of Eusebius of Nicomedia , the leaders of the court faction, Ursacius of Singidunum , Valens of Mursa and Germinius of Sirmium , were not tied to any formula, for Emperor Constantius II himself hated Arianism, though he disliked Athanasius yet more. When Marcellus of Ancyra

410-563: A prolonged theological dispute ensuing. Constantine the Great died in 337, leaving Constantius II, who favored Arianism, as emperor in the East and Constans , who favored Nicea, emperor in the West. A church council held at Antioch in 341 issued an affirmation of faith that excluded the homoousion clause; another council held at Serdica in 342 (now Sofia ) achieved little. Constantius, who had

492-510: A residence in Sirmium, convened the first Council of Sirmium in 347. It opposed Photinus , the bishop of Sirmium, an anti-Arian who held a belief similar to Marcellus . In 350, Constantius became the sole Emperor of both East and West, leading to a temporary strengthening of Arianism. At the second Council of Sirmium in 351, Basil, bishop of Ancyra (now Ankara ) and leader of the semi-Arians , had Photinus deposed. The semi-Arians held that

574-532: A slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. In Christianity the concept of God as the Father of Jesus is distinct from the concept of God as the creator and Father of all people, as indicated in the Apostles' Creed . The profession in the creed begins with expressing belief in the "Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth" and then immediately, but separately, in "Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord", thus expressing both senses of fatherhood within

656-461: A thousand years, no attempt was made to portray God the Father in human form, because early Christians believed that the words of Exodus 33:20 "Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see Me and live" and of the Gospel of John 1:18: "No man hath seen God at any time" were meant to apply not only to the Father, but to all attempts at the depiction of the Father. Typically only a small part of

738-468: A vague compromise: it said simply that the Son was homoios ("like") the Father. Ursacius of Singidunum and Valens of Mursa soon proposed a new creed, drafted at the Fourth Council of Sirmium in 359 but not presented there, holding that the Son was similar to the Father "according to the scriptures," and avoiding the controversial terms "same substance" and "similar substance." Others favored

820-606: Is called in Latin substantia , but in Greek ousia , that is, to make it understood more exactly, as to 'coessential,' or what is called, 'like-in-essence,' there ought to be no mention of any of these at all, nor exposition of them in the Church, for this reason and for this consideration, that in divine Scripture nothing is written about them, and that they are above men's knowledge and above men's understanding; It has been noted also that

902-446: Is called, 'like-in-essence,' there ought to be no mention of any of these at all, nor exposition of them in the Church, for this reason and for this consideration, that in divine Scripture nothing is written about them, and that they are above men's knowledge and above men's understanding; A Council of Ancyra in 358, chaired by Basil, released a statement using the term homoousios. But the fourth Council of Sirmium, also in 358, proposed

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984-541: Is regarded as the first Person of the Trinity , followed by the second person, Jesus Christ the Son , and the third person, God the Holy Spirit . Since the second century, Christian creeds included affirmation of belief in "God the Father ( Almighty )", primarily in his capacity as "Father and creator of the universe". Christians take the concept of God as the father of Jesus Christ metaphysically further than

1066-608: Is usually defined as having the form of a spirit without any human biological gender, e.g. the Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 239 specifically states that " God is neither man nor woman: he is God ". Although God is never directly addressed as "Mother", at times motherly attributes may be interpreted in Old Testament references such as a hymn of praise Isa 42:14 , Isa 49:14–15 or Isa 66:12–13 . In

1148-454: Is written, you shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve." 1 Corinthians 8:6 shows the distinct Christian teaching about the agency of Christ by first stating: "there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him" and immediately continuing with "and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him." This passage clearly acknowledges

1230-581: The Absolute Oneness of God, and totally separates him from other beings (whether humans, angel or any other holy figure), and rejects any form of dualism or Trinitarianism. Chapter 112 of the Quran states: Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “He is God—One ˹and Indivisible˺; God—the Sustainer ˹needed by all˺. He has never had offspring, nor was He born. And there is none comparable to Him.” In Judaism, the use of

1312-686: The Arians , that Jesus was subordinate to, and of a different being ( ousia ) to God the Father . Arians opposed the view that the three persons of the Trinity were of one being or substance . Arianism spread among the Church of Alexandria and the Eastern Mediterranean. After the First Council of Nicaea condemned Arianism as heresy , many Christians adopted compromise views in which they remained in communion with Arians without adopting Arianism itself. Various formulae, such as

1394-570: The Eastern Church (known to have come from a later date) began with an affirmation of faith in "one God" and almost always expanded this by adding "the Father Almighty, Maker of all things visible and invisible" or words to that effect. By the end of the first century, Clement of Rome had repeatedly referred to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and linked the Father to creation, 1 Clement 19.2 stating: "let us look steadfastly to

1476-459: The Hebrew Bible , Isaiah 63:16 (JP) reads: "For You are our father, for Abraham did not know us, neither did Israel recognize us; You, O [YHWH], are our father; our redeemer of old is your name." To God, according to Judaism, is attributed the fatherly role of protector. He is titled the Father of the poor, of the orphan and the widow, their guarantor of justice. He is also titled the Father of

1558-456: The Kaddish ). According to Ariela Pelaia, in a prayer of Rosh Hashanah , Areshet Sfateinu, an ambivalent attitude toward God is demonstrated, due to his role as a father and as a king. Free translation of the relevant sentence may be: "today every creature is judged, either as sons or as slaves. If as sons, forgive us like a father forgives his son. If as slaves, we wait, hoping for good, until

1640-778: The New Testament , the Christian concept of God the Father may be seen as a continuation of the Jewish concept, but with specific additions and changes, which over time made the Christian concept become even more distinct by the start of the Middle Ages . The conformity to the Old Testament concepts is shown in Matthew 4:10 and Luke 4:8 where in response to temptation Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:13 and states: "It

1722-452: The creed of Nicaea . The opponents of Sirmium wrote a letter to the emperor Constantius, praising Nicaea and condemning any reconsideration of it, before many of them left the council. The supporters of Sirmium then issued the new creed and sent it through Italy. The council was considered a defeat for trinitarianism, and Saint Jerome wrote: "The whole world groaned, and was astonished to find itself Arian ." T.D. Barnes suggests that

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1804-665: The homoiousian and the homoean , were proposed to compromise between Arian teachings ( heteroousios ) and the doctrine of one substance ( homoousios ) asserted in the Nicene Creed . After the 325 Council of Nicea anathemized Arianism: the majority of the Eastern bishops, who agreed to the deposition of Athanasius of Alexandria at Tyre in 335 and received the Arians to communion at Jerusalem on their repentance, were not Arians. The Dedication Council of Antioch in 341 put forth

1886-443: The "Father" title is generally a metaphor , referring to the role as Life-giver and Law-giver, and is one of many titles by which Jews speak of and to God. The Jewish concept of God is that God is non-corporeal, transcendent and immanent, the ultimate source of love, and a metaphorical "Father". The Aramaic term for father ( Hebrew : אבא , abba ) appears in traditional Jewish liturgy and Jewish prayers to God (e.g. in

1968-652: The 14th century the illustrated Naples Bible had a depiction of God the Father in the Burning bush . By the 15th century, the Rohan Book of Hours included depictions of God the Father in human form or anthropomorphic imagery. Though the depiction remains rare and often controversial in Eastern Orthodox art, by the time of the Renaissance artistic representations of God the Father were freely used in

2050-455: The Arians of Antioch. In the mid-4th century Epiphanius stated, "Semi-Arians... hold the view of the Son, that he was forever with the Father... but has been begotten without beginning and not in time... But all of these negate, or it has been said, blaspheme the Holy Spirit, and do not count him in the Godhead with the Father and the Son." According to Sozomen , at this point Pope Liberius

2132-470: The Council at Sirmium: Basil, Eustathius of Sebaste, an ascetic of no dogmatic principles, Eleusius of Cyzicus , a follower of Macedonius, and the priest Leontius, one of the emperor's chaplains. They arrived just in time, for the emperor had been lending his ear to a Eudoxian, but he now veered round, issuing a letter (Sozomen, IV, xiv) declaring the Son to be "like in substance" to the Father, and condemning

2214-666: The Farewell Discourse are John 14:20 as Jesus addresses the disciples: "I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you" and in John 17:22 as he prays to the Father: "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one." A number of Christian groups and communities reject the doctrine of a co-equal Trinity, and generally teach that God the Father is supreme, but nontrinitarian Christian groups differ somewhat from one another in their views regarding God

2296-643: The Father and Christ the Son. In Mormonism , including its largest denomination the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), the most prominent conception of "the Godhead" is as a divine council of three distinct beings: the Father (who is also referred to as Elohim ), the Son Jesus (who is identified with Jehovah of the Old Testament), and the Holy Spirit . The Father and Son are considered to have perfected, physical bodies, while

2378-526: The Father and Creator of the universe". Around AD 213 in Adversus Praxeas ( chapter 3 ) Tertullian is believed to have provided a formal representation of the concept of the Trinity , i.e. that God exists as one "substance" but three 'Persons': The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and with God the Father being the Head. Tertullian also discussed how the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and

2460-557: The Father highlights the importance of the distinct yet unified natures of Jesus and the Father, building to the unity of Father and Son in the Trinity. The paternal view of God as the Father extends beyond Jesus to his disciples, and the entire Church, as reflected in the petitions Jesus submitted to the Father for his followers at the end of the Farewell Discourse , the night before his crucifixion . Instances of this in

2542-510: The Father in early Christianity was based on two key ideas: first the shared identity of the Yahweh of the Old Testament and the God of Jesus in the New Testament , and then the self-distinction and yet the unity between Jesus and his Father. An example of the unity of Son and Father is Matthew 11:27 : "No one knows the Son except the Father and no one knows the Father except the Son", asserting

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2624-409: The Father is greater than the Son in all things, and that the Holy Spirit is not equal to the Father, and is not an actual person, but is God's "power" or "character" in action. They refer to God the Father as " Yahweh ". The Yahweh Assemblies and other Sacred Name groups generally teach that Christ the Son was God's first and prime creation, and was used to create everything else. They believe that

2706-443: The Father is not pantheistic in that he is not viewed as identical to the universe or a vague notion that persists in it, but exists fully outside of creation, as its creator. He is viewed as a loving and caring God, a Heavenly Father who is active both in the world and in people's lives. He created all things visible and invisible in love and wisdom, and created man for his own sake. The emergence of Trinitarian theology of God

2788-484: The Father is not a separate God from God the Son (of whom Jesus is the incarnation ) and the Holy Spirit , the other hypostases of the Christian Godhead . In Eastern Orthodox theology , God the Father is the arche or principium ("beginning"), the "source" or "origin" of both the Son and the Holy Spirit, and is considered the eternal source of the Godhead. The Father is the one who eternally begets

2870-406: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were three separate essences or substances ( ousia ) and that the Son and Spirit derived their divinity from the Father, were created, and were inferior to the Godhead of the Father. Semi-Arians asserted that the Son was "of a similar substance" (homoiousios) as the Father but not "of the same substance" (homoousios). Arianism was the view of Arius and his followers,

2952-401: The Greek term " homoousian ", which Athanasius of Alexandria favored, was actually a term that was reported to be put forth and favored also by Sabellius , and was a term that many followers of Athanasius took issue with and were uneasy about. The Semi-Arians also objected to the term. Their objection to the term "homoousian" was that it was considered to be "un-Scriptural, suspicious, and of

3034-668: The Holy Ghost to be the minister and servant of the Father and a creature. Eleusius joined him, and so did Eustathius for a time. This remnant of the Semi-Arian party held synods at Zele and elsewhere. The accession of Jovian , who was orthodox, induced the versatile Acacius, with Meletius of Antioch and twenty-five bishops, to accept the Nicene formula, adding an explanation that the Nicene Fathers meant by homoousios merely homoios kat ousian – thus Acacius had taken up

3116-586: The Holy Spirit has a body of spirit. LDS Church members believe God the Father presides over both the Son and Holy Spirit, where God the Father is greater than both, but they are one in the sense that they have a unity of purpose. Most denominations in the Latter Day Saint movement also believe God (often referred to as Heavenly Father) has at least one spouse referred to as Heavenly Mother , and together they are called Heavenly Parents . The Assemblies of Yahweh are nontrinitarian , believing that

3198-588: The Jewish teachings on the uniqueness of God, yet also states the role of Jesus as an agent in creation. Over time, the Christian doctrine began to fully diverge from Judaism through the teachings of the Church Fathers in the second century and by the fourth century belief in the Trinity was formalized. According to Mary Rose D'Angelo and James Barr, the Aramaic term Abba was in the early times of

3280-583: The Logos had an essential role in creation and redemption, and is the Messiah, they believe that only the Father is without beginning. They say that the Son was the Father's only direct creation, before all ages. While both Persons are highly honored, taught, and preached, in their interpretations of John 17:3 and John 14:28 , God the Father is emphasized in Jehovah's Witness meetings and services more than Christ

3362-461: The Logos is God's Only-begotten Son, and that the Holy Spirit is God's active force (projected energy). They believe that the Father and the Son are united in divine purpose, administration, legislation , and man's salvation , but are not one being and are not equal in power. While the Witnesses acknowledge Jesus’ pre-existence, perfection, and unique "Sonship" from God the Father, and believe that

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3444-559: The Messiah, whom they call " Yahshua " or " Yeshua " or " Yehoshua ", died for man's sins, and is to be honored as the Anointed Lord, but that God the Father (Yahweh) is the True God that all "true worshippers" ultimately serve and worship. They teach that the Father is the only eternal one. In Jehovah's Witness theology, only God the Father ( Jehovah ) is the one true almighty God, even over his Son Jesus Christ. They teach that

3526-480: The New Testament neither markedly a term of endearment , nor a formal word; but the word normally used by sons and daughters, throughout their lives, in the family context. According to Marianne Thompson , in the Old Testament , God is called "Father" with a unique sense of familiarity. In addition to the sense in which God is "Father" to all men because he created the world (and in that sense "fathered"

3608-635: The Nicene standard. Basil had afterwards a disputation with the Anomoean Aëtius . After the defeat of Magnentius at Mursa in 351, Valens, bishop of that city, became the spiritual director of Constantius. In 355 Valens and Ursacius obtained the exile of the Western confessors Eusebius, Lucifer of Cagliari , Hilary of Poitiers , and Liberius followed. In 357 they issued the second Creed of Sirmium , or "formula of Hosius ", in which homoousios and homoiousios were both absent. Eudoxius seized

3690-583: The See of Antioch, and supported Aëtius and his disciple Eunomius. The Third Council of Sirmium in 357 was the high point of Arianism. The Seventh Arian Confession (Second Sirmium Confession) held that both homoousios (of one substance) and homoiousios (of similar substance) were unbiblical and that the Father is greater than the Son. (This confession was later known as the Blasphemy of Sirmium.) But since many persons are disturbed by questions concerning what

3772-500: The Semi–Arians were in a majority, being supported by such men as St. Cyril of Jerusalem , his friend Silvanus of Tarsus and even Hilary of Poitiers , but they were unable to obtain their ends. Basil, Silvanus and Eleusius, therefore, went as envoys to Constantinople, where a council was held in 360, which followed Rimini in condemning homoiousios together with homoousios and allowed homoios alone, without addition. This new phrase

3854-665: The Son was "of similar substance" ( homoiousios ) to the Father. Sirmium II also drafted the Sixth Arian Confession, which was an expanded version of the Fourth Arian Confession and was consistent with the strength of the semi-Arians. Councils were held in Arles in 353 and Milan in 355, with Athanasius condemned at both. In 356, Athanasius began his third exile, and George was appointed bishop of Alexandria . The third Council of Sirmium, in 357,

3936-437: The Son, and the Father through the Son eternally breathes the Holy Spirit. As a member of the Trinity, God the Father is one with, co-equal to, co-eternal, and consubstantial with the Son and the Holy Spirit, each Person being the one eternal God and in no way separated: all alike are uncreated and omnipotent. Because of this, the Trinity is beyond reason and can only be known by revelation. The Trinitarian concept of God

4018-514: The Son, as they teach that the Father is greater than the Son. Oneness Pentecostalism teaches that God is a singular spirit who is one person, not three divine persons, individuals or minds. God the Father is the title of the supreme creator. The titles of the Son and Holy Spirit are merely titles reflecting the different personal manifestations of the One True God the Father in the universe. Although similarities exist among religions,

4100-500: The Son. While the expression "from the Father through the Son" is also found among them. The Nicene Creed , which dates to 325, states that the Son (Jesus Christ) is "born of the Father before all ages", indicating that their divine Father-Son relationship is seen as not tied to an event within time or human history. To Trinitarian Christians (which include Roman Catholics , Eastern Orthodox , Oriental Orthodox , Anglicans , and most but not all Protestant denominations ), God

4182-592: The Western Church. Third Council of Sirmium Arianism was first put forward early in the 4th century by the Alexandrian presbyter Arius . It held that the Father is uniquely self-existent and immutable: consequently, Christ could not be God. The opponents of Arianism led by Athanasius of Alexandria claimed that the doctrine reduced Jesus to a demigod thus restoring polytheism as Jesus would still be worshipped. Further, it appeared to undermine

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4264-521: The body of Father would be represented, usually the hand, or sometimes the face, but rarely the whole person, and in many images, the figure of the Son supplants the Father, so a smaller portion of the person of the Father is depicted. In the early medieval period God was often represented by Christ as the Logos , which continued to be very common even after the separate figure of God the Father appeared. Western art eventually required some way to illustrate

4346-554: The common language and the shared concepts about God and his title Father among the Abrahamic religions is quite limited, and each religion has very specific belief structures and religious nomenclature with respect to the subject. While a religious teacher in one faith may be able to explain the concepts to his own audience with ease, significant barriers remain in communicating those concepts across religious boundaries. Greco-Roman pagans believed in an original triad . Over time,

4428-418: The concept of redemption as only one who was truly God could reconcile man and God. The First Council of Nicaea in 325 appeared to have settled the issue with Arius and his theology condemned and the Nicene Creed issued stating the Son was "of one substance with the father" ( homoousion to Patri ). However, Arians made a sustained effort to return to the church and to restore their beliefs after 325 with

4510-438: The concept of God as the creator and father of all people, as indicated in the Apostles' Creed where the expression of belief in the "Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth" is immediately, but separately followed by in "Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord", thus expressing both senses of fatherhood. In much of modern Christianity, God is addressed as the Father, in part because of his active interest in human affairs on

4592-748: The creator as "He" and "Father". This is because the Granth is written in north Indian Indo-Aryan languages (mixture of Punjabi and dialects of Hindi) which have no neutral gender. Since the Granth says that the God is indescribable, God has no gender according to Sikhism. God in the Sikh scriptures has been referred to by several names, picked from Indian and Semitic traditions. He is called in terms of human relations as father, mother, brother, relation, friend, lover, beloved, husband. Other names, expressive of his supremacy, are thakur , prabhu , svami , sah , patsah , sahib , sain (Lord, Master). For about

4674-554: The creed. Since the second century, creeds in the Western Church have included affirmation of belief in "God the Father (Almighty)", the primary reference being to "God in his capacity as Father and creator of the universe". This did not exclude either the fact the "eternal father of the universe was also the Father of Jesus the Christ" or that he had even "vouchsafed to adopt [the believer] as his son by grace". Creeds in

4756-400: The earth, in the way that a father would take an interest in his children who are dependent on him and as a father, he will respond to humanity, his children, acting in their best interests. Many believe they can communicate with God and come closer to him through prayer – a key element of achieving communion with God. In general, the title Father (capitalized) signifies God's role as

4838-481: The eternal relationship of Father and Son, through Jesus Christ. Christians call themselves adopted children of God: But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!” So you are no longer

4920-419: The king, as the teacher and helper over the judge of Israel. According to Alon Goshen-Gottstein, in the Old Testament "Father" is generally a metaphor ; it is not a proper name for God but rather one of many titles by which Jews speak of and to God. According to Mark Sameth, references to God the Father convulsing in labor, giving birth, and suckling (Deuteronomy 32:13, 18) hint to a priestly belief, noted in

5002-488: The legates, the documents they brought were received with great joy by a synod at Tyana , which embraced the Nicene faith. But another synod in Caria still refused the homoousion . In 381 the First Council of Constantinople was also called in order to attempt to deal with the binitarians who were mainly Semi-Arians then. However, as the Trinity was officially finalized at this time, the offended binitarians walked out. For

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5084-439: The life-giver, the authority , and powerful protector, often viewed as immense, omnipotent , omniscient , omnipresent with infinite power and charity that goes beyond human understanding. For instance, after completing his monumental work Summa Theologica , Catholic St. Thomas Aquinas concluded that he had not yet begun to understand "God the Father". Although the term "Father" implies masculine characteristics , God

5166-524: The mutual knowledge of Father and Son. The concept of fatherhood of God does appear in the Old Testament, but is not a major theme. While the view of God as the Father is used in the Old Testament, it only became a focus in the New Testament, as Jesus frequently referred to it. This is manifested in the Lord's Prayer which combines the earthly needs of daily bread with the reciprocal concept of forgiveness. And Jesus' emphasis on his special relationship with

5248-557: The names and gods of the triad were changed—except for Jupiter , which means "Father Jove" and comes from Proto-Italic Djous Patēr , from Djous (“day, sky”) + Patēr (“father”), from Proto-Indo-European Dyḗws (literally “the bright one”), root nomen agentis from Dyew - (“to be bright, day sky”), and Ph₂tḗr (“father”). A syncretic sect created by Hong Xiuquan , founder of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom , that mixed Protestantism and Chinese folk religion ,

5330-849: The objective of this sect was to overthrow the Manchus and restore power to the Han . God consisted of a triad made up of Shangdi (the Supreme Emperor in ancient Chinese worship), Christ as the eldest son and Hong as the youngest son. In Hinduism , Bhagavan Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita , chapter 9, verse 17, stated: "I am the Father of this world, the Mother, the Dispenser and the Grandfather", one commentator adding: "God being

5412-400: The only extant reference to the "first Council of Sirmium" is in fact a wrongly-dated reference to the Council of Sirmium in 351. He then posits that the councils of 357 and 358 consisted of only a handful of participants and were not really councils. After examining the primary documents he concludes: "In sum, the only formal and well-attested Council of Sirmium during the reign of Constantius

5494-480: The original formula of the Semi-Arians. In 365 the Macedonians assembled at Lampsacus under the presidency of Eleusius and condemned the Councils of Ariminum and Antioch (in 360), asserting again the likeness in substance. But the threats of the Arian emperor Valens caused Eleusius to sign an Arian creed at Nicomedia in 366. He returned to his diocese full of remorse, and begged for the election of another bishop, but his diocesans refused to let him resign. The West

5576-412: The presence of the Father, so through successive representations a set of artistic styles for the depiction of the Father in human form gradually emerged around the tenth century AD. By the twelfth century depictions of a figure of God the Father, essentially based on the Ancient of Days in the Book of Daniel had started to appear in French manuscripts and in stained glass church windows in England. In

5658-443: The rest of the assembled bishops to decree the expulsion of Eudoxius and his followers from Antioch , else that great see were lost. In consequence, the Synod of Ancyra published a long reply addressed to George and the other bishops of Phoenicia in which they recite the Creed of Antioch (341), adding explanations against the "unlikeness" of the Son to the Father taught by the Arians and Anomoeans, (from anomoios ), and showing that

5740-408: The rest of the history of the Semi-Arians (they were also called Macedonians ); see Pneumatomachi . Also, in more modern times, Semi-Arian groups are said to include non-Trinitarian groups such as Jehovah's Witnesses and Creation Seventh Day Adventists . God the Father God the Father is a title given to God in Christianity . In mainstream trinitarian Christianity , God the Father

5822-470: The sixteenth and nineteenth centuries by Guillaume Postel and Michelangelo Lanci respectively, that “God the Father” is a dual-gendered deity. In Christianity fatherhood is taken in a more literal and substantive sense, and is explicit about the need for the Son as a means of accessing the Father, making for a more metaphysical rather than metaphorical interpretation. There is a deep sense in which Christians believe that they are made participants in

5904-632: The source of the universe and the beings in it, He is held as the Father, the Mother and the Grandfather". A genderless Brahman is also considered the creator and Life-giver, and the Shakta goddess is viewed as the divine mother and life-bearer. Unlike in Judaism, the term "father" is not formally applied to God by Muslims, and the Christian notion of the Trinity is rejected in Islam. Even though traditional Islamic teaching does not formally prohibit using

5986-482: The term "Father" in reference to God, it does not propagate or encourage it. There are some narratives of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in which he compares the mercy of God toward his worshipers to that of a mother to her infant child. Islamic teaching rejects the Christian father-son relationship of God and Jesus , and states that Jesus is a prophet of God, not the Son of God. Islamic theology strictly reiterates

6068-468: The verdict, your holy majesty." Another famous prayer emphasizing this dichotomy is called Avinu Malkeinu , which means "Our Father Our King" in Hebrew. Usually the entire congregation will sing the last verse of this prayer in unison, which says: "Our Father, our King, answer us as though we have no deed to plead our cause, save us with mercy and loving-kindness." The Guru Granth consistently refers to

6150-454: The very name of father implies a son of like substance ( homoiousios , or homoios kat ousian ) Anathematisms are appended in which Anomoeanism is explicitly condemned and the teaching of "likeness of substance" enforced. The nineteenth of these canons forbids the use also of homoousios and tautoousios ; this may be an afterthought due to the instance of Macedonius, as Basil does not seem to have insisted on it later. Legates were dispatched to

6232-413: The words "in all things" meant not only in will, but in existence and being ( kata ten hyparxin kai kata to einai ). Not content with this, Basil, George of Laodicea and others published a joint explanation (Epiph., lxxiii, 12–22) that "in all things" must include "substance". The court party arranged that two councils should be held, one at Rimini (Italy) and the other at Seleucia. At Seleucia , in 359,

6314-555: The world), the same God is also uniquely the law-giver to his chosen people . He maintains a special, covenantal father–child relationship with the people, giving them the Shabbat , stewardship of his prophecies , and a unique heritage in the things of God, calling Israel 'my son' because he delivered the descendants of Jacob out of slavery in Egypt according to his covenants and oaths to their fathers, Abraham , Isaac and Jacob . In

6396-468: Was at peace under Valentinian I , so the Semi-Arians sent envoys to that emperor and to the pope to get help. Pope Liberius refused to see them until they presented him with a confession of faith which included the Nicene formula. He seems to have been unaware that the party now rejected the divinity of the Holy Ghost; but this was perhaps not true of the envoys Eustathius and Silvanus. On the return of

6478-483: Was deposed in 336, he was succeeded by Basil. Marcellus was reinstated by the Council of Serdica and bishop Julius of Rome in 343, but Basil was restored in 350 by Constantius, over whom he gained considerable influence. He was the leader of a council at Sirmium in 351, held against Photinus who had been a deacon at Ancyra, and the canons of this synod begin by condemning Arianism, though they do not quite come up to

6560-588: Was released from exile upon signing three formulae combined by Basil. Basil persuaded Constantius to summon a general council , Ancyra being proposed, then Nicomedia (both in Asia Minor), but as the latter city was destroyed by an earthquake, Basil was again at Sirmium in 359 where the Arianizers had meanwhile regained their footing; with Germinius of Sirmium , George of Alexandria, Ursacius and Valens, and bishop (later saint) Marcus of Arethusa , he held

6642-497: Was the high point of Arianism. The Seventh Arian Confession (Second Sirmium Confession) held that both homoousios (of one substance) and homoiousios (of similar substance) were unbiblical and that the Father is greater than the Son. (This confession was later known as the Blasphemy of Sirmium) But since many persons are disturbed by questions concerning what is called in Latin substantia , but in Greek ousia , that is, to make it understood more exactly, as to 'coessential,' or what

6724-419: Was the invention of Acacius of Cæsarea , who now deserted the more extreme Arians and became leader of the new " Homoean " party. He procured the exile of Macedonius, Eleusius, Basil, Eustathius, Silvanus, Cyril and others. Constantius II died in 361. Under Julian the exiles returned. Basil was probably dead. Macedonius organized a party which confessed the Son to be kata panta homoios , while it declared

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