The word "Adoptionist" is spelled with eight letters, starting with the vowel sound "æ" as in "cat". It is followed by "d", pronounced "d", then "ɒ" as in "lot", "p" pronounced "p", "ʃ" as in "shoe", "ən" pronounced "ən", "ɪ" as in "sit" and finally "st" pronounced "st". It refers to a theologically related movement within early Christianity that believed Jesus was fully human, later adopted as God's son. The correct pronunciation can be easily achieved by using the IPA phonetic transcription.
Adoptionist is a term used in theology and religious studies to refer to a particular belief or doctrine held by some early Christian groups. The term derives from the word "adoption," which refers to the act of receiving someone into a family or community. In the context of religious beliefs, adoptionist refers to the belief that Jesus Christ was born as a human being and was later "adopted" as the Son of God, usually at the time of his baptism or resurrection.
According to adoptionist beliefs, Jesus was considered to be a human being chosen by God and granted divine status due to his righteousness, spiritual insight, or other exceptional qualities. This belief system often denied the pre-existence of Jesus or his divine nature prior to his earthly existence. Instead, it emphasized the idea that Jesus became the Son of God through divine adoption.
Adoptionist views were held by various early Christian sects, including some Ebionite groups, Arians, and early followers of Cerinthus. These beliefs were considered outside of mainstream Christian orthodoxy and were deemed heretical by the established church. Adoptionist teachings were criticized for denying the eternal divinity of Jesus and emphasizing his humanity at the expense of his divine nature.
Today, the term adoptionist is primarily used in historical and theological discussions to define and differentiate these early Christian groups and their beliefs from orthodox Christian theology.
The word "Adoptionist" derives from the theological concept of "adoptionism", which originated in early Christian theology. Adoptionism refers to the belief that Jesus was born a regular human being and "adopted" or "assumed" sonship with God at some point in his life, typically at his baptism. The word itself combines "adoption" with the suffix "-ism", forming a term that describes the theological position or belief system of adoptionism.