tritheism

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Definition
  1. Noun:
    • A Christian heresy: The theological doctrine or belief that the three persons of the Trinity (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) are three distinct and separate gods, rather than three co-equal persons within one Godhead.
Usage
  • As a subject: The term is used to label and discuss a specific historical and theological position considered heretical by mainstream Christian denominations.
  • In theological discourse: It is employed in academic and religious contexts to contrast with orthodox Trinitarian doctrine, which maintains the unity of God in three persons.
Examples
  • Noun:
    • The early church councils condemned tritheism as a fundamental misunderstanding of the Trinity.
    • Some scholars argue that certain medieval philosophers were accused of tritheism for emphasizing the distinctness of the divine persons.
Advanced Usage
  • Historical context: The charge of tritheism was often leveled against thinkers who, in attempting to explain the Trinity, were perceived to compromise the essential unity of God. It is particularly associated with some 6th-century monophysite theologians and later medieval scholastics.
  • Conceptual contrast: Tritheism is explicitly distinguished from both Unitarianism (which denies the Trinity altogether) and orthodox Trinitarianism.
Variants and Related Words
  • Tritheist (noun): A person who believes in or advocates for tritheism.
    • The theologian was labeled a tritheist by his opponents.
  • Tritheistic (adjective): Pertaining to or characteristic of tritheism.
    • The tract was criticized for its tritheistic implications.
Synonyms
  • Polytheism (specific form): While polytheism is the belief in multiple gods generally, tritheism is a specific form of it applied to Christian theology.
  • Tri-theism: An alternative, hyphenated spelling conveying the same meaning.
Antonyms
  • Trinitarianism: The orthodox Christian doctrine of the Trinity (one God in three persons).
  • Monotheism: The belief in only one god.
Noun
  1. (Christianity) the heretical belief that the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are three separate gods