Subordinationism

Subordinationism is a heresy within the doctrine of the Trinity that holds that the Son and the Holy Spirit are subordinate to the Father in terms of essence or being. While orthodox Trinitarian theology affirms that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are co-equal and co-eternal, Subordinationism teaches that the Son and Spirit are inferior to the Father in some way, either in divinity, status, or nature. This view has been condemned by the church as it undermines the equality of the persons of the Trinity.

Historical Development of Subordinationism

Subordinationism emerged early in Christian history, particularly in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, as theologians sought to articulate the relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Its influence persisted into the 4th century, where it found expression in the Arian controversy.

1. Early Church Period:

   • Early forms of Subordinationism appeared in the writings of some Church Fathers, such as Origen (185–254 AD), who, while holding an orthodox view of the Trinity in some respects, suggested that the Son was eternally generated by the Father and thus subordinate to Him in a certain sense. However, Origen’s subordinationist language was later rejected as problematic because it suggested inequality within the Trinity.
   • The tension in early theology was how to reconcile monotheism with the belief that Christ and the Holy Spirit were also divine without falling into either modalism (one person acting in three different modes) or Subordinationism.

2. Arianism (4th Century):

   • The most notable expression of Subordinationism is found in Arianism, a heresy propagated by Arius, a presbyter in Alexandria in the early 4th century. Arius taught that the Son was a created being and, therefore, not co-eternal or co-equal with the Father. According to Arianism, the Son had a beginning in time and was subordinate in essence to the Father, even though He was the highest of all created beings.
   • Arius’s teaching sparked the Arian controversy, leading to the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, where his views were condemned. The council produced the Nicene Creed, which affirmed that the Son is "begotten, not made," and is "of one substance (homoousios) with the Father." This creed directly rejected any form of Subordinationism by declaring the Son to be fully divine, co-equal, and co-eternal with the Father.

3. Semi-Arianism:

   • After the Council of Nicaea, some theologians attempted to compromise between Arianism and Nicene orthodoxy, leading to Semi-Arianism. Semi-Arians rejected the extreme Arian position that the Son was a created being but still held to a form of Subordinationism by claiming that the Son was of a similar substance (homoiousios) to the Father, rather than being of the same substance (homoousios). The difference between these two Greek terms is subtle but significant, and Semi-Arianism was also eventually condemned by the church.

Theology of Subordinationism

The central theological error of Subordinationism lies in its misunderstanding of the relationship between the three persons of the Trinity. It typically teaches:

1. Subordination of Essence or Nature: Subordinationism holds that the Son and the Holy Spirit are lesser in essence or divinity than the Father. The Father is seen as the true God, while the Son and the Spirit are considered divine in some lesser, derivative sense. This is contrary to the orthodox view that the Father, Son, and Spirit share the same divine nature equally.

2. Temporal Subordination: Some forms of Subordinationism claim that the Son and the Spirit came into existence at some point in time, rather than being eternal. Arius famously stated that "there was a time when the Son was not," suggesting that the Son was a created being and not co-eternal with the Father.

3. Functional Subordination vs. Ontological Subordination: Subordinationism can also be confused with the orthodox idea of functional subordination, where the Son voluntarily submits to the Father in the economy of salvation (e.g., in his incarnation, the Son submits to the Father’s will). Orthodox theology distinguishes between functional subordination, which pertains to the roles within the Trinity, and ontological subordination, which Subordinationism advocates by making the Son and Spirit lesser in nature or being.

Historic Christian Orthodox View

The historic Christian orthodox view of the Trinity, established by the early ecumenical councils, decisively rejects Subordinationism and affirms the equality and co-eternity of the three persons of the Trinity. The key elements of the orthodox view include:

1. Equality of Persons: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are equal in power, glory, and essence. The three persons are distinct in their relations to each other (the Father is unbegotten, the Son is begotten, and the Spirit proceeds), but they are all fully and equally divine. There is no hierarchy or inferiority of essence within the Trinity.

2. Co-Eternal and Co-Equal: The orthodox doctrine of the Trinity, articulated in the Nicene Creed (325 AD) and the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed (381 AD), affirms that the Son is "begotten of the Father before all worlds," meaning that the Son is eternally begotten, not created. The Holy Spirit is likewise said to proceed from the Father (and later, in Western theology, from the Father and the Son). All three persons are equally eternal, with no temporal or ontological subordination.

3. One Substance, Three Persons: The Trinity is described as being of one substance (homoousios) and three persons (hypostases). This means that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit share the same divine essence. They are distinct persons but fully united in their divine being. The Athanasian Creed (5th century) affirms this clearly by stating that "the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; and yet there are not three Gods, but one God."

4. Functional Subordination (Economic Trinity): While the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are equal in essence, they have distinct roles within the plan of salvation. This is sometimes called the economic Trinity. The Son submits to the Father in his incarnation and redemption (John 5:19, Philippians 2:6-8), and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father (and the Son, in Western theology) to apply the work of salvation. However, this functional subordination does not imply any inferiority of nature or essence, and it is limited to their roles in redemption, not their eternal being.

5. Council of Nicaea (325 AD): The Council of Nicaea rejected Arianism (the most significant form of Subordinationism) and affirmed the full divinity of the Son. The council declared that the Son is "begotten, not made, of one substance (homoousios) with the Father", directly opposing any notion that the Son was a lesser being or created by the Father.

6. Council of Constantinople (381 AD): The Council of Constantinople expanded the Nicene Creed to include a fuller statement on the Holy Spirit, affirming that the Spirit is also "Lord and Giver of Life" who proceeds from the Father (and the Son, in later Western theology). This affirmed the full divinity of the Spirit and rejected any subordinationist view regarding the Spirit's nature.

Conclusion

Subordinationism, in its various forms, denies the full equality and co-eternity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, suggesting instead that the Son and the Spirit are lesser in nature or divinity than the Father. This heresy undermines the essential doctrine of the Trinity as one God in three co-equal and co-eternal persons.

The historic orthodox Christian view of the Trinity, as articulated in the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds, affirms that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are equal in substance (homoousios), co-eternal, and co-equal. The persons of the Trinity are distinct in their relations and roles but united in their divine essence, and there is no subordination of nature or being among them.

This doctrine remains one of the foundational elements of orthodox Christian theology, and any form of Subordinationism has been decisively rejected by the church.