Heresy of the Week: Samosatenism

This week's heresy is a precursor of Arianism.

Samosatenism: Samosatenism is a pre-Arianism heresy of the 2nd century. Paul of Samosata (for whom this heresy is named) was one of Arius’ teachers. This heresy proposes that Christ was the adopted Son of the Father, not His Son by nature (in the vein of moderate Adoptionism). Christ was taught to be neither perfect God nor perfect Man. Christ was believed to be a created being, not uncreated as the Father is, and therefore less than fully divine (and thus is an antitrinitarian heresy). This heresy was condemned in 325 at the Council of Nicaea along with Arianism.