Theol. [f. prec. + -ISM.] The doctrine that the second and third persons of the Trinity are inferior, in order or in essence, to the first person. Hence Subordinationist, one who maintains this doctrine; also attrib. or as adj.
1843. Penny Cycl., XXV. 243/1. The Father was regarded as the only supreme God, and as superior to the other persons of the Trinity, which is the doctrine called Subordinationism.
1880. Encycl. Brit., XI. 854/1. Hippolytus defended what is known as subordinationism against the patripassianism of the bishops.
1882. Cave & Banks, trans. Dorner’s Chr. Doctr., 204. The Subordinationist modification of the Ebionite tendency. Ibid., 208. Every form of Monarchianism, the Sabellian form as well as the Subordinationist.
¶ G. Subordinatianismus (an erron. formation after Novatianisus, etc.), used by Dorner, Döllinger, etc., is represented in Engl. translations by subordinatianism; similarly Subordinatianer by subordinatianist, and subordinatianisch by subordinatian.
1862. trans. Dorner’s Hist. Devel. Person of Christ, I. II. 58. The efforts made to exclude subordinatian elements from the conception of the Son. Ibid., 74. An Arian Subordinatianism was … foreign to his mind.
1876. A. Plummer, trans. Döllinger’s Hippol. & Callistus, iv. 191, note. The Subordinatianists of Alexandria.
