II. Works.
(1.) By Rom. Cath. Madrisi (Congreg. Orat.): Dissertationes de Felicis et Elipandi haeresi, in his
ed. of the Opera Paulini Aquil., reprinted in Migne’s "Patrol. Lat.," vol. 99( col. 545–598).
Against Basnage. Enhueber (Prior in Regensburg): Dissert. dogm. Hist. contra Christ. Walchium,
in Alcuin’s Opera, ed. Frobenius, reprinted by Migne (vol. 101, col. 337–438). Against Walch’s
Hist. Adopt., to prove the Nestorianism of the Adoptionists. Frobenius: Diss. Hist. de haer.
Elip. et Felicis, in Migne’s ed., vol. 101, col. 303–336. Werner: Gesch. der Apol. und polem.
Lit. II. 433 sqq. Gams: Kirchengesch. Spaniens (Regensb., 1874), Bd. II. 2. (Very prolix.)
Hefele: Conciliengesch., Bd. III. 642–693 (revised ed. of 1877). Hergenröther: Kirchengesch.,
2nd ed., 1879, Bd. I. 558 sqq. Bach: Dogmengesch. des Mittelalters (Wien, 1873), I. 103–155.
(2.) By Protestants. Jac. Basnage: Observationes historicae circa Felicianam haeresin, in his
Thesaurus monum. Tom. II. 284 sqq. Chr. G. F. Walch: Historia Adoptianorum, Göttingen,
1755; and his Ketzergeschichte, vol. IX. 667 sqq. (1780). A minute and accurate account. See
also the Lit. quoted by Walch.
Neander, Kirchengeschichte, vol. III., pp. 313–339, Engl. transl. III. 156–168. Gieseler, vol. II., P.
I., p. 111 sqq.; Eng. transl. II. 75–78. Baur: Die christliche Lehre von der Dreieinigkeit und
Menschwerdung Gottes, Tübingen, 1842, vol. II., pp. 129–159. Dorner: Entwicklungs-Geschichte
der Lehre von der Person Christi, second ed., Berlin, 1853, vol. II., pp. 306–330. Helfferich:
Der Westgothische Arianismus und die spanische Ketzergeschichte, Berlin, 1880. Niedner:
Lehrbuch der christl. K. G., Berlin, 1866, pp. 424–427. J. C. Robertson: History of the Christian
Church from 590 to 1122 (Lond., 1856), p. 154 sqq. Milman: Lat. Christ. II. 498–500; Baudissin:
Eulogius und Alvar, Leipz., 1872. Schaff, in Smith and Wace, I. (1877), pp. 44–47. W. Möller,
in Herzog2 I. 151–159.
§ 117. History of Adoptionism.
The Adoptionist controversy is a revival of the Nestorian controversy in a modified form, and
turns on the question whether Christ, as to his human nature, was the Son of God in essence, or
only by adoption. Those who took the latter view were called Adoptionists.^644 They taught that
Christ as to his divinity is the true Son^645 of God, the Only-Begotten of the Father; but as man he
is his adopted Son,^646 the First-Born of Mary. They accepted the Chalcedonian Christology of one
person and two natures, but by distinguishing a natural Son of God and an adopted Son of God,
they seemed to teach two persons or a double Christ, and thus to run into the Nestorian heresy.
The orthodox opponents held that Christ was the one undivided and indivisible Son of God;
that the Virgin Mary gave birth to the eternal Son of God, and is for this reason called "the mother
of God;" that sonship is founded on the person, not on the nature; and that Adoptionism leads to
two Christs and to four persons in the Trinity.
Both parties displayed a degree of patristic learning which one would hardly expect in this
period of the middle ages.
(^644) Adoptiani, Adoptivi; in English Adoptianists or Adoptionists (from adoptio)
(^645) Filius proprius or verus.
(^646) Filius adoptivus or nuncupativus.