homoiousian
|ho-mi-ou-si-an|
🇺🇸
/ˌhoʊmiəˈjuːʒən/
🇬🇧
/ˌhɒmiəˈjuːʒən/
similar (in essence)
Etymology
'homoiousian' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'homoiousios', where 'homoios' meant 'similar' and 'ousia' meant 'essence' or 'substance'.
'homoiousios' entered Christian theological vocabulary in Late/Medieval Latin as forms like 'homoiousianus' or via New Latin, and was adopted into English as 'homoiousian' to name the doctrine or its adherents.
Initially, the root term meant 'of similar substance'; over time the English form 'homoiousian' came to denote both the doctrinal position and a person holding that position.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an adherent of the homoiousian position; someone who holds that the Son is of similar substance to the Father.
Homoiousians argued at the council that the Son was of a substance similar to the Father's but not identical.
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Adjective 1
relating to the theological position that the Son (the Logos) is of similar substance or essence to the Father (i.e., 'of like substance').
The bishop's sermons were criticized as homoiousian by more strictly Nicene theologians.
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Last updated: 2025/09/26 08:10