Term

Adoptionism

The false teaching that Jesus was an ordinary man until his baptism, when God adopted him as Son and gave him special powers.

Filed underHistorical TheologyChristology

Definition

The false teaching that Jesus lived as an ordinary man until his baptism, at which time God adopted him as his Son and gave him special powers.

Connections

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Influenced

Sources

  1. 1.Wayne A. Grudem Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. 2nd ed.. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020). 14B.1Original citation: Grudem, Wayne A. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020, 14B.1.

Last revised August 14, 2026