HOMOOUSION, (Gk. 6p.00a1 0WW, II WHOM:Sion , la]. humus, same is-Wiley). A term of Greek theology. employed against the Arians at the Council of Niewa (A.D. 13•5). to denote that in the doctrine of the Trinity the Son is "of the same e,ssence for substance] with the Father." Aceording to the received text of what we call the Nicene Creed, the article in question reads: -And fl in one Lord Jesus Christ . . being of one substance with the Father." The word lownomrsion is much older than the Council of Niri•a. Not to speak of its employment by Gnostics, like it. is found in the .m.ritings of Irencens. in the latter half of the second century. and not infrequently in the 116rd eentlary. It was rejected by a synod held in Antioch. against Paul of Samosata (2fig or '269), where it seems to hay° borne a meaning some what different from that was applied to it by Athanasins. In the fourth century the word aroused a long and bitter emitroversy. The Athanasian party defended it the Arians at tacked it oil every side. In the progress of the et niggle various a Iternat ices were proposed. Some extreme Arians wished to substitute heferoousion (of a ditTerent substance) for homoonmion, thus affirming the direct opposite of what the orthodox party insisted upon. Others, less radical and
largely indifferent to the real issue involved. suggested the colorless term hotimion (similar), meaning simply the Sun Is like' the Father. Others still 'were willing to go so far as to use the word homuiousion (i.e. the :son is of a Illse essence, or substance,' with the Father). After nearly sixty years of theological warfare, the Church, at the Council of I on,tant Os I ), reatiinned its allegiance to the homotossioni ibi• trine, and now applied it wit to the son, but also to the iloly (1hust. that, completing the dogma of the Trinity, which has e'er since re mained the orthodox faith of l'hristendona.
((insult: liarnack, Hisfioy of iiognot, iv., translation (London, 189s): Athanasins, Nt it et Works, trauslat bin in the .\ a., lit a ad l'asl. \ us air nail( cud series, edited by SCINlir and 11 ace, vol. iv, iNew \fork. 1s92: ; Dadaist., The L'em oi(al Councils 1211 ed.. New York, 1897). and