homoousian, homousian, a. and n. Theol.
(ˌhɒməʊˈaʊsɪən, həʊˈmaʊsɪən, -ˈuːsɪən)
[ad. med.L. homoūsiān-us, f. homoūsius (Jerome), a. Gr. ὁµοούσιος, ὁµούσιος, f. ὁµός same + οὐσία essence, substance: see -an. In mod.F. homousien. Opp. to heteroousian and homoiousian.
The form homoüsian is normal, according to the regular equivalence of Roman ū to Gr. ου; but Engl. writers have mostly thought of the Gr. letters.]
A. adj. a. Of the same essence or substance; co-essential, consubstantial. b. Relating to or maintaining the consubstantiality of the persons of the Trinity: see B.
| 1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. i. iv. §36. 597 The Genuine Platonists would doubtless acknowledge also, all the Three Hypostases of their Trinity to be Homo-ousian, Co-Essential or Con-Substantial. 1716 M. Davies Athen. Brit. III. Crit. Hist. 48 The first Father of the Homousian Orthodoxy. 1744 Lardner Credib. Gosp. Hist. i. l. §2. V. 134 The council of Nice established the homousian or consubstantial doctrine. 1864 Lowell Fireside Trav. 38 So homoousian both in look and soul, So indiscernibly a single whole. 1866 [see homoiousian A.]. |
B. n. Eccl. Hist. (With capital initial.) One who holds the three persons of the Trinity to be of the same essence or substance; an orthodox Trinitarian.
| 1565 T. Stapleton Fortr. Faith 17 b, The Arrians called the Catholikes Homoousians. 1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. i. iv. §36. 610 The Arians call us Homoousians, because..we defend the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, to be in the language of the Greeks Homoousious, that is of One and the Same Substance. 1748 Lardner Credib. Gosp. Hist. i. lxx. §7. VII. 429 These measures incommoded by turns the Homoüsians and the Arians. 1776 Gibbon Decl. & F. (1848) I. 475 The profane of every age have derided the furious contests which the difference of a single diphthong excited between the Homoousians and the Homoiousians. 1885 E. S. Ffoulkes Prim. Consecr. v. 162 The Acacians, long afterwards, condemned the Homoousians, the Homoiousians and the Anomeans in one lot. |
Hence
homoˈousianism, the doctrine of the Homoousians.
homoˈousianist = homoousian B. So also
homoˈousiast = homoousian B.
homoˈousious a., consubstantial.
homousie [
cf. Gr. (τὸ) ὁµοούσιον, neut. of ὁµοούσιος, used
subst.], consubstantiality.
| 1869 O. W. Holmes Cind. fr. Ashes in Old Vol. Life (1891) 244 A very worthy professor..but thought by certain experts to be a little questionable in the matter of *homoousianism. |
| 1716 M. Davies Athen. Brit. III. Crit. Hist. 37 The term Homousian or *Homousianist, nick-names invented by the Blaspheming Arians. |
| 1626 Bp. R. Montagu in Cosin's Corr. (1869) I. 99 For the *Homousiasts, they rest all upon God and neclected means. 1835 Penny Cycl. III. 3/1 Gregory of Cappadocia..committed many acts of violence against the Homoousiasts. |
| 1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. i. iv. §36. 606 It is full of divine things, by reason of its being cognate or congenerous, and *homoousious with them. 1678 [see sense B. above]. |
| 1886 Westm. Rev. Oct. 475 As a substitute for the absent *homousie or identity of being with God. |