What is Socinianism?

Answer

Socinianism is an unconventional form of non-trinitarianism that emerged during the Protestant Reformation (1517-1648) by Italian humanist Lelio Sozzini and later advocated by his cousin, Fausto Sozzini. In contemporary times, Socinianism has been labeled as psilanthropism, which asserts that Jesus was solely human (from the Greek psilo meaning “merely/only” and anthropos meaning “man/human being”), a perspective dismissed by the First Council of Nicaea.

The Socinians adhered to a rationalistic approach to Scripture and faith. This philosophical stance, particularly concerning biblical teachings, asserts that all religious matters must align with human reason and that theological matters regarding God’s nature cannot surpass human understanding. This notion directly contradicts the Bible, which upholds the supernatural nature of God and the incapacity of the finite mind to fully grasp the infinite (Job 9:10;Isaiah 55:8-11;Romans 11:33).

The Socinians dismissed the traditional, orthodox beliefs concerning God’s nature, particularly His omniscience. They rejected the Trinity doctrine in favor of Unitarianism, a belief system they advocated in their “Catechism of Unitarians” (1574). They also denied the orthodox belief in the divinity of Jesus Christ, as outlined in the Racovian Catechism of 1605, asserting that the Son of God came into existence only when He was born as a man. However, the Bible clearly states that Jesus is the pre-existing second Person of the Trinity (John 1:1,17:5;Hebrews 1:8-12).

The Socinians also formulated one of the earliest versions of the unorthodox belief now recognized as open theism as they believed.Even God knew only necessary truths (what will come to pass) but not contingent truths (what might possibly come to pass) to explain how man could retain his free will despite God being all-knowing. This contradicts scriptural passages such as Psalm 33:11, Isaiah 14:24, and Isaiah 46:10, which affirm God’s sovereignty over all events from before time began.

The Socinians also rejected the propitiatory view of the atonement, the orthodox biblical doctrine that states the sacrifice of Christ fully satisfied God’s wrath towards His people (Isaiah 53:10-11). Instead, Socinians favored what is known as the “example theory” of the atonement, suggesting that Christ bore the sins of His people on the cross only in the sense that His sacrifice inspired us to abandon our sins. The Racovian Catechism, under the heading of “Refutation of the Vulgar Doctrine about the Satisfaction of Christ for Our Sins,” states, “And I affirm that he did not make satisfaction for our sins to the divine justice . . . nor was there any need that he should make satisfaction” (De Servatore, ch. 1). In this unscriptural view, Christ only became sin «For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.», (2 Corinthians 5:21) and a curse «Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: », (Galatians 3:13) for His people, in the sense that He sacrificed Himself merely to motivate people to repent and believe. The Scriptures teach that Christ’s sacrifice was a perfect guilt offering «Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall…».I see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.” (Isaiah 53:10) for the sins of His people through which God justified the ungodly “to declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” (Romans 3:26) and guaranteed the justification of the many who would believe (Isaiah 53:11; Romans 3:30). In other words, Socinians believe Christ came not to save His people from their sins, but to make them savable, and the rest is up to them. This is nothing more than another works-based salvation theory.

Socinianism, as well as all heterodox Unitarian theological beliefs, is irreconcilable with what God has personally revealed to us in His Word. Socinianism rejects the clear, revealed teaching of the triune nature “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” (Matthew 28:19 John 1:1, 14:26) of the one, true God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10, 44:6). It rejects the clear, revealed teaching that the Son of God has existed since the foundation of the world (John 17:4; Hebrews 1:8-12; Revelation 13:8). It rejects the clear, revealed teaching that God is truly omniscient (all-knowing), that He is an omnipresent being that knows every event that will ever occur (Job 37:16; Psalm 33:11, 147:5; Isaiah 14:

(Job 37:16; Psalm 33:11, 147:5; Isaiah 14:24, 46:10; Acts 15:18). Most erroneously, it rejects the clear, revealed teaching that the sacrifice of Christ fully satisfied the wrath of God and that Christ drank every last bit from the cup of God’s wrath against the sins of His people (Isaiah 53; Matthew 1:21). As such, the teachings of Socinianism should be rejected, and those who hold to this theological viewpoint should be prayed for in the hope that God, if He is willing, will open their hearts and minds to understand the truth He has revealed to us in His Word and through the Holy Spirit.