Historical Theology · Patristic Database

The Christian
Belief Map

What the first five centuries believed — and who still believes it today.

217
Belief Records
46
Figures
500
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Cat
Ort
Lut
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Eva
Identical Convergent Partial Divergent Opposed Unknown
Ante-Nicene · AD 200–300
1 record
PNEUMATOLOGY c. AD 213
Tertullian
Tertullian is the first to use the word Trinity (Trinitas) as a technical theological term
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Ort
Lut
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Eva
Nicene Era · AD 300–400
5 records
PNEUMATOLOGY c. AD 350
Cyril of Jerusalem
The Holy Spirit is the agent of sanctification who makes the soul a temple and confers spiritual gifts
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Eva
PNEUMATOLOGY c. AD 375
Basil of Caesarea
Basil of Caesarea argues the Holy Spirit must be worshipped equally with Father and Son — from liturgical doxology
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Eva
PNEUMATOLOGY c. AD 380
Gregory of Nazianzus
Gregory of Nazianzus teaches that the Spirit proceeds from the Father — not from the Son — as a distinct mode of origin
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Ort
Lut
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Eva
PNEUMATOLOGY AD 381
Council of Constantinople I
The Holy Spirit is fully God — of the same substance as the Father and Son
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Eva
PNEUMATOLOGY c. AD 381
Ambrose of Milan
Ambrose teaches that the Spirit anoints Christ at baptism — showing the Spirit is the source of all sanctification
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Ort
Lut
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Eva
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Explore 71 verified claims across seven centuries of Church history.

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