Confounding the Persons
Preserved but no longer current.
The heresy of Sabellius (see SABELLIANISM), who declared that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost were but three names, aspects, or manifestations of one God, the orthodox doctrine being that of the Atha- nasian Creed —
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Confounding the Persons” mean?
The heresy of Sabellius (see SABELLIANISM), who declared that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost were but three names, aspects, or manifestations of one God, the orthodox doctrine being that of the Atha- nasian Creed —
Is “Confounding the Persons” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.