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Wellsprings
christian-christologyfeatured in 40 works

Eternal Generation of the Son

Begotten, not made: the Son springs from the Father outside of time, with no beginning

Christian theology holds that the Son is eternally begotten of the Father, sharing the Father's very being rather than being created at some moment. The Nicene Creed captures this with the phrase "begotten, not made," distinguishing the Son from every creature. Drawing on earlier reflection such as Origen's, this teaching insists there was never a time when the Son was not, so his "generation" is eternal, not an event.

How it traveled

  1. Hebrews
    Rome · 67
    explains
  2. John
    Ephesus · 100
    explains
  3. 1 John
    Ephesus · 100
    explains
  4. Dialogue with Trypho
    Rome · 165
    explains
  5. Against Praxeas.
    — · 220
    explains
  6. A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity.
    Rome · 258
    explains
  7. The Life of Constantine with Orations of Constantine and Eusebius
    Caesarea · 339
    explains
  8. The Church History of Eusebius
    Caesarea · 339
    explains
  9. Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.)
    Alexandria · 373
    explains
  10. Defence of the Nicene Definition. (De Decretis.)
    Alexandria · 373
    explains
  11. On the Councils of Ariminum and Seleucia. (De Synodis.)
    Alexandria · 373
    explains
  12. Defence of Dionysius. (De Sententia Dionysii.)
    Alexandria · 373
    explains
  13. The Letters
    Caesarea (Cappadocia) · 379
    explains
  14. De Spiritu Sancto
    Caesarea (Cappadocia) · 379
    explains
  15. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril
    Jerusalem · 386
    explains
  16. Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen
    Nazianzus · 390
    explains
  17. Against Eunomius
    Nyssa · 395
    explains
  18. Answer to Eunomius' Second Book
    Nyssa · 395
    explains
  19. Exposition of the Christian Faith
    Milan · 397
    explains
  20. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    explains
  21. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    explains
  22. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    explains
  23. A Commentary on the Apostles' Creed
    Aquileia · 411
    explains
  24. Jerome and Gennadius. Lives of Illustrious Men
    Bethlehem · 420
    explains
  25. Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John
    Hippo Regius · 430
    explains
  26. On the Holy Trinity
    Hippo Regius · 430
    explains
  27. Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament
    Hippo Regius · 430
    explains
  28. Expositions on the Book of Psalms
    Hippo Regius · 430
    explains
  29. City of God
    Hippo Regius · 430
    explains
  30. Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John
    Hippo Regius · 430
    explains
  31. A Treatise on Faith and the Creed
    Hippo Regius · 430
    explains
  32. The Seven Books of John Cassian on the Incarnation of the Lord, Against Nestorius
    Marseille · 435
    explains
  33. The Ecclesiastical History of Socrates Scholasticus
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 439
    explains
  34. The Ecclesiastical History, Dialogues, and Letters of Theodoret
    Cyrrhus · 458
    explains
  35. The Letters and Sermons of Leo the Great
    Rome · 461
    explains
  36. John of Damascus: Exposition of the Orthodox Faith
    Damascus · 749
    explains
  37. Monologium
    Canterbury · 1109
    explains
  38. Treatise on The Most Holy Trinity (QQ[27-43])
    Paris · 1274
    explains
  39. Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59)
    Paris · 1274
    explains
  40. Book First. of the Knowledge of God the Creator
    Geneva · 1564
    explains

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