Tritheism
In one sentence
A view that effectively turns the three Persons of the Trinity into three separate gods.
In simple terms
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are separated so strongly that divine unity effectively becomes three divine beings.
Biblical truth
Scripture affirms one God while distinguishing Father, Son, and Spirit; classical Trinitarianism seeks to hold both truths together.
Key Scriptures
Deut. 6:4 · Isa. 45:5 · Matt. 28:19 · John 10:30 · 1 Cor. 8:4–6
Example
If each Person is treated as a separate center of deity possessing an independent divine essence, the model becomes tritheistic.
Who holds it
No major Nicene tradition confesses tritheism; the term is most often used critically.
Opposing view
Trinitarianism
Not to be confused with
Not to be confused with the Trinity: three Persons in Trinitarianism do not mean three Gods.
History
Charges of tritheism have arisen in Trinitarian controversies when the distinction of the Persons was expressed too independently.
Main point of debate
The key question is how to distinguish three Persons genuinely without turning the one divine essence into three separate deities.