Elipandus

Elipandus was the archbishop of Toledo in the 8th century who taught a form of Christian heresy known as Adoptionism. This doctrine distinguished between Christ's human and divine natures. Elipandus referred to Christ's humanity as the "adopted son" of God, contrasting it with his divinity, which he considered the natural Son of God.1

This teaching was opposed and condemned by Pope Adrian I. Felix, the bishop of Urgel, supported Elipandus and engaged in a debate with Alcuin of York over the doctrine. Pope Leo III also condemned Adoptionism in 798, leading Felix to recant. Elipandus, however, remained unrepentant. While the view was largely abandoned after his death, it saw a brief revival in the 12th century.1