Antinomianism

Antinomianism is the rejection of a socially established morality or the belief that under the gospel dispensation of grace, moral law is of no use or obligation because faith alone is necessary to salvation. Although antinomianism and the Protestant doctrine of sola fide (justification through faith alone) are historically related, antinomianism takes the notion of the relative weight of law to its logical extreme, opposing law as a groundwork, which in the political realm is known as anarchism. Commonly seen as the theological opposite to antinomianism is the notion that obedience to a code of religious law earns salvation, such as Legalism or Works righteousness or Judaizing.

The actual term "antinomianism" emerged soon after the Protestant Reformation (c.1517) and has historically been used mainly as a pejorative against Christian thinkers or sects who carried their belief in justification by faith further than was customary. Examples are Martin Luther's critic of antinomianism and the Antinomian Controversy of the 17th century Massachusetts Bay Colony. Although the term is 16th century, the topic has its roots in Christian views on the old covenant extending back to the 1st century. It can also be extended to any religious group believing they are not bound to obey the laws of their own religious tradition. However, few groups or sects, outside of Christian anarchism or Jewish anarchism, explicitly call themselves "antinomian".