Pastor Steve Paulus

Patristics Part Two

The Heresies

The Schism between Orthodoxy and Catholicism

VIII. The Heresies

Heresy is from the Greek word hairesis, in classical Greece came to be associated with a choice of doctrine, or style of life, relating to philosophical schools, in particular. Thus a heresy represented the idea of a peculiar school or doctrine. In the case of early Christianity these schools took on aspects which were antagonistic to Christian doctrine. In the early church, heretics were seen to be outside the church and threatening the church. “Irenaus (fl. 180-200) although he depends on earlier writers, notably Justin Martyr, gives us our first evidence for how the developing Great Church (or ‘early Catholicism’) attempted to define heresy. Any opinions that contradicted or subverted the apostolic faith were heretical. What Irenaus means by apostolic faith is scripture and the rule of faith … It is on this basis that Irenaus rejected the Gnostics and the Marcionites as heretics. They misused scripture and their views contradicted the rule of faith” (“Heresy,” EEC, p. 420).

A. Gnosticism: Dualistic, licentious or ascetic, two gods or demiurges. Salvation is by the knowledge of secret mysteries. In Christian form it came into prominence in the second century. Valentinus, Basilides, and Marcion are prominent names of "Christian" gnostic sects. Gnosis a "supposedly revealed knowledge of God and of the origin and destiny of mankind, by means of which the spiritual element in man could receive redemption. The source of this special gnosis was either the apostles, from whom it was derived by a secret tradition, or by a direct revelation given to the founder of the sect. Gnostic teaching distinguished between the "demiurge" or 'creator god' and the supreme, remote unknowable Divine Being. From the latter the demiurge was derived by a series of emanations or 'aeons'. It was he who was the immediate source of creation and rules the world, which was therefore imperfect and antagonistic to what was truly spiritual... as a divine being He (Christ) neither assumed a properly human body nor died, but either temporarily inhabited a human being, Jesus, or assumed a phantasmal human appearance." (Gnosticism, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church).

Irenaus addressed the issue of so-called “secret knowledge” passed down from the apostles in the following way. “The tradition of the Apostles therefore manifested in the entire world it is possible for all, who wish to see the truth, to contemplate clearly in every church; and we are in a position to enumerate those who were by the apostles instituted bishops in the churches, and the successions of these men to our own times; those who neither taught nor knew anything like the ravings of the heretics. And if, in fact, the apostles had known hidden mysteries, which they were in the habit of imparting to ‘the perfect’ apart and privately from the rest, they would have delivered them especially to those to whom they were committing the churches themselves. For they were desirous that these men should be very perfect and blameless in all things…” (Irenaus in Stevenson, A New Eusebius).

B Marcionism: Was the son of a bishop on the Black Sea in Pontus. He went to Rome and was a presbyter there, but was excommunicated for his developing the gnostic heresy of a certain Cerdo. The Marcionite gnostic sect was based in Rome and his ideas spread far and fast. Marcion produced an early, truncated canon. He divorced the Old Testament from the New and excluded many writings from his New Testament canon. His system was dualistic, espousing good and evil as opposing equal forces. He embraced many of the writings of Paul but rejected others. He isisted that the scriptures we had received were corrupted.

C. Manichaeism: After Manes (c. 217-276) from the capital of the Persian Empire. It was Christian heresy with similarities to Zoroastrianism. It was dualistic with opposing forces of light and darkness, and it was ascetic. Celibacy was a form of perfection. Augustine was a later devotee of this sect before his conversion to the Catholic faith.

D. Modalism: Sabellianism (third century Roman theologian) and Patripassianism, This system under several names is Unitarianism. There is no trinity or distinction of persons in the Godhead, only modes - differing forms -- of the same God. At first it dealt only with the Father and Son. Thus the belief that the Father suffered (Patripassianism). Sabellianism was a form of modalism which included Father, Son, and Spirit. In Unitarianism there is no distinction of the persons in the Godhead.

Sabellianism: Photinus, bishop of Sirmium and Marcellus of Ancyra, to 374, were leaders of this heretical belief. They suppressed the distinction of the persons of the trinity. The persons of the trinity were "modes" of the divine being, not persons in their own right.

E. Adoptionism: This is the belief that “Jesus was a human being uniquely chosen to exercise the function or role of divine sovereignty or Sonship. Divine power (personal or impersonal) so resided in Jesus that he may be regarded as a uniquely inspired person like, but far transcending the Old Testament prophets; his anointing by the Spirit (whether by baptism by John or at the moment of conception) created his Sonship, which thus falls in the same class with the Christian’s adoptive sonship given at baptism” (Lionel R. Wickman, “Adoptionism” EEC, p. 12-13). This system denied the unity of the Trinity and eventually denied the divinity of Christ, saying Christ was adopted. Paul of Samosata “taught a modalistic form of Adoptionism and did away with the Son and Holy Spirit”(Hamell, p.58).

F. Montanism: Heterodox.. Apolinaris of Hierapolis is quoted by Eusebius as follows, “There (Mysia, Phrygia) they say, one of those who was but a recent convert, Montanus … in the excessive desire of his soul to take the lead, gave the adversary occasion against himself. So that he was carried away in spirit and wrought up into a certain kind of frenzy and irregular ecstasy, raving and speaking, and uttering strange things, and proclaiming what was contrary to the institutions that had prevailed in the church, as handed down and preserved in succession from the earliest times” (Eusebius, EH, V, xvi). Montanism revived belief in and experience of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, particularly prophecy. False prophecies encouraging women to leave their husbands and the imminent return of Christ to Phrygia (home of Montanus) brought the sect into disrepute. Priscilla and Maximilla were two female accomplices of Montanus and also gave false prophecies. They were austere and forbade digamy (second marriage after the death of a spouse). Tertullian was the most famous adherent of this sect, though he later returned to the Catholic Church.

G. Arianism: Named for Arius a priest of Alexandria. He taught that the Son was a created being, made by the Father before the creation. He was son by adoption, then the Holy Spirit was created. He was resisted at the Nicaean council. An Arian party remained in and out of the church for 55 years after Nicaea.

H. Pneumatomachoi: The word means ‘fighters against the Spirit.’ Macedonius of Constantinople (357, Letters to Serapion). They denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit. Their heresy was combated at the second council, Constantinople. The writings of Basil the Great of Caesarea of Pontus were instrumental in establishing the doctrine of the divinity of the Holy Spirit.

I. Apollinarists: After Apollinaris c. 390, bishop of Laodicaea, Syria. He espoused an incomplete humanity of Christ. The divine Logos replaced the natural mind.

J. Pelagianism: Taught against the concept of original sin. We are sinners by choice and by action, rather than by nature. The will unaided is capable of obedience to Christ's commands. He was resisted by Augustine and Jerome.

Excursus: Apocryphal works: (Hamell, p.49). Many works were written about or in the name of the apostles but were rejected as spurious by the patrisitc church. “As to that work which is ascribed to him, called ‘The Acts,’ and the ‘Gospel according to Peter,’ and that called ‘The Preaching and Revelations of Peter,’ we know nothing of their being handed down as catholic writings” (Eusebius, EH, III, iii). Some of the other rejected works were the gospel according to the Hebrews, Peter, Philip, Thomas, etc.; Acts of Pilate, Acts of Peter and Paul, Acts of Paul and Thecla. Letter to the Laodiceans, II Corinthians, Apocalypse of Peter and Paul, and others.

Sources:

Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History.

Ferguson, Encyclopedia of Early Christianity.

Hamell, 46-50.

Ralph P. Martin, “Gnostic Motifs in Paul,” in New Testament Foundations: A Guide Christian Students, vol. II, Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1978, p. 320-325. Quasten, p. 106-157, 254-277.

Schlier, TDNT, vol. I, haireomai, etc. Kittel, ed., Bromiley, trans. p. 180-185.

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