List of Christian heresies

This article is about Christian heresies regardless of denomination. For heresies condemned by the Catholic Church, see List of heresies in the Catholic Church.

A heresy is a belief or doctrine that is considered to be false or erroneous by one or more Christian denominations, i.e. what is believed to be contrary to the teaching of Christianity. Heresies have been a major source of division and conflict within Christendom throughout its history. Christian churches have responded to heresies in a variety of ways, including through theological debate, excommunication, and even violence.[1] This is a list of some of the Christian heresies that have been condemned by one or more Christian Churches.

1st century

Heresy Church Explanation
Nicolaism Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church, Protestantism A sect traditionally believed to be founded by Nicholas of Antioch, one of the Seven Deacons described in Acts 6:1–6, who believed that sexual indulgence was necessary for salvation and ate food sacrificed to idols.[2] They are condemned in the Book of Revelation.[3]

2nd century

Heresy Church Explanation
Docetism Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church, Protestantism The belief of Docetism holds that Jesus Christ did not have a real physical body, but only an apparent or illusory one.[4]
Montanism A movement that emphasizes the importance of prophecy and ecstatic experiences.[5]
Adoptionism The belief that Jesus Christ was not the Son of God from eternity, but was adopted by God at some point in his life.[6]
Valentinianism A Gnostic heresy that taught that the world was created by a series of emanations from the supreme being. Valentinians believed that salvation came from knowledge of the true nature of the universe.
Sabellianism The belief that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are not three distinct persons, but are simply different manifestations of the same divine being.[7]
Gnosticism A complex system of thought that teaches that the material world is evil and that salvation can be achieved through knowledge (gnosis).[8]
Marcionism A heresy that arose in the 2nd century AD. Marcionists believed that the God of the Old Testament was a different god from the God of the New Testament.[9]
Monarchianism A heresy that taught that the Father alone is God, and that the Son and Holy Spirit are separate, non-divine beings. Monarchians were also known as Unitarians.[10]
Modalism Modalism is the belief that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three different modes of God, as opposed to a Trinitarian view of three distinct persons within the Godhead.[11]
Patripassianism The belief that the Father and Son are not two distinct persons, and both God the Father and the Son suffered on the cross as Jesus.[12]
Psilanthropism The belief that Jesus is "merely human": and that he never became divine, or that he never existed prior to his birth as a man.[13]
Sethianism Sethianism was a 2nd-century Gnostic movement that believed in a supreme God, Sophia, the Demiurge, and gnosis as the path to salvation.[14]
Basilideanism Basilideanism was a Gnostic Christian sect founded by Basilides of Alexandria. Basilidians believed that the material world was created by an evil demiurge and that the goal of salvation was to escape from this world and return to the spiritual realm.[15]

3rd century

Novatianism Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church, mainline Protestantism A movement that arose in response to the persecution of Christians by the Roman Empire. Novatians believed that Christians who had lapsed during the persecution could not be forgiven.[16]

4th century

Arianism Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church, mainline Protestantism The belief that Jesus Christ is not fully divine, but is a created being.[17]
Donatism A movement that arose in North Africa in the 4th century AD. Donatists believed that the Church had become corrupt and that only the Donatists were the true Christians.[18]
Apollinarianism The belief that Jesus did not have a human mind or soul, but only a human body.[19]
Tritheism The belief that there are three gods, rather than one God in three persons.[20]
Collyridianism The belief is that the Trinity consists of the Father, Son and Mary, and that the Son results from the marital union between the other two.[21]
Binitarianism Binitarianism is a Christian heresy that teaches that there are only two persons in the Godhead: the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit is not considered to be a separate person, but rather an aspect of the Son or the Father.[22]
Subordinationism A heresy that teaches that the Son and the Holy Spirit are not co-equal with the Father. Subordinationists believe that the Son and the Holy Spirit are subordinate to the Father in either nature, role, or both.[23]
Anomoeanism A heresy that taught that Jesus was not fully divine, but was a created being. Anomoeans also believed that Christ could not be like God because he lacked the quality of self-existence.[24]
Antidicomarians Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church Antidicomarians also called Dimoerites, were a Christian sect active from the 3rd to the 5th centuries who rejected the perpetual virginity of Mary. They were condemned by St. Epiphanius of Salamis in the 4th century.[25]
Priscillianism Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church This heresy emerged in Spain during the fourth century and was influenced by the Gnostic-Manichaean teachings of Marcus, an Egyptian from Memphis.[26]

5th century

Nestorianism Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church, mainline Protestantism The belief that Jesus Christ was two persons, the divine Son of God and the human Jesus of Nazareth. Nestorius said that the Virgin Mary is not the Mother of God (Theotokos) because she gave birth to the human part of Jesus, not the divine Son of God, and called her Christotokos. Nestorianism was condemned as a heresy by the Council of Ephesus (431)[27]
Pelagianism The belief that humans can be saved by their own efforts, without the need for God's grace.[28]
Eutychianism The belief that Christ is in one nature and of two, with the humanity of Christ subsumed by the divinity.[29]
Monophysitism The belief that Christ has only one nature, which is divine.[30]
Miaphysitism Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, mainline Protestantism The belief that Christ is fully divine and fully human, in one nature (physis).[31][32]
Dyophysitism Oriental Orthodox Church The belief that Christ is fully divine and fully human, in two natures (physeis)[33]

6th century

Three Chapters Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church The "Three Chapters" were three "Nestorian" writings (The person and writings of Theodore of Mopsuestia, some writings of Theodoret of Cyrus, and an epistle by Ibas of Edessa to Maris). The Byzantine Emperor Justinian desired to reunite the Miaphysite and Chalcedonian Churches throughout Byzantium, and so anathematized the Three Chapters and commanded Byzantine bishops (which included at the time the Pope) to do so as well. Pope Vigilius however believed doing so would undermine the authority of Chalcedon, and so initially refused to do so. Eventually, after incarceration and deportation to Constantinople, he agreed to anathematize the Three Chapters and concur with the Emperor in December of 553.[34]

7th century

Iconoclasm Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church Iconoclasm was a movement that arose in the Byzantine Empire in the 7th century. Iconoclasts believed that the veneration of icons was idolatry. The iconoclastic controversy lasted for centuries until the Council of Nicaea II in 787 when the veneration of icons was officially restored.[35]
Monothelitism Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, mainline Protestantism Monothelitism was a heresy that arose in the Byzantine Empire in the 7th century. Monothelites believed that Christ had only one will, which was divine.[36]
Paulicianism Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church, mainline Protestantism Paulicianism was a heresy that arose in the 7th century. Paulicians believed that the material world is evil, and the only way to salvation is to reject it.[37]

12th century

Catharism Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church, mainline Protestantism Catharism was a Christian dualist or Gnostic movement between the 12th and 14th centuries which thrived in Southern Europe, particularly in northern Italy and southern France.[38]

15th Century

Stephanism Oriental Orthodox Church The Stephanites were a sect in Ethiopia which rejected veneration of icons, saints, and angels. The sect was subject to suppression on account of its rejection of the legendary origins of the Solomonic Dynasty. It greatly resembled later Protestant movements in Europe.[39]

16th century

Socinianism Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, mainline Protestantism A heresy that denied the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus Christ. Socinians believed that Jesus was a human being who was inspired by God.[40]

17th century

Jansenism Catholic Church A religious movement within the Catholic Church that arose in the 17th century. It was named after Cornelius Jansen, a Dutch theologian who wrote a book called "Augustinus" that argued that human beings are incapable of saving themselves by their own efforts and that salvation is entirely a matter of God's grace.[41]
Quietism A religious movement within the Catholic Church which held that Christians should do nothing so as to not impede God's active will, and that men ought to remain silent.[42]

18th century

Febronianism Catholic Church A religious movement within the Catholic Church that sought to make Catholicism more relevant to local cultures, reduce the power of the Pope, and reunite with Protestant Churches.[43]

20th century

Americanism Catholic Church A political and religious outlook attributed to some American Catholics and denounced as heresy by the Holy See.[44]
Feeneyism The rejection of the doctrines of Baptism of desire and Baptism of blood, on the grounds that they grant justification, but are not sufficient for salvation. Named for Leonard Feeney, a Jesuit priest from Boston.[45]
Modernism The belief that all doctrines are subject to change, and that doctrines ought to change depending on the time and location. Condemned by Pope Pius X in the encyclical "Pascendi Dominici Gregis".[46]

References

  1. ^ Grant, Robert McQueen (1993). Heresy and Criticism: The Search for Authenticity in Early Christian Literature. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 978-0-664-22168-3.
  2. ^ Malov, Reader John (2021-09-12). "Who Are the Nicolaitans, and How Did They Make Themselves Hateful to God? | Church Blog". Retrieved 2025-07-03.
  3. ^ Revelation 2:6; 14–16
  4. ^ "Docetism". Britannica. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  5. ^ "Montanism". Montanism | History, Teachings, Heresy, Founder, & Facts | Britannica. Britannica. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  6. ^ Macquarrie, John (2003). Christology Revisited. SCM Press. p. 63. ISBN 978-0-334-02930-4.
  7. ^ Henry, Wace. Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature. Delmarva Publications, Inc. p. 27.
  8. ^ King, Karen L. (2003). What is Gnosticism?. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-01762-7.
  9. ^ Lieu, Judith (2015-03-26). Marcion and the Making of a Heretic. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-107-02904-0.
  10. ^ "Monarchianism". Britannica. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  11. ^ Hayes, Jerry L. (2015-09-30). Godhead Theology: Modalism, The Original Orthodoxy. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 978-1-5169-8352-0.
  12. ^ Sarot, Marcel (1990). "Patripassianism, Theopaschitism and the Suffering of God. Some Historical and Systematic Considerations". Religious Studies. 26 (3): 363–375. doi:10.1017/S0034412500020527. ISSN 1469-901X. S2CID 170256904.
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  14. ^ Rasimus, Tuomas (2009-10-31). Paradise Reconsidered in Gnostic Mythmaking: Rethinking Sethianism in Light of the Ophite Evidence. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-474-2670-7.
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  19. ^ "Apollinarianism". Catholic Answers. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  20. ^ "tritheism". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  21. ^ "Collyridianism". Catholic Answers. Retrieved 2023-06-02.
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  25. ^ Shipman, Andrew Jackson (1907). "Antidicomarianites" . Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1.
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  27. ^ Chesnut, Roberta C. (1978). "The Two Prosopa in Nestorius' "Bazaar of Heracleides"". The Journal of Theological Studies. 29 (2): 392–409. doi:10.1093/jts/XXIX.2.392. ISSN 0022-5185. JSTOR 23958267.
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  29. ^ "Eutychianism". Catholic Answers. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
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  32. ^ "The Universal Church and Schisms". Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Midlands, U.K.
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  36. ^ "Monothelitism and Monothelites". Catholic Answers. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  37. ^ "Paulicians". Catholic Answers. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
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  42. ^ "Coelestis Pastor". Papal Encyclicals. 20 November 1687. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
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