Docetism
A Christ who only seemed to bleed, and a cross that only appeared to hurt
Docetism, from a Greek word for 'seeming,' is the teaching that Christ only appeared to have a body and to suffer, denying that he was truly human. It was opposed early by Ignatius of Antioch, who insisted Christ really was born, really ate, and really died, and by the First Letter of John. Among the earliest errors the Church condemned, it threatened the reality of the incarnation and the saving death.
How it traveled
- 1 JohnEphesus · 100challenges
- Epistle to the Smyrnæans: Shorter and Longer VersionsAntioch · 108challenges
- Against Heresies: Book ILyons · 202explains
- Against Heresies: Book VLyons · 202challenges
- Against Heresies: Book IIILyons · 202challenges
- On the Flesh of Christ.— · 220challenges
- Appendix: Against All Heresies.— · 220explains
- The Acts of the Disputation with the Heresiarch Manes.— · 220applies
- Against the Valentinians.— · 220challenges
- A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity.Rome · 258challenges
- The Church History of EusebiusCaesarea · 339explains
- The Catechetical Lectures of S. CyrilJerusalem · 386explains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. JohnConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407challenges
- Reply to Faustus the ManichæanHippo Regius · 430challenges
- Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of JohnHippo Regius · 430challenges
- The Ecclesiastical History, Dialogues, and Letters of TheodoretCyrrhus · 458challenges
- The Letters and Sermons of Leo the GreatRome · 461challenges
- Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59)Paris · 1274challenges
- Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the GospelGeneva · 1564challenges
Key passages(20)
Epistle to the Trallians: Shorter and Longer Versions · Ignatius of Antioch
But if, as some that are without God, that is, the unbelieving, say, that He only seemed to suffer (they themselves only seeming to exist), then why am I in bonds? Why do I long to be exposed to But
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A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity. · Novatian
Chapter X. Argument.—That Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Truly Man, as Opposed to the Fancies of Heretics, Who Deny that He Took Upon Him True Flesh. But of this I remind you, that Christ was not
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Against Heresies: Book I · Irenaeus of Lyons
1. Arising among these men, Saturninus (who was of that Antioch which is near Daphne) and Basilides laid hold of some favourable opportunities, and promulgated different systems of 2. He has also lai
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Epistle to the Smyrnæans: Shorter and Longer Versions · Ignatius of Antioch
Now, He suffered all these things for our sakes, that we might be saved. And He suffered truly, even as also He truly raised up Himself, not, as certain unbelievers maintain, that He only seemed to su
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Epistle to the Smyrnæans: Shorter and Longer Versions · Ignatius of Antioch
They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, They are ashamed of the cross; they mock at the passion; they make a jest of the resurrection. They are the offspring of that spirit who is the author
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On the Flesh of Christ. · Anti-marcion
Chapter V.—Christ Truly Lived and Died in Human Flesh. Incidents of His Human Life on Earth, and Refutation of Marcion’s Docetic Parody of the Same. There are, to be sure, other things also quite as
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On the Flesh of Christ. · Anti-marcion
V. On the Flesh of Christ. This was written by our author in confutation of certain heretics who denied the reality of Christ’s flesh, or at least its identity with human flesh—fearing that, if they
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Reply to Faustus the Manichæan · Augustine of Hippo
Book XXVI. Faustus insists that Jesus might have died though not born, by the exercise of divine power, yet he rejects birth and death alike. Augustin maintains that there are some things that even G
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Reply to Faustus the Manichæan · Augustine of Hippo
Book XXIX. Faustus seeks to justify the docetism of the Manichæans. Augustin insists that there is nothing disgraceful in being born. 1. Faustus said: If Christ was visible, and suffered without hav
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Serapion, Bishop of Antioch. · Remains of the Second and Third Centuries
Serapion, [a.d. circa 190–200–211.] He was the eighth bishop of Antioch, a diligent writer and exemplary pastor. Little as we have of his remains, Lardner shows how very useful is that little. (1) He
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The Acts of the Disputation with the Heresiarch Manes. · Archelaus
50. Manes said: No one, certainly, who may be able to give a reply to what has just been alleged by you need fear incurring the guilt of blasphemy, but should rather be deemed thoroughly worthy of all
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The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril · Cyril of Jerusalem
31. Let us remember these things, brethren: let us use these weapons in our defence. Let us not endure those heretics who teach Christ’s coming as a phantom. Let us abhor those also who say that the S
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The Church History of Eusebius · Eusebius of Caesarea
Chapter XII.—Serapion and his Extant Works. 1. It is probable that others have preserved other memorials of Serapion’s On Serapion, see Bk. V. chap. 19, note 1. The Greek reads: τοῦ δὲ Σαραπίωνος τ
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The Ecclesiastical History, Dialogues, and Letters of Theodoret · Theodoret of Cyrus
The quotation is not quite exact, “᾽Εὐχαριστίας καὶ προσφορὰς οῦκ ἀποδέχονται” being substituted for εὐχαριστίας καὶ προσευχῆς ἀπεχονται. Bp. Lightfoot (Ap. Fath. II. ii. 307) notes, “the argument is
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The Letters and Sermons of Leo the Great · Pope Leo the Great
This peerless Faith, dearly-beloved, this Truth proclaimed throughout all ages, is opposed by the devilish blasphemies of the Manichæans: who to murder the souls of the deceived have woven a deadly ti
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Against Heresies: Book V · Irenaeus of Lyons
1. For in no other way could we have learned the things of God, unless our Master, existing as the Word, had become man. For no other being had the power of revealing to us the things of the Father, e
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On the Flesh of Christ. · Anti-marcion
Chapter III.—Christ’s Nativity Both Possible and Becoming. The Heretical Opinion of Christ’s Apparent Flesh Deceptive and Dishonourable to God, Even on Marcion’s Principles. SinceGod therefore willed
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Reply to Faustus the Manichæan · Augustine of Hippo
6. If we read, "Cursed of God is every one that hangeth on a tree," the addition of the words "of God" creates no difficulty. For had not God hated sin and our death, He would not have sent His Son to
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The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John · John Chrysostom
Homily XI. John i. 14 “And the Word was made Flesh, and dwelt among us.” [1.] I desire to ask one favor of you all, before I touch on the words of the Gospel; do not you refuse my request, for I as
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Epistle to the Philadelphians: Shorter and Longer Versions · Ignatius of Antioch
But if any one preach the Jewish lawFlee therefore the wicked devices and snares of the prince If any one preaches the one God of the law and the prophets, but denies Christ to be the Son of God, he
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