Heresy
Orthodoxy often learned to define itself by naming what it was not
Heresy is teaching judged by the Church to depart from the apostolic faith. From Irenaeus onward, the cataloguing of heresies, seen in his Against Heresies and later in Epiphanius' Panarion, helped the Church define orthodoxy by contrast, clarifying true doctrine through the rejection of error. The concept thus shaped the boundaries of Christian belief, marking which teachings the community received as faithful and which it set aside.
How it traveled
- The Church History of EusebiusCaesarea · 339explains
- Defence Against the Arians. (Apologia Contra Arianos.)Alexandria · 373explains
- Letters of Athanasius with Two Ancient Chronicles of His LifeAlexandria · 373explains
- Arian History. (Historia Arianorum ad Monachos.)Alexandria · 373explains
- Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.)Alexandria · 373explains
- On the Councils of Ariminum and Seleucia. (De Synodis.)Alexandria · 373explains
- The LettersCaesarea (Cappadocia) · 379explains
- The Catechetical Lectures of S. CyrilJerusalem · 386explains
- Against EunomiusNyssa · 395explains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Timothy, Titus, and PhilemonConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- The Homilies of St. John ChrysostomConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- The Commentary and Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Galatians and EphesiansConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- Jerome's Apology for Himself Against the Books of RufinusAquileia · 411explains
- The Apology of Rufinus. Addressed to Apronianus, in Reply to Jerome's Letter to PammachiusAquileia · 411applies
- The Letters of St. JeromeBethlehem · 420explains
- Jerome and Gennadius. Lives of Illustrious MenBethlehem · 420explains
- Letters of St. AugustinHippo Regius · 430explains
- Reply to Faustus the ManichæanHippo Regius · 430explains
- On Baptism, Against the DonatistsHippo Regius · 430explains
- A Work on the Proceedings of PelagiusHippo Regius · 430explains
- Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the DonatistHippo Regius · 430explains
- Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. JohnHippo Regius · 430explains
- City of GodHippo Regius · 430explains
- Expositions on the Book of PsalmsHippo Regius · 430explains
- A Treatise on the Soul and its OriginHippo Regius · 430explains
- Against LyingHippo Regius · 430explains
- A Treatise Against Two Letters of the PelagiansHippo Regius · 430explains
- Against the Epistle of Manichæus, Called FundamentalHippo Regius · 430explains
- The Third Ecumenical Council: The Council of EphesusEphesus · 431explains
- The Ecclesiastical History of Socrates ScholasticusConstantinople (Istanbul) · 439explains
- The Commonitory of Vincent of Lérins, For the Antiquity and Universality of the Catholic Faith Against the Profane Novelties of All HeresiesLérins · 445explains
- The Ecclesiastical History of SozomenConstantinople (Istanbul) · 450explains
- The Ecclesiastical History, Dialogues, and Letters of TheodoretCyrrhus · 458explains
- The Letters and Sermons of Leo the GreatRome · 461explains
- The Fifth Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of ConstantinopleConstantinople (Istanbul) · 553explains
- The Book of Pastoral Rule, and Selected Epistles, of Gregory the GreatRome · 604explains
- Selected Epistles of Gregory the GreatRome · 604explains
- The Sixth Ecumenical Council. The Third Council of ConstantinopleConstantinople (Istanbul) · 680explains
- Commentary on GalatiansWittenberg · 1546applies
- Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic ChurchGeneva · 1564applies
Key passages(20)
A Treatise Against Two Letters of the Pelagians · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 4 [IV.]—Pelagians and Manicheans on the Praise of the Creature. These things being so, what advantage is it to new heretics, enemies of the cross of Christ and opposers of divine grace, that
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The Letters and Sermons of Leo the Great · Pope Leo the Great
Sermon XVI. On the Fast of the Tenth Month. I. The prosperous must show forth their thankfulness to God, by liberality to the poor and needy. The transcendent power of God’s grace, dearly beloved,
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A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles · John Chrysostom
What follows consists of notes which the redactor did not bring to their proper places. “No more faction—admired it,” see note 1, p. 207. “It shows—the Spirit,” may belong either to the comment on κρί
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A Treatise Against Two Letters of the Pelagians · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 34.—The Calling Together of a Synod Not Always Necessary to the Condemnation of Heresies. What is it, then, that they say, that “subscription was extorted from simple bishops sitting in their
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A Treatise on the Soul and its Origin · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 23.—Obstinacy Makes the Heretic. Well, now, as for these eleven propositions, they are extremely and manifestly perverse and opposed to the catholic faith; so that you should no longer hesita
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17. Wherefore, though there be indeed many ways in which latent heretics may be sought out, without vituperating the catholic faith or praising heretical impiety, yet if there were no other way at all
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25. Nor have I undertaken that in the present discourse, as it more pertains to thee, who hast laid open the hiding-places of the Priscillianists, so far as relates to their false and perverse dogmas;
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Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) · Athanasius of Alexandria
Four Discourses Against the Arians. Discourse I. ———————————— Chapter I.—Introduction. Reason for writing; certain persons indifferent about Arianism; Arians not Christians, because sectaries alway
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Against the Epistle of Manichæus, Called Fundamental · Augustine of Hippo
Against the Epistle of Manichæus Called Fundamental. Written about the year 397. In his Retractations (ii. 2) Augustin says: "The book against the Epistle of Manichæus, called Fundamental, refutes on
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City of God · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 51.—That the Catholic Faith May Be Confirmed Even by the Dissensions of the Heretics. But the devil, seeing the temples of the demons deserted, and the human race running to the name of the l
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Jerome's Apology for Himself Against the Books of Rufinus · Rufinus of Aquileia
7. One who was not his friend would probably say to him: Either change everything which is bad, or else make known everything which you think thoroughly good. If for the sake of simple Christians you
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Jerome's Apology for Himself Against the Books of Rufinus · Rufinus of Aquileia
23. After all this you dare to say in your Apology, that you are not the defender nor the champion of Origen, though you think that Eusebius and Pamphilus said all too little in his defence. I shall t
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On Baptism, Against the Donatists · Augustine of Hippo
Matt. xii. 30. Chapter 11.—18. What shall we say of what is also wonderful, that he who carefully observes may find that it is possible that certain persons, without violating Christian charity, may
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On the Councils of Ariminum and Seleucia. (De Synodis.) · Athanasius of Alexandria
Councils of Ariminum and Seleucia. ———————————— Part I. History of the Councils. Reason why two Councils were called. Inconsistency and folly of calling any; and of the style of the Arian formulari
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The Book of Pastoral Rule, and Selected Epistles, of Gregory the Great · Pope Gregory the Great
It is known, most dear brother in Christ, that the ancient enemy, who by cunning persuasion deposed the first man from the delights of Paradise to this life of care, and in him even then inflicted the
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The Book of Pastoral Rule, and Selected Epistles, of Gregory the Great · Pope Gregory the Great
(Admonition 25.) Differently to be admonished are those who do not understand aright the words of the sacred Law, and those who understand them indeed aright, but speak them not humbly. For those who
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The Canons of the Council in Trullo; Often Called The Quinisext Council · The Ecumenical Councils
Canon LXXII. An orthodox man is not permitted to marry an heretical woman, nor an orthodox woman to be joined to an heretical man. But if anything of this kind appear to have been done by any [we req
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The Canons of the Councils of Ancyra, Gangra, Neocæsarea, Antioch and Laodicea, which Canons were Accepted and Received by the Ecumenical Synods · The Ecumenical Councils
Ancient Epitome of Canon VI. The holy place is forbidden to heretics. Aristenus. Heretics are not to be permitted to enter the house of God, and yet Basil the Great, before this canon was set forth
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The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril · Cyril of Jerusalem
The cat was sacred to the goddess Pasht, called by the Greeks Bubastis, and identified by Herodotus (ii. 137) with Artemis or Diana. Cats were embalmed after death, and their mummies are found at vari
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The Church History of Eusebius · Eusebius of Caesarea
The information which is given us here in regard to the methods of the Theodotians is very interesting. What is said in regard to their philosophical principles makes it evident that they used the gra
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