Religion heresies

Gnosticism

Name comes from Greek gnosis, meaning "knowledge." • Gnosticism refers to several religious movements that claimed salvation comes from secret knowledge from God or from God's secret agent or elite. • Gnosticism first appeared in the second century, but it has continued in various forms to the present day.

Nestorianism

Name comes from the teachings of Nestorius (AD 386- 451), patriarch of Constantinople. • Heresy taught that Jesus has two complete natures and is therefore two persons: one divine and one human. • This also meant that Mary was the Mother of Jesus but not the Mother of God. • Nestorianism was rejected by the Council of Ephesus in 431. The Council taught that human and divine nature are united in the one person of Christ.

Docetism

The name comes from Greek dokein, meaning "to seem" or "to appear." This heretical doctrine said Jesus only appeared to have a human body, so his suffering and death were not real. Docetism said Jesus is God, but only in disguise. Docetism denied the fully human qualities of Jesus.

Monophysitism

The name comes from the Greek monastikos, meaning "single," and physis, meaning "nature." • The name refers to the position that Christ has only a single divine nature. • This heresy believed that Jesus' divinity fully absorbed his humanity, so that in the end he is only divine and not human. • Monophysitism was rejected by the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451. The Council taught that Christ has a human and a divine nature.

Arianism

The name comes from the teachings of Arius (AD 256-336). • This heresy considered Jesus as existing midway between God and creatures. • Arianism denied the eternal existence of the Son of God with God the Father. In other words, it denied Jesus' divinity, saying he was human like us and did not exist (had no essence) before he was conceived. • Arianism said that Jesus was greater than regular humans, but less than God. • Arianism was declared a heresy at the First Council of Nicaea.