Heresies of the Early Church

Gnosticism Founder

Simon Magus, the Samaritan sorcerer who converted to Christianity (Acts 8:9-24). Some contemporary scholars think gnosticism started a few centuries before Christianity and then invaded it from the outside through the conversion to Christianity of Jewish and Gentile gnostics. Other scholars believe gnosticism started as a Christian heresy.

Scriptures against Gnostics

"Avoid profane babbling and the absurdities of so-called knowledge [gnosis]. By professing it some people have deviated from the faith" (1 Tim. 6:20-21). John 14:6 Jesus said, "I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him. You've even seen him!"

Scriptures against Nestorianisim

1 John 2:22 Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.

Scriptures against Donatism

1 John 3 What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we're called children of God! That's who we really are. But that's also why the world doesn't recognize us or take us seriously, because it has no idea who he is or what he's up to.

Arianism Founder

Arius, presbyter of Alexandria

Ebionites

BELIEF - A name used by early Jewish sects who were considered Christians. Tertullian believed the sect was started by Ebion in Jerusalem. The term Ebionite is also translated as the "poor one" Failed to embrace Church doctrines of celibacy as well as the concept of the Virgin birth- believed Jesus was begotten of God at his baptism. Conflict over the issue of the Mosaic Law- believed by fulfilling the Law, are able to become Christs. Said to have rejected Paul's teachings and used only the Gospel of the Ebionites

Pelagianism

BELIEF - Heresy founded by 3rd century monk, Pelagius, denying original sin and the need for grace in man's salvation. According to this heresy, the sacraments are superfluous since salvation and holiness can only be achieved through human endeavor.

Donatism

BELIEF - Heresy of 4th and 5th centuries holding that validity of sacraments depends on moral character of the priest; also that sinners can not be members of the Church.

Docetism

BELIEF - The heretical doctrine (associated with the Gnostics) that Jesus had no human body and his sufferings and death on the cross were apparent rather than real. Associated with the Gnostics. Even went so far as to say that someone else took Jesus' place on the cross.

Monophysites

BELIEF - The supporters of a doctrine in the early Christian Church that held that the incarnate Christ possessed a single, wholly divine nature. they opposed the orthodox view that Christ had a double nature, one divine and one human, and emphasized his divinity at the expense of his capacity to experience real human suffering. They believed the divine person of Christ took over his human nature so the human nature no longer existed.

Nestorianism

BELIEF - The theological doctrine (named after Nestorius) that the incarnate Christ was 2 separate persons, one divine and one human, Christ is both the son of God and the man Jesus (which is opposed to Roman Catholic doctrine that Christ is fully God) Also, Mary is the mother of the human Jesus not the divine.

Arianism

BELIEF - Third and fourth century heresy founded by the Alexandrian priest Arius. It denied Jesus' divinity, claiming that Jesus is neither God nor equal to the Father, but rather an exceptional creature raised to the level of "Son of God" because of his heroic fidelity to the Father's will and his sublime holiness.

Gnosticism

BELIEF- Derived from Greek "gnosis" meaning "knowledge" it refers to the heresy that states salvation may be achieved through knowledge, it was a very big threat to Christianity and perverted its symbols and challenged the intent of the faith.

Donatism Founder

Donatus, church man in Africa

Monophysites founder

Eastern Arians

Ebionism Founder

Ebion, a Jew in Jerusalem

Scriptures against Pelagianism

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God Acts 15:11 But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are."

Scriptures against Docetism

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Scriptures against Arianism

John 5:20 "But you haven't seen the half of it yet, for in the same way that the Father raises the dead and creates life, so does the Son. The Son gives life to anyone he chooses. Neither he nor the Father shuts anyone out. The Father handed all authority to judge over to the Son so that the Son will be honored equally with the Father. Anyone who dishonors the Son, dishonors the Father, for it was the Father's decision to put the Son in the place of honor.

Scriptures against Monophysites

Matthew 16:13,16 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"...Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Scriptures against Ebionism

Matthew 1:23 " BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, " GOD WITH US."

Nestorianism Founder

Nestorius, patriarch of Constantinople

Pelagianism Founder

Pelagius, monk

Docetism Founder

the Gnostics