Church Heresies Flashcards
(28 cards)
What is Docetism?
Docetism taught that Jesus only seemed to be human and suffer; it denied the real incarnation, physical body, and crucifixion of Christ.
What was the Church’s response to Docetism?
The Church affirmed that Christ came in the flesh, suffered, and rose bodily.
Biblical Refutation: “Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God…” (1 John 4:2–3, NKJV)
What is Gnosticism?
Gnosticism claimed secret, esoteric knowledge as the key to salvation and taught that the material world was evil, created by a lesser deity (the ‘Demiurge’).
Doctrine Affirmed: The incarnation is real, and salvation is by grace through faith in the incarnate Christ.
What was the Church’s response to Gnosticism?
The Church upheld the goodness of creation and the full humanity and deity of Christ.
What is Marcionism?
Marcionism rejected the Old Testament and portrayed the God of the Old Testament as a wrathful, lesser deity, only accepting parts of Luke and Paul’s epistles.
What was the Church’s response to Marcionism?
The Church affirmed that the God of the Old and New Testaments is the same and that Christ fulfills the promises of the Old Testament.
What is Montanism?
Montanism claimed new, ongoing revelation through ecstatic prophecy, elevating it above Scripture.
What was the Church’s response to Montanism?
The Church rejected claims of continued canonical revelation and affirmed the closed canon and apostolic authority.
What is Sabellianism / Modalism?
Sabellianism denied the Trinity by claiming that God is one person who appears in three different modes rather than three distinct persons.
What was the Church’s response to Sabellianism / Modalism?
The Church affirmed the Trinity: one God in three distinct persons, co-equal and co-eternal.
What is Donatism?
Donatism asserted that the validity of sacraments depended on the moral purity of the clergy administering them.
What was the Church’s response to Donatism?
The Church taught that sacraments are valid because of Christ’s work, not the holiness of the minister.
What is Arianism?
Arianism denied the full divinity of Christ, teaching that the Son was a created being.
What was the Church’s response to Arianism?
The Church affirmed Christ as eternally begotten, not made, and of one essence with the Father.
What is Apollinarianism?
Apollinarianism claimed that Jesus had a human body and soul, but not a human mind—His divine nature replaced His rational soul.
What was the Church’s response to Apollinarianism?
The Church affirmed that Christ is fully human and fully divine, with a rational human mind and soul.
What is Nestorianism?
Nestorianism separated Christ’s human and divine natures so much that it implied two persons in Christ.
What was the Church’s response to Nestorianism?
The Church affirmed the hypostatic union—Christ is one person in two natures, divine and human, without separation.
What is Pelagianism?
Pelagianism denied original sin and claimed humans could choose good and achieve salvation without divine grace.
What was the Church’s response to Pelagianism?
The Church affirmed the necessity of grace from start to finish; original sin affects all humanity.
What is Semi-Pelagianism?
Semi-Pelagianism taught that the human will initiates the process of salvation, and grace comes later to help.
What was the Church’s response to Semi-Pelagianism?
The Church affirmed that even the first desire for salvation comes from God’s grace.
What is Monophysitism?
Monophysitism taught that Christ had only one nature (divine), with His humanity absorbed.
What was the Church’s response to Monophysitism?
The Church affirmed that Christ has two natures, divine and human, united in one person.
