Also, "Early Christian Church"

  • this article will review the development of the Christian Church and Christian doctrine (orthodoxy)
    • orthodoxy = "ortho" (true, straight, right ) + doxa (opinion, praise) = "right opinion
    • heterodoxy = "hetero" (another, of the other) + dox = other opion
      • note: the suffix -doxy comes from PIE root *dek- "to take, accept"
    • heterodoxy is called here "heresy", which means "against accepted or established standards"
      • heresy is from Greek hairesis for "taking for oneself"

Orthodoxy

Heresies

  • Heresies came in general categories
Movement Christ as God alone Christ as Man alone Christ as other Notes
Adoptionism Y believed the Jesus the man was not God but God adopted him at his birth; his spirit was returned to God at the Resurrection and Ascension
Doscetics Y N Christ existed in spirit only His physical presence was illusionary
Gnostics Y Gnostics had "secret knowledge" from an unknown God
Marcions Christ was different from the Old Testament God
Montanism "New Prophesy" movement adhered to Christian orthodoxy but focused on prophesy and revelations from the Holy Spirit

Gnostics / gnosticism