Heresy of the week: Cerdonianism

Next week's heresy will be "part two": Marcionism.  They are closely related enough I wanted to do them in a series, but distinct enough to not put them in the same post.

Cerdonianism is a Gnosticism sect founded by Cerdo in the 2nd century. Cerdo was the teacher of Marcion, who founded Marcionism. Very little is known about this sect, other than they held fairly typical Gnosticism beliefs—two “causes”, one perfectly good and one perfectly evil. The evil “cause” created the world and was the Old Testament Jewish God. Christ is the Son of the good “cause”, and He was sent here to oppose evil, but they deny his humanity (Monophysitism). As the body and all material things are evil, they were strict Asceticism followers and had a very severe moral system which must be closely followed for “salvation” (Legalism and Pelagianism).

Heresy of the Week: Donatism

I'd consider this week's heresy to be a precursor to pietism and the Anabaptists, but that's just me.  

Donatism is a North African (Tunisia and Algeria-area) heresy of the 4th and 5th centuries. Donatists, like their predecessors of the Novatianism flavor, were rigorists (practicing Asceticism, and filled with Legalism) and held that the church must be one of saints, not sinners. It was considered that Sacraments performed by those deemed unworthy (the traditores—those who gave up the Scriptures to the authorities, turned over other Christians or gave incense offerings to Roman Gods to save their lives from martyrdom by the state, or those living with a great enough sin) were not valid—they even began to practice re-baptism of those baptized by “unworthy” individuals. They in particular revered martyrs and martyrdom. Donatism was condemned in 314 Synod of Aries, because by denying the Sacraments performed by some ordained bishops and priests, they were denying the authority of the Church. This heresy survived until the Arab conquest of North Africa in the 7th and 8th centuries.

Heresy of the Week: Asceticism

This week's heresy is often repeated in other heresies (especially Gnostic-family ones).  It's fairly simple, and deals less directly with doctrine and more with behavior (although practicers of Asceticism believed their behavior helped them earn or hurry along their salvation, which is a Pelagianism heresy as noted below, and utterly heretical).

Asceticism is the belief that abstaining from “worldly pleasure” can help bring about salvation and liberation from mortal coils. This was a common practice of some early church fathers (at least insofar as many sought to distance themselves from the world in any way they could), and is still used in some protestant churches today. This is a Legalism heresy, and by extension, a Pelagianism-family heresy as well.

The biggest issue is when focus on the Law over the Gospel becomes disproportionate.  Any teaching that you can do something to help "earn" your salvation is dangerous, because it creates distrust and despair ("Did I do enough to make sure I am saved?" or something similar should never be a question on the lips or mind of a Christian).  That is what makes Pelagianism and Pelagianistic heresies so dangerous.