Heresy of the Week: Priscillianism

Back to Gnosticism for a bit with this week's heresy...

Priscillianism is a Manichaeism and Gnosticism heresy of the 4th century. Like most Gnostic sects, they teach a dualistic heresy with two kingdoms, light and dark. Human souls were originally destined to conquer the Kingdom of Darkness, but fell and were imprisoned in material bodies. Both light and dark is therefore in humans. Salvation comes in liberation from the dominion of matter. They taught that a savior came in a heavenly body, appeared to be like a man and appeared to die, which released the souls of men from the influence of earthly matter. They practiced Asceticism. Like the Islamic doctrine of Taqiyya, Priscillianists were allowed to lie if the ends were holy.

Heresy of the Week: Paulicianism

The next few weeks will be Adoptionism-related heresies.

Paulicianism is a 7th century Adoptionism and Gnosticism heresy that is still practiced in small sects today. Paulicianism was accused of being a Neo-Manichaean (Manichaeism) movement and is similar to Albigensism, Bogomilism, and Patarenism. The founder, a man renamed Silvanus, considered his work to be calling Christians ‘back’ to a pure Christianity, which was dualistic under his teaching. Little is known about their actual theology, other than it was dualistic and adoptionist. Their other known tenants are reminiscent of common Gnosticism teachings. They were anti-Marians (actually ‘opposing Mary’, as opposed to Antidicomarianism, which simply oppose her perpetual virginity) and rejected the Old Testament.

Heresy of the Week: Manichaeism

Part two of the series on major Gnostic sects...

Manichaeism (also known as Manichaeanism) is one of the major Gnosticism sects, at its height from the 3rd-7th centuries where it thrived in the Mesopotamian area, although it survived in part until at least the 14th century in China, and even into the 18th century in small Catholic and protestant sects. The founder of Manichaeism, Mani, was originally follower of Mandaeism Gnosticism until he broke off to form his own sect. It contained elements of Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Buddhism, emphasizing a cosmic struggle between the ‘good’ spiritual world of light, and the ‘evil’ material world of darkness. Throughout human history, it teaches, light is gradually removed from the material world and restored to the world from which it came. It was considered a “soldier’s religion” and was popular among the Roman legions (which is how it made its way to China). It promoted an attitude of moral dualism, meaning a moral course of action involved a clear (often simplistic) choice between good and evil. The Albigensism, Bogomilism, Patarenism, and Paulicianism movements were accused of being Neo-Manichaean movements. Bagnolianism is considered a sub-Manichaeism sect, and Bardaisanitism is believed to have influenced Manichaeism. Their key belief is that a powerful, but not omnipotent, good entity (God) is opposed by a semi-eternal evil entity (Satan). Humanity, the world and the soul are seen as the byproducts of a battle between the Primal Man (God’s proxy) and Satan. While the soul is seen as defining a person, it is under the influence of both light and dark. Nothing is intrinsically evil, but seen as possessing both light and dark.

Heresy of the Week: Bardaisanitism

Sorry for the delay this week--the life of motherhood...

This week's heresy is considered to be a basis for two of the most well-known Gnostic sects--Valentinianism and Manichaeism.

Bardaisanitism (also known as Bardesanitism) is a 2nd and 3rd century Gnosticism heresy. They believed that the good God gave man absolute free will to work out his own Salvation through gnosis, and who allowed the world to be good and evil, light and dark. Even inanimate objects were considered to have a measure of liberty or freedom. Ultimately for salvation, light must overcome dark in whatever man or object. They believe that in 6,000 years from when they lived, the world would end and be replaced by a world without evil. They believed the sun, moon, planets and starts were also living beings. Astrology and the Zodiac were of importance to them. They believe that the Holy Ghost is feminine. They also denied that Christ had a body (Monophysitism), and held a Docetist view that Christ was not born of a woman. Bardaisanitism was considered influential over Valentinianism and then Manichaeism. They were considered to be obscene and overtly sexual.

Heresy of the Week: Bogomilism

This week's heresy is a branch of Gnosticism, from which one of the heresies we already covered (Albigensism) comes.

Bogomilism is a heresy of the Gnosticism branch founded in the First Bulgarian Empire, and was formed as a political movement in opposition to both the Bulgarian church and state. Bogomils called for a return to early Christianity by rejecting church hierarchy and resisting both church and state authorities. Bogomils were dualists, believing the world was not created by God but by the Devil (the spiritual realm was good and governed by God, the material world was sinful and governed by Satan). They eschewed icons and buildings, preferring the outdoors for worship. Bosnianism was a localized sect of Bogomilism. They were believed to be influenced by Euchitism. Bogomilism was accused of being a Neo-Manichaean (Manichaeism) movement.