Heresy of the Week: Peratism

This week's heresy is one of the Gnostic heresies about which we know a good deal.

Peratism, meaning “to pass through” is a 2nd century Ophitism Gnosticism sect related to Borboritism, Mandaeism, Naassenism, and Sethianism. Little has survived about this sect other than in the writings of one early church father. They were largely focused on astrology and the influence of stars and planets on man, with many myths about the planets. It appears that they believed in a Trinitarian-like God with three divisions or “principles”: Pater (the Father, who was perfect goodness and unbegotten), Uios (the Son, considered to be the Word and the Serpent) and Hyle (the Spirit, who was fashioned by the Father but is without form). They seem to largely follow the redemption story of the Bible. The Serpent (meaning the Son) attracts to himself the “likeminded” (like iron is attracted to a magnet), who are called “Paratae”. The Paratae are those who have learned through gnosis how “to pass through” the corruption to which every created being is subjected. The ignorant were known by Peratians as “Egyptians”.

Heresy of the Week: Elcesaitism

Some heresies are very distinct.  Others borrow from all different branches of heresy and muddle them together.  This weeks heresy is one of the latter.

Elcesaitism (also known as Elchasaitism, Elkasitism, or Elkesaitism—the spelling depends upon who you are reading) was an early church Jewish-Christian heresy closely related to Ebionitism. From the little that was written about Elcesaites that survived, it appears they, too, believed in a Monophysitism-style angelology, claiming that the Son of God was a giant angel and His sister was the Holy Ghost, another giant angel. They believe, in a somewhat Gnosticism twist, that they had a special Gospel that fell out of the sky just for them and they reject many portions of the Bible, particularly the writings of the Apostles. There have also been connections made between this sect and Mandaeism.

Heresy of the Week: Marcionism

Part two of last week's heresy of the week (Cerdonianism) is Marcionism.

Marcionism was an early church heresy, beginning in the 2nd century, with a dualistic belief system similar to Gnosticism (some have categorized it as Gnostic, others have not), influenced by Cerdonianism. Marcion taught that the Hebrew God was evil and less than the God of the New Testament. He taught that Jesus was the Savior sent by the all-forgiving God and Paul was his chief apostle. His canon consisted of edited portions of the Gospel of Luke and 10 of Paul’s epistles. All other books were rejected. The primary premise of Marcionism is that the teachings of Jesus are incompatible with the actions of the Old Testament God. They opposed any connection between Jesus and the Jewish religion. The God of the Old Testament (creator God—teaching that the material world is defective because it was created by Him) is considered to be wrathful, whereas the New Testament God was unknown before Christ and is only love and mercy. The main difference between Marcionism and Gnosticism is the lack of pursuit of secret wisdom in Marcionism.

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).

Hearing Voices

I've seen several posts about this on Facebook in recent weeks, and then we talked about this in Confirmation Class tonight (I'll have notes up later this week--we missed the last two weeks because we were out of town, so I want to watch the videos from those and post those notes first before I post tonight's class notes because I'm OCD like that).  So, of course, I have to commentate on it. 

One of my biggest frustrations with my protestant friends is hearing about how “God spoke to me,” as if it is some kind of conversation.  It isn’t.  There’s more that goes bump in the night than God—and if you can’t test the spirit from which your voice came and unequivocally prove it is Biblical, then you can pretty safely assume it wasn’t God.  If you’re still convinced it is of God, even if what was said isn’t Biblical, then, my dear friend, you are a Gnostic—getting secret knowledge from God that has not been revealed to anyone else, any time else, anywhere else.

“But God has plans for me—plans for good, and plans for me to prosper!” you may say (Jeremiah 29:11).  That is, perhaps, the single most consistently ripped-out-of-context verse in the entire Bible.  It is a specific promise to a specific people in a specific time and specific place—it is not a blanket promise to and for you.  God’s promise to and for you is His Son—Christ and Him crucified for your sins, and all you need to do is not reject that promise.

Don’t worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6).  Instead, focus on your vocations: wife, mother, sister, daughter, cousin, political activist, friend… tomorrow will worry about itself.

And next time you hear what you think is a still, small voice—test it (1 John 4).  If it isn’t of God (i.e. clearly found in the written words of the Bible), ignore it.  If you don’t ignore it, you’re either a Gnostic or listening to spirits not of God.  Neither is a good option… since they are essentially the same thing.

My Pastor made a great point in class tonight about having heard what he thought were voices of God himself--only to find out they weren't, and it was a disappointment and a faith-shaking experience.  That is what happens when we let things other than God into our faith.  That's why sound doctrine is so important.

Another good resource is the current (Fall 2013) issue of the Around the Word Journal on the Internal vs. External Word.

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.

Heresies of the Week: Obscure Gnostic Sects, Part 2

Part 2 of the obscure Gnostic sects post.

Naassenism is an early 2nd century Gnosticism sect whose name traces back to the Hebrew word for “snake”. They claim their revelations came from James, the brother of Jesus. The initial Montanism rites appear to have come from this sect. Naassenism is considered an Ophitism Gnosticism sect, along with Borboritism, Mandaeism, Peratism, and Sethianism. Their followers were likely absorbed into the Mandaeism sect. 

Notzrimism (also known as Nazaraiosism) was a 1st and 2nd century Gnosticism sect that were the predecessors of the Nazarenes (a Jewish Christian group who were contemporaries of Ebionitism and still exist today). It is suggested that this sect emerged towards the end of the 1st century as a pre-Mandaeism sect. Very little is known about them other than they believed that all Christian books were fiction and that Jesus was just a character invented by the Apostle Paul. 

Sethianism is a 1st century Gnosticism sect that might even predate Christianity. It is considered the forerunner of Basilidianism and Valentinianism. They were named is after the third son of Adam and Eve, Seth, whom they considered to be divinely incarnate, therefore his offspring are considered a ‘superior elect’ within human society. Like most other Gnostic sects, they preached secret knowledge of multiple heavens and a vastly different creation story from the one in the Old Testament. 

Simonianism (also known as Helenianism) is a 2nd-4th century Gnosticism sect, who, based upon the writings of some early church fathers, appear to have been a rather formidable sect. They were an early Valentinianism Gnosticism sect, to whom they are very similar in dogma, and Simonians were heavily influenced by Aristotle and Stoic physics. Much of their writings were allegorical. It was believed they performed magic and adopted a Greek pantheon of ‘lesser gods’. 

Thomasenism (also known as Thomasinism) is a little-known 1st century sub-Sethianism Gnosticism sect. The only distinct thing that has survived about this sect is that they revered the Apostle Thomas. Like most Gnosticism sects, they likely taught dualism, that matter was evil, etc.

Heresies of the Week: Obscure Gnostic Sects, Part 1

There are a number of obscure Gnostic sects about which we know little.  Because the information is so sparse, it seems silly to share just one at a time, so I decided to group them into two posts.  Look for Part 2 next week!

Archonticism is a 2nd and 3rd century Gnosticism sect, whose name comes from the Greek “Archontes”, meaning “rulers”, because they believe the world was created and is ruled by evil Archons. They believed in common Gnosticism ideas, such as seven heavens and that the God of the Old Testament was evil. The Archonti practiced Asceticism and lived in extreme poverty.

Bagnolianism is an 8th century sub-Manichaeism Gnosticism French heresy. Their teachings were almost entirely in line with Manichaeism. The believed the world was eternal, that God did not create the soul when He imbued it into the human body, and rejected the Old Testament and much of the New Testament.

Bosnianism: see Bogomilism. Bosnianism, also known as the Bosnian Church, was a branch of Bogomilism in Bosnia during the Middle Ages. It died out by the time of the Ottoman Conquest. 

Cainitism was a small, little-known 2nd century sect of Gnosticism who were said to worship Cain as the first victim of the “material” god. They were believed to use the Gospel of Judas in their teachings. They believed that, by venerating Cain, they would be able to redeem themselves from Original Sin. This sect was likely influenced by Zoroastrianism, an ancient Persian religion, some of whom also venerated Cain. 

Colobasianism was a 4th century Gnosticism sect of whom little survives. They were considered to have made improvements upon the Gnosticism sects who preceded them, but what those “improvements” were is unknown today. 

Luciferianism is a Gnosticism-related, antitrinitarian heresy that venerates the characteristics of Lucifer, many seeing him not as the Devil but as a guiding spirit and some revering him as the true God rather than the Biblical God. Many make the distinction that this isn’t Satanism because Lucifer is the light bearer aspect of Satan, or that Lucifer is a more positive ideal than Satan.

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: Valentinianism

Week one of a two week series on major Gnostic sects (the other "major" sect, Mandaeism, was earlier this year).

Valentinianism is a Gnosticism-family heresy, starting in the 2nd century. It was one of the major Gnostic sects. Valentinianism is a very complex system of Aeons (heavenly archtypes representing 15 syzygies, or sexually complementary pairs), of whom Sophia is the most important (even though her weakness caused her to fall from Pleroma, the ‘fullness’). Like with most Gnostic sects, the Old Testament God was the Demiurge, the imperfect creator of the world. As man was the highest being created, he could participate in both the spiritual and material realms. Redemption consists of freeing oneself from the material world. Redemption is achieved by gaining gnosis, or knowledge. Knowledge, not faith, was the key to salvation. Many of what we consider today to be Gnostic Gospels came from the Valentinian sect. Sethianism is considered to be the forerunner of Valentinianism, and it is related to Basilidianism. Bardaisanitism is believed to have influenced Valentinianism.

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.

Heresy of the Week: Docetism

This week's heresy takes parts from Adoptionism and Gnosticism.  I suppose they get props for creativity.

Docetism is a heresy of the Monophysitism family that purports Jesus only seemed to be human, but that His human body was only a phantasm—that His body was either absent or illusory. Docetists deny Jesus’ humanity, and were condemned as heretical at the 451 Council of Chalcedon. There are essentially two kinds of Docetists: one believes that Christ was so divine, He could not have had a body since God lacks a material body, and therefore He cannot have physically suffered; the other says that Jesus was a man, but Christ a separate entity who entered Jesus at the Baptism and left Him upon His death on the cross (quasi-Adoptionism). The dualistic, and therefore Gnosticism, side of Docetism was that matter is evil and God would not stoop to be clothed in something evil (more in line with the first kind of Docetism), and that God, being perfect and infinite, could not suffer and therefore, even if He had a human body, He could not have been made to suffer and die for our sins (more in line with the second kind of Docetism).

Heresy of the Week: Carpocratianism

Sorry for the delay this week--it's been crazy!  This week's heresy combines Greek philosophy, antinomianism and maybe even magic... gotta love the Gnostics.

Carpocratianism is an early 2nd century Gnosticism sect heavily influenced by Plato. They believed that Jesus was not divine, but because His soul was “steadfast and pure” He remembered things witnessed in the sphere of the unbegotten God. Because of that “secret knowledge”, He was able to free Himself from material powers. Carpocratians believed that they, too, could transcend the material world and were not bound by Mosaic law (see Antinomianism). They believed in reincarnation and that, before their soul could return to God, they must experience every possible condition on earth (many tried to do that in a single lifetime). They were licentious, obscene and debaucherous, and many believe they practiced magic. They were very communal, holding that women and property should all be shared.

Heresy of the Week: Mandaeism

This week's heresy is a Gnostic sect about which we actually know a lot about, doctrinally at least.

Mandaeism (also known as Mandaeanism) is a late 1st century Gnosticism-family sect that is still practiced in small numbers today with a strong dualistic worldview. Followers today are predominantly Middle Eastern and Mandaeism is mentioned in the Qu’ran. They revered Adam, Abel, Seth, Enosh, Noah, Shem, Aram and John the Baptist, but denied Jesus and rejected Christianity. There are several specific features to this Gnostic group: there is a supreme formless Entity who was created by the Archetypal Man (creator of the Cosmos); there is a cosmic Father and Mother, known as Light and Darkness or Right and Left (respectively) who are syzygy in cosmic and microcosmic form; the soul is an exile, the home and origin of the soul are the supreme Entity to whom the soul eventually returns; astrology (specifically, planets and stars) influence fate and humans, also are like purgatory after death; there is/are a savior spirit(s) that assist the soul on its life journey and into the afterworld of lights; they speak in a language of symbols and metaphor, with ideas and qualities being personified; mysteries (sacraments) aid in purifying the soul and ensure rebirth into a spiritual body; and great secrecy is kept over all initiates, only those considered able to understand and preserve the knowledge are given the ‘gnosis’. There is a high priority placed on marriage and family, with emphasis on an ethical and moral lifestyle. They consider Abraham and Moses as false prophets. There have been some connections made with Elcesaitism, and there is strong evidence that Johannism and Notzrimism are the predecessors of the Mandaeism sect.

Heresy of the Week: Albigensism

This week's heresy is a more recent (relatively speaking) Gnostic heresy that appeared in France during the end of the Middle Ages.

Albigensism, also called Albigensianism, is a 12th-13th century French heresy, also known as the Cathars or Cathari (Catharism). While named for the French city Albi, they actually seemed to be centered in the city of Toulouse. The extent of their teachings remains unclear, as all surviving documentation originates from the Catholic Church (their opponent). They appear to have subscribed to a dualistic theology (of the Gnosticism vein) with two principle forces: good (this God was Jesus) and evil (Satan and the God of the Old Testament were both considered evil). The material world also was considered evil, and they denied the Resurrection of the body, since the body was material and therefore evil. Those who strictly followed the doctrine were called “perfects” or “perfecti”, which included eschewing all the trappings of the physical world (much like Asceticism), if they were good enough, salvation would come upon death—if not, they would be reincarnated as an animal or human to try again. There is some indication that suicide may have been practiced by some as a way to rid themselves of the “evil” material body. The Albigensis particularly protested the clergy and material wealth of the Church, and in the 12th century, Pope Innocent III waged a crusade to snuff out the Albigensis heresy, which was successful. Albigensism was accused of being a Neo-Manichaean (Manichaeism) movement.

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.

Heresy of the Week: Swedenborgianism

This week's heresy is a new one to my list.  I discovered it listening to Table Talk Radio (I can't remember which episode, if I can find it, I'll link it).  It's a newer heresy.  It seems a very weird blend of Gnosticism, Pelagianism and Eastern Mysticism to me.  And yes, even Lutherans can go bad (see my previous post for comments on Pietism).  As much as I needle other denominations, I think it's both important and only fair that I air our faults as well.

Swedenborgianism, also known as the Church of the New Jerusalem, is an 18th century heresy founded by Emanuel Swedenborg. Formerly a Lutheran and a scientist, Swedenborg (like Joseph Smith) claimed a revelation from God that revealed secret knowledge to him (Gnosticism). Like Sabellianism, Swedenborg taught that God only existed in one ‘mode’ or form now: Jesus. Swedenborg’s soteriology said that believer’s had full cooperation in their salvation process (Pelagianism), and that strict obedience to commands (Legalism) is necessary for salvation. It was taught that Swedenborg was witness to the Last Judgment, and that the New Church of the Jerusalem was the result of the Last Judgment already being complete. Followers believe that all who do good, even non-believers, will be acceptable to God and taken to Heaven (God is goodness, therefore those who do good join themselves to God). Swedenborg taught that the church should be based on charity and love, not belief and doctrine.

Heresy of the Week: Cerinthianism

This week's heresy is one of the many branches of Gnosticism.  It is of particular interest, because of it's connection to Premillennialism.

Cerinthianism is a Gnosticism-branch heresy of the mid-2nd century. Unlike Marcionism, which was hostile to any Jewish remnant in Christianity, Cerinthus (for whom this heresy is named) revered Jewish Scripture and often only preached from the Gospel of Matthew, which he considered to be the most Jewish of the canonical Gospels. Cerinthians believed that God did not create the world, but creator-angels who were ignorant of the existence of the Supreme God created earth and gave humans laws to follow. Cerinthus taught a Donatism-like view of Jesus vs. Christ, in that Jesus was the man (also an Ebionitism heresy) and Christ the spiritual entity bestowed upon the man at His baptism (similar to Adoptionism, also a Gnosticism-style heresy that wouldn’t come to fruition until decades later after Cerinthus). He taught that Jesus’ body will be raised on the last day with all men. Cerinthus also taught that strict adherence to Mosaic Law (Legalism and Pelagianism) was a requirement for salvation (including circumcision), something rejected by the Council of Jerusalem. He was the first known teacher of Premillennialism, an end-times heresy that asserts Christ will establish a 1,000 year earthly kingdom prior to the physical resurrection and the New Heaven.