The Major Heresies

In every century there have been those who have separated themselves from the Apostolic Church, either by adding new points to be taken as Faith, or by subtracting from the Deposit of Faith, or perhaps by exaggerating one particular point in a way that repudiated other equally valid Articles of Faith. Cardinal Newman in the 19th Century, while he was still an Anglican, noticed that there was a familiar pattern. Without the Rock of Peter, each heresy soon split into many factions. there would be a 'Hard Edge' faction, that repudiated the maximum of Catholicism; the 'Aoft Option' faction that attempted to keep as close to the Catholic church as possible, while rejecting Her as the Fount of Truth; and a Wooly Middle ground, with those of vague and undefined belief. And on the Other side was the Catholic church, teaching what she had always taught, while deepening her understanding though the age - but developing what was there, not what was entirely new. And he said he looked in the mirror, and saw that the Anglican Communionh fit the Bill precisely. This realisation led him to leave the Anglican Communion for the Catholic Church.

Sooner or later, all heresies run into the sand; the members either drift so far as to be unrecognisable, or they lose their enthusiasm for the novelty and rejoin the Catholic Church. The heresy as a unified body of belief and practice never has the 'staying power' of the Truth, which lives in the Catholic Church. Yet individuals crop up in every century who essentially repeat the errors; by now 'There is nothing new under the sun'.

By far the most vigorous Heresy at present is Islam, which is in essence a Judaeo-Christian heresy. It is still very far from being exhausted; it is one of the most aggressive rivals to the Catholic Church in our time. Archbishop Lefebvre wrote, "Africa will become either Catholic or Moslem".

Here is a list of the Major heresies.

Arianism

The Arians were founded by the heresiarch Arius, an ambitious priest of Alexandria, born about A.D. 250 and died A.D. 336. They denied the divinity of our Lord, and said that He was not born of the Father, but made by Him; that He was not equal to, but inferior to, the Father. These heretics were condemned at the Council of Nicaea, a town in Bithynia, A.D. 325, under Pope St. Sylvester I. The Nicene creed was drawn up at this council.

Manicheanism

This religion was founded by the Persian Mani in the latter half of the third century. The Manicheans taught that our Lord did not take to Himself a real body, but only the appearance of a body, something similar to what the angels assumed when they visited holy persons, as mentioned in Scripture. They also said that there were two gods, a good one and a bad one. These heresies commenced about A.D. 280, and were finally condemned in the Fourth Lateran Council by Pope Innocent III., A.D. 1215.

Pneumatomachi / Macedonianism

The Macedonians were followers of Macedonius, who had usurped the see of Constantinople with Arian support. He denied the Godhead of the Holy Ghost, and said that He was only a creation like the angels, but of a higher order. This heresy was condemned at the First Council of Constantinople, A.D. 381, under Pope St. Damasus I.

Pelagianism

The Pelagians were founded by Pelagius, a native of Britain. He denied the existence of original sin in the soul of man, and taught that without the aid of grace man is perfectly able to fulfill the law of God. This heresy was condemned at a council of African bishops held at Carthage, A.D. 416, the decision of the council being confirmed by Pope St. Innocent I, and again at the Council of Ephesus, A.D. 431.

Nestorianism

The Nestorians were followers of Nestorius, bishop of Constantinople. He taught that there were two separate persons in our Lord, one the Son of God, and the other the son of man; and that the blessed Virgin was not Mother of God, but only of the Man Christ. This heresy was condemned at the Council of Ephesus, A.D. 431, under Pope St. Celestine I. The latter part of the "Hail Mary" was added—"Holy Mary, Mother of God," etc.

Monophysitism / Eutychianism

The Eutychians, founded by Eutyches, taught that there was only one nature, the divine, in our Lord. He said, that at the moment of the incarnation, the human nature was absorbed by, or changed into, the divine. This heresy was condemned at the Council of Chalcedon, A.D. 451, under Pope St. Leo the Great.

Semi-Pelagianism

The Semi-Pelagians taught that the beginning of faith and first desire of virtue came from the powers of man alone, unassisted by divine grace. They also said that the grace of final perseverance can be merited by our own efforts, and is not a free gift of God. This heresy was first taught by some priests of Marseilles. It was condemned at the Second Council of Orange, A.D. 529, the decrees of the council being confirmed by Pope Boniface II.

Islam

Islam must rank as a Judaeo-Christian heresy. Mohammed claimed to have received direct revelations from the Archangel Michael, which were compiled into the book known as the Koran. It is based an eclectic mix of Jewish and Christian teachings, simplfied by removing all the paradoxical Mysteries. The religion as it developed rejected the concept of a priestly hierarchy. Consequently it has no mechanism for settling internal disputes, and from the very beginning has been split into antagonistic sects with no prospect of reconciliation. Islam developed at a time and place where there were many competing versions of Christianity and Judaism, with some lingering Paganism, and under the unwieldy rule of the Byzantine empire. Islam offered a simple, not to say simplistic, solution which is to this day attractive to many. Its prohibition of usury freed its disciples from the crippling taxation of the Empire. Its insistance on the Koran as the one and only source of all wisdom gave legitimacy to the Moslem rulers, while the lax moral system, coupled with an unthinking fatalism, freed its followers from the burden of critical thought.

Monothelitism

The Monothelites said that Jesus Christ had no separate human will, but only a divine one. They were condemned at the Third Council of Constantinople, A.D. 680, under Pope St. Agatho.

Iconoclasm

The Iconoclasts, or breakers of holy images, rejected the use of holy images and pictures, and the practice of paying them due respect. They were condemned at the Second Council of Nicaea, A.D. 787, under Pope Adrian I.

Great Schism

The Greek Heresy and Schism was commenced in 879 by Photius, who, though not a priest, took unjust possession of the see of Constantinople. This schism was consummated in A.D. 1054, by Michael Cerularius, who broke entirely away from the supremacy of the Popes, and established what is called the Greek Church. The Greeks say that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father alone, instead of from the Father and the Son, as taught by the Catholic Church from the beginning. Photius was deposed and condemned at the Fourth Council of Constantinople, A.D. 870, under Pope Adrian II., and St. Ignatius was restored to his see.

Berengarianism

Berengarius was archdeacon of Angers. His heresy said that the body and blood of our Lord are not really present in the holy Eucharist, but only in figure. He was condemned at Rome, A.D. 1078.

Albigensianism

The Albigenses taught that there were two Gods and two Christs; they condemned marriage, denied all the sacraments and the resurrection of the body. For more, see: The Albigensian Attack.

It was while preaching to these heretics that the devotion of the rosary was revealed by the blessed Virgin to St. Dominic.

Waldensianism

The Waldenses taught that it was a heinous sin for a magistrate to condemn to death for any crime; that it was a mortal sin to take an oath; and that the clergy became reprobates by holding one farthing's worth of property. The Albigenses and Waldenses were condemned at the Third Lateran Council, under Pope Alexander III., A.D. I I 79.

John Wycliffe

Wycliffe taught that the Pope is not the visible head of the Church; that bishops have not preeminence over simple priests; that all ecclesiastical powers are either forfeited or are in abeyance during mortal sin; that man is bound to sin; that God approves of sin; that confession is quite useless; and that temporal princes should cut off the head of any ecclesiastic who sinned, etc. These doctrines were, after the death of Wycliffe, preached by John Hus and his followers in the towns and villages of Bohemia. Condemned at the Council of Constance, A.D. 1414.

Lutheranism

Luther was a monk of the Order of St. Augustine, and professor in the University of Wittenberg. Pride and jealousy induced him to attack the ancient faith and invent a new creed. After Pope Leo X granted a plenary indulgence, Luther was annoyed that the commission to preach it was given to the Dominicans, and not to his own order. He then attacked the doctrine of indulgences itself. He also taught that faith alone will save mankind; that the sacrifice of the Mass is an abomination; that there is no necessity for confession, abstinence, fasting, or any mortification whatever. He said that priests might marry; he denied the supremacy of the Pope; he wrote against purgatory, free will, and almost every article of Christian belief.

Calvinism

Calvin, who is regarded as second only to Luther, was the founder of Presbyterianism. His chief stronghold was Geneva. He taught, among other things, that God created men on purpose to damn the greater number of them; that God is the author of all sin; and that man has no free will. He denounced not only the Pope, but bishops and priests also.

At the Council of Trent, held from 1545 to 1563 A.D., the heresies of Luther, Calvin, and others were condemned. The creed of Pope Pius IV is grounded on the decisions of this council.

Jansenism

The Jansenists, so called after their leader, Jansenius, bishop of Ypres, in Flanders maintained that man was not free; that it was impossible to keep some of God's commandments; that all good works of unbelievers are sins; that God will punish us for not practicing virtues which are not in our power; that our Lord died only to save a few privileged souls, and not the whole human race. Two illustrious French bishops, Bossuet and Fenelon, defended the truth against these heretics. Christopher de Beaumont, archbishop of Paris (1746-1781), was also a great champion of the true faith, and by his virtues and exertions did much to put down this heresy, which had already been condemned by Pope Urban VIII., A.D. 1642, and by Pope Clement XI, A.D. 1705. Jansenism, originating in the same general area of Northern France as Calvin, was simply Calvinism in Catholic dress. Unfortunately, because of the persecutions at home, Ireland was unable to train priests in Ireland and most young Irish men aiming for the priesthood went to this part of Europe. The brand of Catholicism they brought back to Ireland was heavily tinged with Jansenism. Ireland to this day is suffering from this – there is a backlash against "the Church" which is partly at any rate a reaction against the Jansenist error - but people do not realise this.

Modernism

The greatest error at present is Modernism, 'The Synthesis of All Heresies' as the Pope called it. Unfortunately many in positions of authority and power – such as many of those directing Catholic Religious syllabuses in schools round the world – are heavily influenced by it.