Heresy in Christianity: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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===Christology===

{{Main|Christology}}

The earliest controversies in Late Antiquity were generally [[Christology|Christological]] in nature, concerning the interpretation of Jesus' (eternal) divinity and humanity. In the 4th century, [[Arius]] and [[Arianism]] held that Jesus, while not merely mortal, was not eternally divine and was, therefore, of lesser status than [[God the Father]]. Arianism was condemned at the Council of Nicea (325), but nevertheless dominated most of the church for the greater part of the 4th century, often with the aid of Roman emperors who favoured them. [[Trinitarianism]] held that God the Father, [[God the Son]], and the [[Holy Spirit]] were all strictly one being with three [[Hypostasis (Christianity)|hypostases]]. The [[Euchites]], a 4th-century [[Antinomianism|antinomian]] sect from Macedonia held that the Threefold God transformed himself into a single hypostasis in order to unite with the souls of the perfect. They were anti-clerical and rejected baptism and the sacraments, believing that the passions could be overcome and perfection achieved through prayer.<ref>[https://brewminate.com/a-history-of-heresy-in-ancient-and-medieval-christianity/ A History of Heresy in Ancient and Medieval Christianity]</ref>

Many groups held [[Dualistic cosmology|dualistic beliefs]], maintaining that reality was composed into two radically opposing parts: matter, usually seen as evil, and spirit, seen as good. [[Docetism]] held that Jesus' humanity was merely an illusion, thus denying the incarnation. Others held that both the material and spiritual worlds were created by God and were therefore both good, and that this was represented in the unified divine and human natures of Christ.<ref>R. Gerberding and J. H. Moran Cruz, ''Medieval Worlds'' (New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004) p. 58</ref>