Early Christian Heresies

Throughout the history of Christianity, various theological controversies and debates have given rise to heretical beliefs that deviate from the orthodox teachings of the faith. These heresies often concern profound questions regarding the nature and person of Jesus Christ, the Trinity, and the relationship between the divine and the human. Understanding these heresies is important for gaining insights into the development and refinement of Christian doctrine. In this exploration, we will delve into several ancient Christian heresies, their founders, and the core beliefs they entail.

Arianism:
Founder: Arius (256-336 CE)
Belief: Arianism taught that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was a created being and therefore subordinate to God the Father. According to Arius, there was a time when the Son did not exist.
 
Gnosticism:
Founders: Various Gnostic teachers (1st-3rd centuries CE)
Belief: Gnosticism encompassed various beliefs, but in general, it held that salvation could be achieved through secret knowledge (gnosis). Gnostics believed in a dualistic worldview, with a distinction between a divine, spiritual realm and a material world created by a lesser, flawed deity called the Demiurge.
 
Docetism:
Founders: Unknown, but associated with various early Gnostic groups
Belief: Docetism claimed that Jesus Christ only appeared to be human but was not truly flesh and blood. It taught that Christ's physical form was an illusion and that his suffering and death on the cross were also illusory.
 
Montanism:
Founder: Montanus (late 2nd century CE)
Belief: Montanism was a prophetic movement that emphasized the imminent return of Christ and the need for strict moral discipline. Montanus and his followers claimed to receive ongoing revelations from the Holy Spirit, placing their prophetic authority above that of the established church.
 
Pelagianism:
Founder: Pelagius (390-418 CE)
Belief: Pelagianism rejected the idea of original sin and emphasized human free will and moral responsibility. Pelagius taught that individuals could attain salvation through their own efforts without the need for divine grace.
 
Nestorianism:
Founder: Nestorius (386-451 CE)
Belief: Nestorianism posited a division between the divine and human natures of Jesus Christ, suggesting that they were separate persons rather than united in one person. Nestorius rejected the title of Theotokos (Mother of God) for Mary, preferring Christotokos (Mother of Christ) to avoid any confusion of the two natures.
 
Marcionism:
Founder: Marcion (c. 85-160 CE)
Belief: Marcionism taught a radical dualism between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Marcion believed that the Old Testament God was a separate and inferior deity who was judgmental and wrathful, whereas the New Testament God revealed in Jesus Christ was a higher and more loving deity. Marcion rejected the authority of the Old Testament and many parts of the New Testament. His canon included several Pauline Letters and a version of the Gospel of Luke. It gained a large following in Rome. 
 
Monophysitism:
Founder: Eutyches (c. 378-456 CE) and several others
Belief: Monophysitism held that in the person of Jesus Christ, the divine nature fully absorbed or swallowed up the human nature, resulting in a single nature. According to this view, Christ had a divine-human nature rather than distinct divine and human natures. This teaching was seen as a deviation from the orthodox understanding of the hypostatic union, which held that Christ had both a divine and a human nature.
 
Adoptionism:
Founders: Various Adoptionist teachers (2nd-3rd centuries CE)
Belief: Adoptionism posited that Jesus was born as a mere human but was later "adopted" by God as His Son, usually at his baptism. According to this view, Jesus became divine through adoption rather than being eternally divine or having a divine nature from birth.
 
Modalism (also known as Sabellianism or Monarchianism or Patripassianism):
Founder: Sabellius (3rd century CE)
Belief: Modalism taught that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were not distinct persons but rather different modes or manifestations of the same divine being. In other words, they were different "roles" or "masks" that God assumed at different times rather than separate entities. Modalism denied the individuality and coexistence of the three persons of the Trinity.
 
Ebionism:
Founders: Associated with Jewish-Christian groups in the 1st and 2nd centuries CE
Belief: Ebionism held that Jesus was a purely human Messiah and rejected his divinity. They emphasized adherence to Jewish law and customs, including the observance of circumcision and dietary restrictions. Ebionites believed that salvation came through obedience to the law and believed that Paul was a heretic.
 
Antinomianism:
Founder: Various proponents throughout history
Belief: Antinomianism taught that believers were exempt from moral and ethical laws because they were saved by grace alone. It rejected the notion that good works or moral conduct played any role in salvation, leading to a disregard for ethical standards.
 
Monothelitism:
Founders: Associated with Sergius I of Constantinople (c. 610-638 CE)
Belief: Monothelitism taught that Jesus Christ had two natures, divine and human, but only one will—the divine will. It sought to reconcile the two natures by emphasizing a single divine will in Christ, thereby minimizing the human will. This view was condemned as heretical at the Third Council of Constantinople in 680-681 CE.
 
Apollinarianism:
Founder: Apollinaris of Laodicea (c. 310-390 CE)
Belief: Apollinarianism posited that in the incarnation, Jesus Christ had a human body and a human soul but lacked a human mind or rational spirit. Instead, the divine Logos (Word) substituted for the human mind. This teaching was deemed heretical as it undermined the full humanity of Christ. Seems to be followed by William Lane Craig, a contemporary Christian scholar.
 
Tritheism:
Founders: No specific founder 
Belief: Tritheism teaches that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three separate gods rather than three distinct persons within the one God. It asserts that each member of the Trinity is a separate and independent divine being with their own distinct divine essence. This view contradicts the essential Christian belief in the unity and oneness of God.