Heresies in the Early Church Flashcards
What is Gnosticism in the context of early Christian beliefs?
Gnosticism is a diverse set of beliefs from Judaism and Hellenism, that took on Christian ideas, and emphasised that secret knowledge (gnosis) was necessary for salvation, featuring a sharp dualism between the spiritual (which was good) and material (which was evil) worlds.
What are the core beliefs of Gnosticism?
Core beliefs include dualism between spiritual and material worlds, a cosmology with a supreme God and a lesser deity creating the material world, salvation through secret knowledge, and viewing Jesus as a divine messenger sent to impart this knowledge.
How did Gnostics view Jesus?
Gnostics often saw Jesus as a divine messenger, who was not truly human, sent to impart secret knowledge for salvation.
How did the early Church respond to Gnosticism?
The Church’s response included early rebuttals by leaders like Irenaeus arguing for the consistency of Old and New Testament teachings, the goodness of the material world, and the reality of Christ’s humanity.
What was Irenaeus of Lyons’ contribution to combating Gnosticism?
Irenaeus wrote “Against Heresies” around 180 AD, a detailed critique emphasising the unity of God’s creation, the goodness of the material world, and the reality of Christ’s humanity.
What contributions did Tertullian make in the fight against Gnosticism?
Tertullian created the term ‘Trinity’, argued for the physical resurrection to counter Gnostic spiritualism, and emphasised the importance of apostolic tradition and the authority of the Church.
What was Hippolytus of Rome’s role in combating Gnosticism?
Hippolytus identified and refuted various Gnostic sects and their beliefs, contributing to the Church’s doctrinal defence against Gnosticism.
What theological and institutional [church-wide] developments occurred in response to Gnosticism?
In response to Gnosticism, the Church developed creeds (e.g., Nicene Creed), formalised the New Testament canon, strengthened the role of bishops emphasising apostolic succession, and convened councils and synods to define orthodox doctrine and condemn heresies.
What was the long-term impact of Gnosticism on the early Christian Church?
Gnosticism challenged the early Church to clarify key doctrines such as Christology [nature of Jesus as God and Man] and the nature of salvation, and it helped solidify the Church’s hierarchical structure and the role of ecclesiastical authority.
Who was the founder of Marcionism, and in which century did he live?
Marcion of Sinope, a mid-2nd century theologian, was the founder of Marcionism.
What are the key beliefs of Marcionism?
Key beliefs include a dualistic cosmology contrasting the God of the Hebrew Bible with the New Testament’s God, rejection of the Old Testament, a new canon consisting of Luke’s Gospel and ten Pauline epistles (edited to remove Judaic references), and the belief that Jesus was not born and did not partake in physical reality.
How did Marcion view the nature of Jesus?
Marcion asserted that Jesus was not born, did not partake in physical reality, and that he only appeared to suffer on the Cross, but that he did not.
How did the Church respond to Marcionism?
The Church labelled Marcionism as heretical due to its rejection of the Old Testament and distorted views on the nature of Jesus, defending the Old Testament’s continuity and validity as Christian scripture.
What impact did Marcionism have on the formation of the New Testament canon?
Marcionism’s creation of its own canon prompted the Church to begin formalising the New Testament canon, clarifying which writings were genuinely from the apostles and therefore orthodox [true].
How did Marcionism influence the development of Christian creeds?
The need to define orthodox Christian beliefs clearly, especially affirming the Old Testament’s validity and Christ’s true humanity, led to the development of creeds.
What role did apostolic tradition play in the Church’s response to Marcionism?
Apostolic tradition reinforced the importance of apostolic succession and adherence to the teachings passed down from the apostles, which countered Marcion’s heretical teachings.
What was the long-term impact of Marcionism on orthodox Christian theology?
The controversy surrounding Marcionism helped to solidify key Christian doctrines, especially regarding the nature of Christ and the role of the Old Testament in Christian scripture.