Heretic Name Calling

There have always been heresies threatening the Church. And what is a heresy? That may seem like an obvious question, but in the light of today’s protection of rights, the freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and then the staggering array of various “brands” of Christianity, the “heretic” label is much less often applied now. That is probably a good thing. I certainly cannot think of many of examples of heretic name-calling turning out to anybody’s benefit, increasing pride on one side and anger on the other...or maybe both anger and pride on both sides.

It is easy to look back at the ecumenical councils of the first few centuries of legalized Christianity and interpret back into history our ideas of heresy name-calling. What should be said first, because it is an easy misunderstanding in the light of the awful, systematized tortures of later, non-Orthodox Christianity, is that those who were excommunicated were only excommunicated. That is, they were no longer allowed in the communion of the Church. And to my knowledge, the harshest treatment was to banish heretical leaders from the empire. Arius, seemingly one of the most mischievous and conniving heretic leaders of all time, died in old age, in the heart of the empire.

The motive of the councils was not to prove who is right and who is wrong; that is what modern heretic labeling is usually about. The councils had a clearly (sorry for the theological word drop here, but I will explain myself in a moment)...the councils had a clearly soteriological motive. Soteriology is the study of salvation. The soteriological motive means that some beliefs or practices or teachings were not even on the table for discussion, because they would in no way affect the salvation of man. However, if a teaching arose that stated that Jesus was a created being, albeit the highest and most graced creature, created before all time, there is a problem. The problem is not that it is offensive to hear such a thing, thus the heretic label. No, if Jesus Christ was not God himself, in the flesh, and an equal member of the Holy Trinity, then the Incarnation goes wonky, and thus, the condition of mankind cannot be healed.

Our very salvation was at stake. It is at that point that bishops, priests, and deacons from across the empire came together to clarify our faith. Not to create it or make up something new, but to react to teachings that were not in harmony with the faith that had been passed down from the Apostles.

And that brings us back around to St. Paul’s exhortation to Thessalonians: “brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught.”