On Heresy

With all the vitriol that's been spewed in the history of the Church, between Catholics and Protestants, Calvinists and Arminians, and on and on, I feel a proper definition of "heresy" is in order. The term has far too often been abused and misused throughout the great debates in Christendom, and I therefore feel this task to be vital both practically, spiritually, and ecumenically.

Strictly speaking, "heresy" just means "false teaching". So in a sense any particular doctrine you view as false is, by definition, heretical. But the term, as any Christian will know, has come to be associated with it's stronger connotation, damnable heresy. Heresy which puts one in danger of being outside the universal Church, and therefore in danger of Hell. It is because the term has come to be taken mainly in it's stronger sense that I think we need to discuss how, and when, it should be used.

I propose the following: Something should be considered heresy if, and only if, it contradicts the first four creeds of the Christian Church. That is, the Apostles, Nicene, Athanasian, and Chalcedonian creeds. These four creeds are agreed upon as true by all of the three great traditions in Christendom: Roman Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants.

Because "heresy" has come to be near synonymous with "damnable heresy", we should only use it when a particular church, or Christian, contradicts anything in these creeds. Some examples of this would be denying the Trinity, the Hypostastic Union, or the Incarnation. Though only God can judge a person's heart, we can still say with confidence that denying such things puts one in danger of being outside salvation.

So when should the term not be used? It should not be used in reference to issues related to predestination, free-will, baptism, the Lord's Supper, or church government (to name a few). Yes, these issues are important, and sometimes even vital to a proper understanding of the Faith, but they do not effect whether one is truly a Christian or not. They are things which one should want to know the truth about, but not things which we should divide over, let alone accuse one another of being outside the catholic Church. We need to strive for unity in essentials and charity in non-essentials. I am Reformed, and believe that other understandings of the Gospel and Salvation are deficient and harmful, but I do not believe that Christ saves based on our doctrinal correctness, but on our coming to be united to Him by His sovereign will (this is the true, and beautiful, practical implication of supposed 'cold-hearted' Calvinism).

-Ben C.