What Is Heresy? Definition and Examples.

Erhard Schoen, via Wikimedia Commons

From the note de fide, one can immediately understand its opposite, namely, who is a heretic? (I will not address some curious matters of the ancient scholastics, who dealt with pagan or Jewish propositions).

A heretical proposition is one certainly opposed, either as contrary or contradictory, to a revealed truth that has been sufficiently and certainly proposed by the Church.

A contrary opposition is as follows:

• All the books of Sacred Scripture are inspired.
• No book of Sacred Scripture is inspired.

A contradictory opposition is, for instance:

• All the books of Sacred Scripture are inspired.
• Some books, such as The Second Book of Maccabees, are not inspired.

Since it is a dogma of faith that all books are inspired, it is heresy to say either that no book is inspired or that some book is not inspired.

Observations

1. Note the term certainly. If something is uncertain, it cannot be defined, and therefore a contrary statement cannot be called heretical. I will explain this using a well-known theological example:

A thesis in the treatise De Gratia (On Grace) affirms: "A sinful adult cannot keep the entire law for a long time without grace" (D. 132; 183; 192; 806).

At first glance, this thesis might seem to be defined, but someone could avoid the authority of the documents by arguing that they refer to the observance of the commandments, not necessarily to their salvific value. Therefore, if someone were to say, 'I can keep the commandments for a long time even without grace,' they could not be called heretical because their opposition to a defined text is not certain.

2. Furthermore, when it is said 'contrary versus contradictory': If the contradictory is false, the contrary is significantly more false, as it denies more than the former. An example is provided concerning the Seven Sacraments and the inspired books. Another question is whether heresy can exist against ecclesiastical faith, and indeed it seems that it can, as many things appear to be defined as de fide ecclesiastica (of ecclesiastical faith), as we shall see later.

REFERENCES

Cartechini, S., De valore notarum theologicarum et de criteriis ad eas dignoscendas, Pontificiae Universitatis Gregorianae, 1951.

Check out My Lenten Devotional—twenty-three selected meditations, including sermons by St Leo the Great, along with reflections on sin, salvation, and the Passion of Christ. Perfect for daily prayer and reflection.

Download now!