ON HERESIES. The parents and archetypes of all heresies are four in number, namely: (1) Barbarism (2) Scythism (3) Hellenism (4) Judaism. Out of th

 Barbarism is that which prevailed from the days of Adam down through ten generations to the time of Noe. It is called barbarism because of the fact th

 Scythism prevailed from the days of Noe down to the building of the Tower of Babel and for a few years after the Tower period, that is to say, until t

 Hellenism arose from idolatry in the time of Sarug, Since in those times everyone was given to superstition, when the races of men had begun to turn t

 Judaism had from the time of Abraham received the seal of circumcision. By Moses, who was seventh after Abraham, it was committed to writing in the La

 The Divisions of the Greeks.

 The Pythagoreans or Peripatetics. Pythagoras held the monad and providence. He also held that it was forbidden to sacrifice, that is to say, to sacrif

 The Platonists held God and matter and form, and that the universe was created and subject to destruction, whereas the soul was uncreated, immortal, a

 The Stoics hold that the universe is a body and they think that this sensible world is God. Certain of them have declared that it has its nature from

 The Epicureans supposed the beginning of all things to be in indivisible bodies with no parts, homogeneous, and infinite in number. And they held the

 Samaritanism and the Samaritans of this sect. This originated with the Jews before the appearance of heresies among the Greeks and before their teachi

 The Four Classes of Samaritans.

 The Gorthenes celebrate their feasts at other times than Sebyaeans.

 The Sebyaeans differ from the Gorthenes by reason of their feasts.

 The Essenes are opposed to neither, but celebrate their feasts indifferently with whomsoever they chance to be.

 The Dosthenes follow the same customs as do the Samaritans, practicing circurmcision and other things and using the Pentateuch. Like the others, but m

 The Seven Heresies of the Jews.

 The Scribes, who were certain lawyers and expounders of the traditions, come down to them from their forebears, very superstitiously observed customs

 The Pharisees, which is interpreted as meaning ‘those who are set apart,’ followed the most perfect form of life and were, as they pretended, more to

 The Sadduccees, which is interpreted as meaning ‘the most just,’ were from the Samaritan race and from a priest named Sadoc. They denied the resurrect

 The Henterobaptists were Jews in everything. However, they did say that no one would attain to eternal life unless he bathe himself every day.

 The Ossenes, which is interpreted as meaning ‘the most reckless,’ carried out everything according to the Law. However, while they use some of the Scr

 The Nasaraeans, which is interpreted as meaning ‘the rebellious,’ forbid all eating of flesh meat and do not eat any animal food at all. Up to Moses a

 The Herodians were Jews in everything. They looked for Christ in Herod and to him they imputed the dignity and the name of Christ.

 Thus far the first part, which contains all these twenty heresies and in which there is also something of the coming of Christ.

 The following are in the second part of the first book, which contains thirteen heresies related to Christians.

 The Simonians stem from Simon Magus, who lived in the time of the Apostle Peter and was a native of the village of Gitta in Samaria. This man was of S

 The Menandrianists came from Simon through a certain Menander, but in certain things they differed from the Simonians. They said that the universe was

 The Saturnilians were to be found throughout Syria. They followed the obscene doctrine of the Simonians, but they professed other things far more extr

 The Basilidians follow the same obscene doctrine. They originate with Basilides, who with Saturnilus, was a disciple both of the Simonians and of the

 The Nicolaitans stem from Nicolas, who was ordained to serve by the Apostles. Because of jealousy for his own wife, he was motivated to teach his disc

 The Gnostics succeeded to the foregoing heresies, but were more insanely given to the practice of immorality than all these others. In Egypt they are

 The Carpocratians originated with a certain Carpocrates, who was an Asiatic. He taught the practice of every sort of immorality and the cultivation of

 The Cerinthians, who are also called Merinthians, originated with Cerinthus and Merinthus. They were certain Jews who made much of the circumcision an

 The Nazarenes confess Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, but live in all things according to the Law.

 The Ebionites closely resemble the aforementioned Cerinthians and Nazarenes. In some respects the heresy of our Sampsaeans and Helcesaeans approaches

 The Valentinians reject the resurrection of the flesh. They furthermore set the Old Testament aside, although they do accept the Prophets and whatsove

 The Secundians, who were joined by Epiphanes and Isidore, being like-minded with Valentinus, have the same syzygies. To some extent, however, they det

 The Ptolemaeans, with whom Flora is associated, are also disciples of Valentinus. In regard to the syzygies, they hold the same as do the Valentinians

 Thus far the summary of the thirteen heresies contained in the second part of Book II.

 The following belong to this third part, in which thirteen heresies are contained:

 The Marcosaeans. There was a certain Mark who was a fellow pupil with Colarbasus. He introduced two principles and rejected the resurrection of the de

 The Colarbasaeans. This Colarbasus also taught the same things. In some respects, however, he differed from the other heresies, that is, from those of

 The Heracleonites also seem to accept the mythology of the ogdoads, but differently from Mark, Ptolemy, Valentinus, and the rest. Like Mark, however,

 The Ophites hold the serpent in honor and claim that it is Christ. And they keep a real serpent, the snake, in some sort of a basket.

 The Cainites hold the same things as do those heresies which repudiate the Law and Him who spoke in the Law. While they deny the resurrection of the b

 The Sethians in turn, hold Seth in honor and claim that he was born of the supernatural mother after she had repented of giving birth to Cain and his

 The Archontics, in turn, attribute the universe to a number of archons and claim that all things that have been made have been made by them. They are

 The Cerdonians are from Cerdon, who succeeded to the error of Heracleon and then added to the deceit. He came from Syria to Rome and, afterwards, in t

 The Marcionites. Marcion was a native of Pontus and the son of a bishop. But he violated a virgin and, having on that account been excommunicated from

 The Lucianists. A certain Lucian—not he who lived in the time of Constantine, but an older one—held everything as Marcion did. They are, however, repu

 The Apellians. This Apelles also holds doctrines similar to those of Marcion and Lucian. He vilifies all creation and the Creator. He did not teach th

 The Severians. A certain Severus, in turn, going still further than Apelles, rejects wine on the basis of a legend that the vine was bred of the comme

 The Tatianists. This Tatian flourished contemporaneously with the most holy martyr and philosopher Justin. But after the death of St. Justin he unfort

 Thus far the thirteen heresies contained in the first part of Book I. The following are contained in the third part of the Book III, totaling eighteen

 The Encratites, who happen to be a branch of the Tatianists, also reject marriage, which they declare to be of Satan. And they forbid all eating of an

 The Cataphrygians, or Montanists, or Ascodrugites accept the Old and New Testaments, but they also introduce other prophets of whom they make much—a c

 The Pepuziansy who are also called Quintillians, and with whom the Artotyrites are connected, constitute a distinct heresy. Although they belong to th

 The Quartodecimans celebrate Easter on a fixed day of the year. On that day which coincides with the fourteenth of the moon, whether it be a Saturday

 The Alogians, as we call them, repect the Gospel according to John and his Apocalypse, because they do not accept the divine Word as proceeding from t

 The Adamians, who get their name from a certain contemporary Adam, have a doctrine which is more absurdity than truth. They do something of this sort.

 The Sampsaeans, or Elkesaites, up to the present time inhabit that part of Arabia which lies on the further side of the Dead Sea. They were led into e

 The Theodotians are named from Theodotus the shoemaker of Byzance. This man had had an excellent Greek education. However, having been arrested with s

 The Melchisedechians venerate Melchisedech, claiming him to be some sort of a power and not just a man. They have also undertaken to reduce all things

 The Bardesanites. This Bardesanes was a native of Mesopotamia. At first he held the true faith and excelled in philosophy, but he fell away from the t

 The Noetians. This Noetus was from Smyrna in Asia. Together with some others he was carried away by vanity and said that Christ was a son-father. He m

 The Valesians, as we have come to understand, are they who dwell in Bacathus, which is the chief town of Philadelphia of the Arabs. They make eunuchs

 The Cathari were connected with Novatus of Rome. They absolutely reject those who have married a second time and they do not accept penance.

 The Angelici have entirely disappeared. They either claimed to belong to an angelic order, or [they got their name] from their practice of invoking th

 The Apostolici, who are also called Apotactici, or Renuntiants, appear only in Pisidia. They accept only those who give up their property. They resemb

 The Sabellians hold opinions like those of Noetus, except they do not say that the Father suffered, while they do say that the Word was uttered and th

 The Origenians, who come from a certain Origen, are practicers of immorality. They practice unspeakable obscenities and give over their own bodies to

 Still other Origenians are from Origen Adamantius the composer. They reject the resurrection of the dead. What is more, they teach that Christ and the

 Thus far for the eighteen heresies of the fourth part of Book II.

 The following five heresies are contained in the fifth part of Book II:

 The Paulianists come from Paul of Samosata. This Paul comes very close to affirming that Christ does not exist, for he has made Him out to be a spoken

 The Manichaeans, who are also called Aconites?* are disciples of Manes the Persian. While they say that Christ is some sort of apparition, they worshi

 The Hieracites come from Hierax, who was a casuist from Leontopolis in Egypt. They deny the resurrection of the flesh, but use both the Old and New Te

 The Meletians in Egypt are not heretics, but schismatics. They do not hold communion with those who lapsed during the persecutions. Now they have join

 The Arians, who are also called Ariomanites and Diatomites, are they who say that the Son of God is a creature and that the Holy Ghost is the creature

 Thus far the five heresies of the fifth part of Book II.

 The following seven heresies are contained in the first part of Book III:

 The Audians form a schism and faction, but not, however, a heresy. They pursue a well-ordered way of life and profess a faith which is in every respec

 The Photinians. This Photinus was a native of Sir-mium and had ideas similar to those of Paul of Samosata, but he differed from him in some things. He

 The Marcellians come from Marcellus of Ancyra in Galatia. This man was originally reputed to think very much like Sabellius, yet, although he oftentim

 The Semiarians, while they on the one hand confess Christ to be a creature, on the other hand captiously declare that He is not a creature like other

 The Pneumatochi, while they speak very well concerning Christ, blaspheme the Holy Ghost by making Him a creature and not of the Godhead. Rather, by a

 The Aerians. This Aerius was a native of Pontus and, being still alive, he continues to be a source of annoyance. He became a priest of the Bishop Eus

 The Aetians come from Aetius, a Cilician who was ordained deacon by the Arian bishop of Alexandria, George. They are also called Anomoeans and, by som

 Thus far similarly the seven heresies of the first part of Book III.

 In the second part of Book III there are four heresies:

 The Dimoerites, who are also called Apollinarists, confess that Christ’s coming, that is to say, His Incarnation, is not perfect. Some of them have be

 The Antidicomarianites, say that, after having given birth to the Saviour, the blessed Mary, the ever-virgin, had marital relations with Joseph.

 The Collyridians, on a certain day of the year appointed for that purpose, offer up certain collyrida, or cakes, in honor of this same Mary this is t

 The Massalians, have a name which is interpreted as meaning Euchites, or ‘praying people.’ Also connected with these are the so-called Euphemites, Mar

 Thus far the recapitulation of the seventh part.

 Chapters of the impious doctrine of the Massalians, taken from their book: (1) That Satan dwells personally with man and dominates him in all things.

 What is more, they also avoid manual labor as not befitting Christians. And they are especially inhuman in their treatment of the poor, declaring that

 To all this they have added a contempt for churches and altars, alleging that ascetics have no need to frequent church services, since their prayers i

 In addition to the things already recounted, they have many other strange ideas, such as that of dissolving legitimate marriages for no cause whatsoev

 Further on the aforementioned heresy of the Massalians, who are for the most part to he found in monasteries which is taken from the History of Theodo

 And Flavian, the famed Bishop of Antioch, having learned that they were active in Edessa and letting loose their poison to fill up whomsoever came nea

 Thus far the heresies up to the time of Marcian. From Marcian on for a short time, and under Leo, the following heresies made their appearance:

 The Nestorians hold that God the Word exists by Himself and separately, and that His humanity exists by itself. And the more humble of the Lord’s acti

 The Eutychians, who get their name from the heresy of Eutyches, say that our Lord Jesus Christ did not take His flesh from the blessed Virgin Mary, bu

 The Egyptians, who are also called Schematics and Monophysites, separated from the orthodox Church on the pretext of that document [approved] at Chalc

 On nature and hypostasis according to the teachings of the Severians and how they teach individual substances: by John the Grammarian and Tritheite, c

 Chapter 7 from The Arbiter. In this seventh discourse the real truth will be confirmed from the principles laid down by them that hold the contrary. T

 Thus, when the animal is divided into the rational and the irrational, and then the rational into man, angel, and devil, they call those things into w

 Now, this common human nature, in which no one man differs from any other, when it comes to exist in any one of the individuals, then becomes particul

 For we certainly do not say that the nature of the Godhead which is understood as being common to the Holy Trinity was incarnate, for in such a case w

 Frequently, however, the person is distinguished from the hypostasis, the person being taken to mean the mutual relation between certain individuals.

 Along with the other things, let us furthermore bear in mind this, too: that there was absolutely no lapse of time during which the humanity of Christ

 Now that these things have been accurately and clearly explained, and, I presume, have been agreed to by all, let them who suppose there to be two nat

 And after some more, in which he treats of how the essence does not admit of more or less, he continued: Now I think that it is clear that all individ

 ‘But’, they say, ‘since the humanity of Christ had its hypostasis in the Word and did not exist before the union with the Word, for this reason we say

 The Aphthartodocetae who come from Julian of Halicarnassus and Gaianus of Alexandria, are also called Gaianites. They agree with the Severians in all

 The Agnoetae, who are also called Themistians, impiously declare that Christ does not know the day of judgment, and they attribute fear to Him. They a

 The Barsanouphites, who are also called Semidalites, agree with the Gaianites and the Theodosians, but they have something in addition. Thus, they add

 The Hicetae are ascetics and in everything orthodox, with this exception, that they congregate with women in monasteries and offer to God hymns accomp

 The Gnosimachi are opposed to all Christian knowledge, asserting that those who search the sacred Scriptures for some higher knowledge are doing somet

 The Heliotropites say that those plants called heliotropes which turn about with the rays of the sun have a certain virtue which causes such rotations

 The Thnetopsychites introduce the doctrine that the human soul is similar to that of beasts and that it perishes with the body.

 The Agony elites will not kneel during any of the times of prayer, but rather always pray standing up.

 The Theocatagnostae, who are also called Blasphemers, try to find fault with [the Lord] for certain words and actions, as well as with the holy person

 The Christolytae say that after His resurrection from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ left His animate body here below and ascended into heaven with Hi

 The Ethnophrones, while they follow some practices of pagans, are Christians in all other respects. They bring in nativity and fortune and fate, and t

 The Donatists originated in Africa with a certain Donatus, who handed down to them a certain bone which they hold in their hand and kiss before partak

 The Ethicoproscoptae offend in the matter of morals, that is to say, in conduct while they reject some of the most praiseworthy moral teachings, cert

 The Parermeneutae misinterpret certain passages of the Sacred Scriptures, both of the Old and of the New Testaments, and manipulate them to serve thei

 The Lampetians are so called after a certain Lampetius. They allow each individual to follow whatever state of life he may wish and deem fit, whether

 Thus far the heresies up to the time of Heraclius. From Heraclius to the present time the following have appeared: The Monothelites originated with Cy

 The Autoproscoptae, while they are orthodox in every respect, boldly cut themselves off from the communion of the Catholic Church. Although they prete

 There is also the superstition of the Ishmaelites which to this day prevails and keeps people in error, being a forerunner of the Antichrist. They are

 These used to be idolaters and worshiped the morning star and Aphrodite, whom in their own language they called Khabar, which means great. And so down

 He says that there is one God, creator of all things, who has neither been begotten nor has begotten. He says that the Christ is the Word of God and H

 There are many other extraordinary and quite ridiculous things in this book which he boasts was sent down to him from God. But when we ask: ‘And who i

 When we ask again: ‘How is it that when he enjoined us in this book of yours not to do anything or receive anything without witnesses, you did not ask

 Moreover, they call us Hetaerlasts, or Associators, because, they say, we introduce an associate with God by declaring Christ to the Son of God and Go

 And again we say to them: ‘As long as you say that Christ is the Word of God and Spirit, why do you accuse us of being Hetaeriasts? For the word, and

 They furthermore accuse us of being idolaters, because we venerate the cross, which they abominate. And we answer them: ‘How is it, then, that you rub

 As has been related, this Mohammed wrote many ridiculous books, to each one of which he set a title. For example, there is the book On Woman, in which

 Then there is the book of The Camel of God. About this camel he says that there was a camel from God and that she drank the whole river and could not

 Again, in the book of The Table, Mohammed says that the Christ asked God for a table and that it was given Him. For God, he says, said to Him: I have

 And again, in the book of The Heifer, he says some other stupid and ridiculous things, which, because of their great number, I think must be passed ov

 The Christianocategori, or Accusers of Christians, are such and are so called, because those Christians who worship one living and true God praised in

 The one-hundred-and-third heresy is that of the Aposchistae, who are also called Doxarii. These seek after their own glory and submit neither to the l

 These heresies detailed above have been described in brief, because, although they amount to but a hundred altogether, all the rest come from them. Th

The Melchisedechians venerate Melchisedech, claiming him to be some sort of a power and not just a man. They have also undertaken to reduce all things to his name.

Μελχισεδεκιανοί. Οὗτοι τὸν Μελχισεδὲκ γεραίροντες, τινὰ δύναμιν αὐτὸν φάσκοντες καὶ μὴ ἄνθρωπον ψιλὸν καὶ εἰς τὸ τούτου ὄνομα πάντα ἀνάγειν καὶ λέγειν τετολμηκότες.