Heresies and Heretics

By Father John A. Hardon, S.J. Religious historians sometimes call the United States the most sectarian country in the world. Hundreds of independent religious groups have developed and flourished in the nation. While some have been distinctly Protestant in character, many other small sects and cults have been so divorced from the mainstream of Protestantism […]

By Father John A. Hardon, S.J. At least one Catholic professor in a large non-sectarian university on the West Coast makes it a point to discourage Catholic students from entering the institution where he teaches. Or if they have already entered, he urges them to withdraw as soon as possible. On one occasion he confided […]

By Father John A. Hardon, S.J. Heresy, from the Greek αίρέσίς, hairesis, denoting “choice” or “thing chosen,” in general refers to a doctrinal belief held in opposition to the recognized standards of an established system of thought. Theologically it means an opinion at variance with the authorized teachings of any church, especially when this promotes […]

By Father John A. Hardon, S.J. Tape 9 – Fr. Hardon – Side 1 Gentleman: Ok, Father. Fr. Hardon: Ok. Mastering and carefully watching our past experiences, our present conditions, and our future plans or anticipations. In other words, not just to jump in, but to use your past experiences, and Sisters, I hope you […]

By Father John A. Hardon, S.J. A movement embracing any form of modern belief in the practice of mental healing other than those associated with traditional Christianity. The name came into vogue in 1895 and was used as the title of a magazine published for a time in Melrose, Mass., to describe a “new thought” […]

By Father John A. Hardon, S.J. Albigensianism, a Christian heresy prevalent in western Europe, particularly in southern France and northern Italy, during the 12th and 13th centuries. Adherents were variously called Albigenses, from the city of Albi, where they flourished, or Cathari (Greek katharos, pure), from the earlier Manichaean sect, which sought purification from bodily […]

By Father John A. Hardon, S.J. Arianism, a fourth-century heresy which denied the divinity of Jesus Christ. Its author was Arius (256-336), a priest of Alexandria, who in 318 began to teach the doctrine which now bears his name. According to Arius there are not three distinct persons in God, co-eternal and equal in all […]

By Father John A. Hardon, S.J. Catholics are not normally much interested in revivalist movements among Protestants, and are certainly not concerned whether such movements have the Church’s approval. A Catholic, for example, may read with perfect detachment about the crowds of a hundred thousand who listen to Billy Graham’s sermons. Graham is a Baptist, […]

By Father John A. Hardon, S.J. Nestorianism, a fifth-century heresy which held there were two distinct persons in the Incarnate Christ, one human and the other divine, as against the orthodox teaching that Christ was a divine person who assumed a human nature. The name is taken from Nestorius, a leading exponent of the heresy, […]

By Father John A. Hardon, S.J. Objection: The term “transubstantiation” depends upon an outdated concept of medieval scholastic philosophy. Today, we must speak of “transfinalization” or “transignification” of the bread and wine. The meaning or sign of the bread and wine changes, but not the matter. Reply: Somewhere near the center of the crisis in […]

By Father John A. Hardon, S.J. Donatism, at first a schism and later a heresy which profoundly disturbed the Church in Africa from the reign of the Roman emperor Diocletian (r. 284-305) to the Muslim conquest. The name is commonly derived from Donatus, successor in the see of Carthage to Majorinus who had been elected […]

By Father John A. Hardon, S.J. The roots of the feminism, as we know, are at variance with Christian principles. It argues from a massive discrimination of women by men, and urges women to revolt against men. The most famous proponent of this ideology was Karl Marx and his disciple, Nikolai Lenin. They urged “a […]