I read recently of a man called Edward Wightman (1566-1612). He was the last person in this country to be burned at the stake for heresy. According to Wightman, Bishop Neile, the last to examine him, told him "that unless I did recant my opinions he would burn me at a stake in Burton before Allholland day next". Interestingly the final verdict and list of charges included as many as ten heretical groups.
The wicked heresies of
and other arch heretics, and moreover, of other cursed opinions belched by the instinct of Satan".
1. Ebion (Ebionites taught that Jesus and the Christ are two different beings, and, therefore, the Christ is an angel of God)
2. Cerinthus (his followers believed that Jesus, the offspring of Joseph and Mary, received Christ at his baptism as a divine power revealing the unknown Father. This Christ left Jesus before the Passion and the Resurrection.)
3. Valentinian (who held to Gnostic and dualistic heresies)
4. Arius (Arianism denied the true divinity of Jesus Christ taking various specific forms, but all agreeing that Jesus Christ was created by the Father, that he had a beginning in time, and that the title "Son of God" was a courtesy one)
5. Macedonius (Macedonians accepted the divinity of Jesus Christ as affirmed at Nicaea in 325, but denied that of the Holy Spirit which they saw as a creation of the Son, and a servant of the Father and the Son.)
6. Simon Magus (mentioned in the Bible as one who wanted to buy apostolic gifts with money. Simony came to be used for anyone wanting to buy or sell ecclesiastical privilege)
7. Manes (or Mani, who founded Manicheeism)
8. Manichees (a major dualistic religion stating that good and evil are equally powerful, and that material things are evil)
9. Photinus (who taught that the Logos was simply a mode of manifestation of the Father, hence denying the pre-existence of Christ)
10. Anabaptists (who not only opposed infant baptism but often taught other unbiblical ideas)
No comments:
Post a Comment