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Resources & Links > Bible Studies > Lutheran Theology and Beliefs

Lutheran Theology and Beliefs

Outline of Heresies

Notes from a study by Pastor Mason Okubo

Hank Hanegraaff, host of the "Bible Answer Man" radio show, says that a heresy always begins with a misunderstanding of the nature of God. Error begets error, and heresy begets heresy. The below outline of historic church heresies was taught by Pastor Okubo at an adult Bible study and is based on excerpts from an article by Rev. Carl A. Volz, Ph.D (from The Bride of Christ, Vol. X, #1, page 38).

Many heretical and false teachings that challenge Christianity today are nothing new; they have been around for centuries. For example, the unbiblical belief that good deeds help a person get into heaven was condemned by the church fathers in the 4th century. The belief that it doesn't matter how a Christian lives, just as long as they have faith in Christ, was around back in Roman times and was condemned by the apostle Paul in Galatians 5.

False Christian cults and leaders such as Tony Alamo, Harold Camping of Family Radio, Witness Lee (deceased), Herbert W. Armstrong (deceased), the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), the Unification Church, the International Christian Church, and the Church of Christ—Iglesia ni Cristo teach that their group is the one true church and that all others are false. They also demand works that one must perform to maintain their salvation, or else they will lose it. This adding on to the completed work of Christ and denial of salvation by grace is condemned in the Bible by the apostle Paul (Titus 3:4-7, Galatians 2:11-3:14, 1 Timothy 6:3-5) and by our Lord Himself (Matthew 23:13-15, Revelation 22:18-19).

That being said, this outline should not imply that one particular church, denomination or ministry, including our own denomination, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, is the only true Christianity and all others are corrupt or false, as is taught by the cults. Faithful, doctrinally sound churches and denominations can and do have disagreements on secondary issues such as methods of baptism, contemporary versus traditional worship music, the gifts of the Holy Spirit or interpretation of Bible prophecy. Such differences do not affect one's salvation nor the historic truths and creeds of Christianity.

This outline explains the false teachings these cults espouse, so that we all may be equipped to contend for the truth that was once and for all delivered unto the saints (Jude 3).

I. Doctrines of the Trinity — In Particular the Person of Christ (Christ's Two Natures: Fully Human, Fully Divine)

1. Arianism—Denial of Christ's diety (also a sacramental heresy)
1. Doctrine of Arius, Alexandrian theologian, 256-336 AD. Opposed by Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, 296-373 AD; condemned by Council of Nicaea, 325 AD.
2. In order to reconcile the doctrine of one God with three persons, Jesus (and Holy Spirit) were subordinated to God the Father. Jesus was not the same substance as God but a created being albeit above all others. "Christ" and "Son of God" were just titles.
3. Modern examples: Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses and Unification Church. Among mainline Christians we also find Arians in those who see Jesus Christ only as a model, or as an example of one who realized His full potential. "Christ as a role model for us to follow" leads into Pelagianism, i.e. works righteousness.
2. Apollinarianism—Denial of the truly human Jesus of Nazareth. Alexandrian school, spiritual/divinity of nature. Human spirit replaced with divine logos. Also like Cerinthius, Gnostic.
1. Doctrine of Apollinaris, Bishop of Laodicea (310-390 AD). Opposed by Gregory of Nazianzus, condemned by the Council of Chalcedon, 451 AD.
2. He does believe there is human nature but only partial. Problem: if Christ only took on partial humanity, how could He redeem mankind?
3. Historically it arose out of opposition to Arianism, however as time went on Christ became elevated to the point where He had lost His human nature. He became a fearful Judge (see windows and sculptures in medieval cathedrals) and new intermediaries were called in, i.e. Mary and the saints.
3. Docetism—Denial of the real incarnation and humanity of Christ. ("dokeo" Greek "to appear.")
1. Christ only "seemed" to be human. The real opposite to Arianism. Truly denies the human nature of Christ.
2. Roots in Greek dualism or Gnosticism. Some people cannot come to terms with a Christ who was truly man, e.g. could not believe the baby Jesus ever dirtied His diapers.
4. Ebionitism—Jesus was an ordinary man.
5. Eutychianism (Monophysism)—Denial of Christ's human nature; condemned by the Council of Chalcedon, 451 AD.
1. Jesus was not God, not man, but a new mixed thing. The problem is that by denying our Lord of His humanity, we deny His identification with us making His death to pay for our sins. If we are saved by this new thing, why can't angels save us?
2. It is still alive among the Coptic churches of Egypt, which confess that after the resurrection our Lord was to be found only in one divine nature.
3. Some theologians today insist that Christ's triumph consisted in overcoming our human nature.
4. Reformed theologians jokingly refer to Lutherans as Eutychians because of their insistence that Christ was simultaneously God and man.
6. Nestorianism—Denial of the unity of Christ's natures.
1. Doctrine of Nestorius (died 451 AD), Patriarch of Constantinople; condemned at the Council of Ephesus, 431 AD.
2. Jesus was sometimes fully God or sometimes fully man, but not both simultaneously. The problem is: how do we trust in the man person? How do we know which nature, God or man, is talking?
3. We are into Nestorian territory as when we speak of saving "souls" instead of people.
4. Lutheran theologians jokingly refer to Reformed (Calvinists) as Nestorians because of their insistence on viewing Christ's actions as either totally human or totally God-like.
7. Filioque controversy (circa 1054).
1. Eastern (Greek) theology/Cappadocian fathers: Emphasized individual natures, who they are, Person - Hypostasis (Son and Spirit each derived from the Father and therefore subsequens).
2. Western (Latin) theology/Augustine: Moved away to relational terminology; Son and Father speak of the type of relationship between Jesus and God. Jesus' being begotten of the Father was a statement of same substance, not that Father came before Son in time. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, Filioque ("and from the son" in Latin). This term was never in the Greek. Only in the Latin confession, hence there is no Greek equivalent to Filioque.
3. The controversy: Latin idea leads to idea of two separate divine sources of Holy Spirit, Greek idea leads to two "sons" of the one Father. Both require special constructs to either differentiate how Father and Son, or Son and Holy Spirit.

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II. Doctrines of the Church (Ecclesiology) and Sacraments

1. Donatism—Denial of the objective use of the sacraments.
1. Denial of the objective value of the sacraments. The sacraments are only valid when celebrated by a priest who is morally upright. Opposed by Augustine: the priest is the channel by which God's gift comes to us.
2. Historically it came from a denial of the right of the "traditors", pastors who had given up the holy writings to civil authorities under coercion, to preside over communion, or to ordain anyone. (Previous to their fall, they had the authority, but after their fall everything they did according to sacraments were unauthorized and invalid.)
3. Today we find Donatism whenever people insist upon a special character (i.e. apostolic succession) of the presider to "make the Eucharist valid".

III. Salvation and Santification, Doctrines of Grace

1. Montanism, Charismatics—The idea that the Holy Spirit is alive and well only when manifested in charismatic gifts, speaking in tongues, and being born again.
1. Espoused by Montanus of Phyrigia (modern Turkey), 156 AD.
2. Montanus was an early charismatic, the kind Luther labeled "Schwarmerei". It is a caricature and unfair to label all Pentecostals with this charge, but there are affinities. But Montanism is not confined to any single church body.
2. Gnosticism—The idea of salvation through knowledge rather than through faith.
1. Threat to the early church with roots in Greek philosophy.
2. Believed in a soul-body dichotomy, insisting that the body was evil. They also believed salvation came through knowing secret teachings.
3. Today, one must be aware of focusing on "true doctrine" and right teaching only as requirements for being a Christian, rather than faith in Jesus Christ.
3. Branches of Gnosticism
1. Cerinthius: Jesus was the physical son of Joseph. The eon of Christ was united with Jesus at Baptism, but left Jesus before His passion and His death. He rejected most of the Gospels (accepting parts of Matthew and Mark) and all of Paul's epistles. (Note: Heresy always starts with man's desire to decide what is the word of God and what is not.)
2. Manichaeism: The belief that the Persian sage Mani (circa 216-276 AD) was the last prophet in a succession that included Zoroaster, Buddha, and Jesus. The human soul is spiritual, a fragment of the divine Light, and must be redeemed from its imprisonment in the body and the world through Mani's knowledge.
3. Albigenses, Bogomils, Paulicians.
4. Jewish Cabala: medieval teaching.
5. Alchemy: Renaissance methphysical speculations.
6. Theosophy: 19th century teachings developed by Madame Blavantsky.
7. Existentialism: European, 20th century.
8. Mandeans: Persia (Iran), 20th century.
4. Pelagianism—The idea that humans contribute to their salvation through work. Works righteousness.
1. Developed by Pelagius, a British monk, in response to moral laxness of Roman Church (circa 390 AD). Opposed by Augustine, who taught salvation by grace. Condemned by Council of Carthage, 418 AD.
2. This is undoubtedly the most enduring of all the ancient heresies, and can be found almost everywhere, e.g. purgatory, masses for the dead, etc.
3. A form of Pelagianism was revived in the Pietism movement (a true Christian avoided drinking, dancing and card-playing). It may also be found today among devout and faithful churchgoers who see themselves superior to their indifferent neighbors.
5. Antinomianism, Libertines (present day—Anabaptists)
1. "Anti-Law" teaching of Johann of Agricola, early 1530's.
2. Believed that inasmuch as the body and soul were different and separate (Nestorian), it didn't matter if one indulged in bodily appetites as long as one's soul was right with God or alternately, "it doesn't matter how one lives as long as one has faith in Christ."
3. Such thinking was present even in the early church and brought the name of "Christian" into disrepute with many Roman officials.
6. Arminianism—17th century
1. Human free will can exist without limiting God's power or contradicting the Bible.
2. Taught by Dutch Calvinist Jacobus Arminius; a liberal alternative to the more rigid belief in predestination held by High Calvinists in Holland.

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