Early Christians fought about heresies such as Docetism, Gnosticism, and Marcionism. The Apostles' Creed was an orthodox response developed around 150AD to establish correct Christian beliefs and distinguish them from heresies. It affirmed Jesus' humanity and the material world, and served as a symbol of faith for believers. Orthodox Christians also established the biblical canon and emphasized apostolic succession to defend against heretical teachings.

1. REL1350
“What did early Christians fight about?”
Heresy in the early church

2. • I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He arose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.

3. The Apostle’s Creed
• I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He arose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.

4. The Apostle’s Creed
• Did the apostles really write it?
• What does it teach?
• Why was it written?
– What purpose did it serve?
– Was it in response to some problem?

5. The Apostle’s Creed
• Did the apostles really write it?
• What does it teach?
• Why was it written?
– What purpose did it serve?
– Was it in response to some problem?
• Increasing number of pagan converts to
Christianity means introduction of many
new ideas

6. Orthodoxy
• ortho = right, true, straight
• doxy = thinking, praise
• heresy = teaching that is contrary
to established, orthodox belief

7. Docetism
• dokeo = “to seem” or “to appear”
• Denies humanity of Christ

9. Gnosticism
• Gnosis = “knowledge”
• Dualistic worldview
– God of darkness vs. God of light
• “The Hymn of the Pearl”

10. Visible movement of “lights”
escaping from earth

11. Visible movement of “lights”
escaping from earth

12. Visible movement of “lights”
escaping from earth

13. Visible movement of “lights”
escaping from earth

14. Visible movement of “lights”
escaping from earth

15. Visible movement of “lights”
escaping from earth

16. Visible movement of “lights”
escaping from earth

17. Visible movement of “lights”
escaping from earth

18. Visible movement of “lights”
escaping from earth
They’re gone!!!

19. Marcion
• Prosperous business man in mid-100s AD
• Proposed Christian canon that excluded
all Jewish works
• How could God of Hebrew scriptures be
same God who sent Christ to die for us?

20. Orthodox responses to heresy
•Canon
•Creed
•Apostolic succession

21. Orthodox responses to heresy
• Canon
– By end of 2nd century:
• 4 gospels
• Acts
• Letters of Paul
– Final canon not established until
mid-300s AD

22. Orthodox responses to heresy
• Creed
• The Apostle’s Creed, c. 150AD

23. The Apostle’s Creed
• I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He arose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.

24. Orthodox responses to heresy
• Creed
• The Apostle’s Creed, c. 150AD
– The “Symbol of the faith”
• The means by which you could tell a true believer
from a heretic
– Does not reject the material world

25. Orthodox responses to heresy
• Apostolic succession
– Importance of being able to trace
one’s ministry all the way back to
Jesus’ first followers
• An unbroken line of succession all
the way back to Jesus himself

26. Questions?

27. Questions?
• Is there only one true way to
understand what it means to be a
Christian and what you must
believe, or can there be multiple
correct understandings of
Christianity?

28. Questions?
• Is there only one true way to
understand what it means to be a
Christian and what you must
believe, or can there be multiple
correct understandings of
Christianity?
• Why are there so many?

30. Questions?
• Can you think of other ways in
which gnostic beliefs are still
around today?