Heresies

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Heresy \Her"e*sy\, n.; pl. {Heresies}. [OE. heresie, eresie, OF.
     heresie, iresie, F. h['e]r['e]sie, L. haeresis, Gr. ? a
     taking, a taking for one's self, choosing, a choice, a sect,
     a heresy, fr. ? to take, choose.]
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     1. An opinion held in opposition to the established or


        commonly received doctrine, and tending to promote a
        division or party, as in politics, literature, philosophy,
        etc.; -- usually, but not necessarily, said in reproach.
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              New opinions
              Divers and dangerous, which are heresies,
              And, not reformed, may prove pernicious. --Shak.
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              After the study of philosophy began in Greece, and
              the philosophers, disagreeing amongst themselves,
              had started many questions . . . because every man
              took what opinion he pleased, each several opinion
              was called a heresy; which signified no more than a
              private opinion, without reference to truth or
              falsehood.                            --Hobbes.
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     2. (Theol.) Religious opinion opposed to the authorized
        doctrinal standards of any particular church, especially
        when tending to promote schism or separation; lack of
        orthodox or sound belief; rejection of, or erroneous
        belief in regard to, some fundamental religious doctrine
        or truth; heterodoxy.
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              Doubts 'mongst divines, and difference of texts,
              From whence arise diversity of sects,
              And hateful heresies by God abhor'd.  --Spenser.
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              Deluded people! that do not consider that the
              greatest heresy in the world is a wicked life.
                                                    --Tillotson.
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     3. (Law) An offense against Christianity, consisting in a
        denial of some essential doctrine, which denial is
        publicly avowed, and obstinately maintained.
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              A second offense is that of heresy, which consists
              not in a total denial of Christianity, but of some
              its essential doctrines, publicly and obstinately
              avowed.                               --Blackstone.
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     Note: "When I call dueling, and similar aberrations of honor,
           a moral heresy, I refer to the force of the Greek ?, as
           signifying a principle or opinion taken up by the will
           for the will's sake, as a proof or pledge to itself of
           its own power of self-determination, independent of all
           other motives." --Coleridge.
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