A history of heresy (original 1976; edition 1976)

The difference between heresies is like a dish prepared by two equally good chefs: Alike, but somehow different.

Because much about Christian doctrine is obscure, there have always been various interpretations -- and when the interpretations become sufficiently distinct, the result is heresy.

If you want a detailed description of heresy, you won't find it here. But you will get a good general overview. Setting aside odd sects such as the Gnostics, most early heresies (Arianism, the various forms of monophysitism) involved the relations between the various parts of the Trinity. There were also issues involving human perfection and fallibility (Donatism and Pelagianism, although these were very different indeed), and later some radical reinterpretations such as the Cathars. Eventually, we reached the stage of the Reformation, and heresy gave way to denominational instability.

In a way, though, the theme is still the same: A mysterious core of Christianity, balanced on a knife's edge, with many people falling off in one way or another. Often the true measure of heresy is simply how illogical is the result. (The Gnostics get very high scores here.)

Again, you won't find deep doctrinal arguments in this volume. But you'll get a good general picture of what the heretics meant, and it all moves quickly enough that you get a good overview, too. Maybe you won't be able to use this for footnotes for your doctoral thesis. But read it for a first look, then start digging into Irenaeus and Tertullian and the detailed modern studies. ( )

Yeah, I've got to disagree on this one. I'm not sure what the point of a book is that seeks to describe heresies without understanding or contextualizing them. Both heresy and orthodoxy happen within history. It's a brittle orthodoxy that doesn't understand this. ( )

A narrow focus can yield rich results. This history of heresy demonstrates that it's the same damn thing over and over again, so to speak. There's no heresy without orthodoxy (and quite a few matches). If you need one book on heresy, this is the one.