The ''Refutation of All Heresies'' (; ), also called the ''Elenchus'' or ''Philosophumena'', is a compendious Christian polemical work of the early third century, whose attribution to

Hippolytus of Rome Hippolytus of Rome ( , ; Romanized: , – ) was a Bishop of Rome and one of the most important second–third centuries Christian theologians, whose provenance, identity and corpus remain elusive to scholars and historians. Suggested communitie ...

or an unknown " Pseudo-Hippolytus" is disputed. It catalogues both

pagan Paganism (, later 'civilian') is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Christianity, Judaism, and Samaritanism. In the time of the ...

beliefs and 33

gnostic Gnosticism (from Ancient Greek: , romanized: ''gnōstikós'', Koine Greek: �nostiˈkos 'having knowledge') is a collection of religious ideas and systems that coalesced in the late 1st century AD among early Christian sects. These diverse g ...

Christian systems deemed

heretical Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, particularly the accepted beliefs or religious law of a religious organization. A heretic is a proponent of heresy. Heresy in Christianity, Judai ...

by the author/s and/or compiler/s, making it a major source of information on contemporary opponents of Christian orthodoxy as understood today. The first book, a synopsis of

Greek philosophy Ancient Greek philosophy arose in the 6th century BC. Philosophy was used to make sense of the world using reason. It dealt with a wide variety of subjects, including astronomy, epistemology, mathematics, political philosophy, ethics, metaphysic ...

, circulated separately in several manuscripts and was known as the ''Philosophoumena'' ( "philosophical teachings"), a title which some extend to the whole work. Books IV-X were recovered in 1842 in a manuscript at

Mount Athos Mount Athos (; ) is a mountain on the Athos peninsula in northeastern Greece directly on the Aegean Sea. It is an important center of Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox monasticism. The mountain and most of the Athos peninsula are governed ...

, while books II and III remain lost. The work was long attributed to the early Christian theologian

Origen Origen of Alexandria (), also known as Origen Adamantius, was an Early Christianity, early Christian scholar, Asceticism#Christianity, ascetic, and Christian theology, theologian who was born and spent the first half of his career in Early cent ...

This work is divided into ten books, 8 of which have survived more or less intact. Books II and III, however, have not been unearthed, and their contents remain the subject of conjecture Book I offers a summary of the thought of various ancient Greek philosophers. Catherine Osborne identifies Book I as being an important source of information on

Pre-Socratic Philosophy Pre-Socratic philosophy, also known as early Greek philosophy, is ancient Greek philosophy before Socrates. Pre-Socratic philosophers were mostly interested in cosmology, the beginning and the substance of the universe, but the inquiries of the ...

. The most extensive treatment is given to the works of

Pythagoras Pythagoras of Samos (; BC) was an ancient Ionian Greek philosopher, polymath, and the eponymous founder of Pythagoreanism. His political and religious teachings were well known in Magna Graecia and influenced the philosophies of P ...

Plato Plato ( ; Greek language, Greek: , ; born BC, died 348/347 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher of the Classical Greece, Classical period who is considered a foundational thinker in Western philosophy and an innovator of the writte ...

, and

Aristotle Aristotle (; 384–322 BC) was an Ancient Greek philosophy, Ancient Greek philosopher and polymath. His writings cover a broad range of subjects spanning the natural sciences, philosophy, linguistics, economics, politics, psychology, a ...

. An outline of the philosophies of the

Brahmins Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...

of India, Zamolxis of

Thrace Thrace (, ; ; ; ) is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe roughly corresponding to the province of Thrace in the Roman Empire. Bounded by the Balkan Mountains to the north, the Aegean Sea to the south, and the Black Se ...

and the

Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foot ...

druids A druid was a member of the high-ranking priestly class in ancient Celtic cultures. The druids were religious leaders as well as legal authorities, adjudicators, lorekeepers, medical professionals and political advisors. Druids left no wr ...

and also of the mythological poetry of

Hesiod Hesiod ( or ; ''Hēsíodos''; ) was an ancient Greece, Greek poet generally thought to have been active between 750 and 650 BC, around the same time as Homer.M. L. West, ''Hesiod: Theogony'', Oxford University Press (1966), p. 40.Jasper Gr ...

is given here. Book IV details and seeks to refute the various beliefs and practices of various diviners and magicians, ''i.e.'', the Chaldeans, the Metoposcopists, the Magicians, and those who practice divination by astronomy. This book closed with a perceived explanation of the connection between the

Gnostic Gnosticism (from Ancient Greek: , romanized: ''gnōstikós'', Koine Greek: �nostiˈkos 'having knowledge') is a collection of religious ideas and systems that coalesced in the late 1st century AD among early Christian sects. These diverse g ...

heresies of

Valentinus Valentinus is a Roman masculine given name derived from the Latin word "valens" meaning "healthy, strong". It may refer to: People Churchmen *Pope Valentine (died 827) *Saint Valentine, 3rd century Christian saint *Valentinus (Gnostic) (died c. 1 ...

and

Simon Magus Simon Magus (Greek Σίμων ὁ μάγος, Latin: Simon Magus), also known as Simon the Sorcerer or Simon the Magician, was a religious figure whose confrontation with Peter is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. The act of simony, or payi ...

and certain ideas ascribed to Pythagoras, thus linking discussion of Greek philosophy in Book I with later arguments against Gnosticism. Book V concerns itself with the Ophite heresies. The author in particular identifies the

Naassenes The Naassenes (Greek ''Naasseni,'' possibly from Hebrew נָחָשׁ ''naḥaš'', snake) were a Christian Gnosticism, Christian Gnostic sect known only through the accounts in the books known as the ''Philosophumena'' or the ''Refutation of all H ...

, the Peratae, the

Sethians The Sethians (Greek: Σηθιανοί) were one of the main currents of Gnosticism during the 2nd and 3rd century AD, along with Valentinianism and Basilideanism. According to John D. Turner, it originated in the 2nd century AD as a fusion of ...

, and the beliefs of a heretic, Justinus. The Ophite error is identified as being rooted in the philosophy of the ancients. In Chapter 2 of this book, the author accuses the Naassenes of (a) believing that the pagan god

Attis Attis (; , also , , ) was the consort of Cybele, in Phrygian and Greek mythology. His priests were eunuchs, the '' Galli'', as explained by origin myths pertaining to Attis castrating himself. Attis was also a Phrygian vegetation deity. Hi ...

"has been emasculated, that is, he has passed over from the earthly parts of the nether world to the everlasting substance above, where...there is neither female nor male, but a new creature, a new man, which is hermaphrodite" rans. J. H. McMahon and (b) of conflating Jesus and Attis based on the

Gospel of Thomas The Gospel of Thomas (also known as the Coptic Gospel of Thomas) is a non-canonical Logia, sayings gospel. It was discovered near Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in 1945 among a group of books known as the Nag Hammadi library. Scholars speculate the works ...

and the Greek Gospel of the Egyptians. In Book VI, the attack begun at the end of Book IV against Simon Magus and Valentinus resumes. The author sketches out their ideas, again affirming the source of their error to be the teaching of Pythagoras. The remainder of this book discusses the heresies of Valentinus' supposed followers. Book VII challenges the teachings of such heretics as

Basilides Basilides ( Greek: Βασιλείδης) was an early Christian Gnostic religious teacher in Alexandria, Egypt who taught from 117 to 138 AD, notes that to prove that the heretical sects were "later than the catholic Church," Clement of Alexandr ...

and his disciple Saturnilus,

Marcion of Sinope Marcion of Sinope (; ; ) was a theologian in early Christianity. Marcion preached that God had sent Jesus Christ, who was distinct from the "vengeful" God ( Demiurge) who had created the world. He considered himself a follower of Paul the Apost ...

, and Carpocrates of Alexandria, among others. These heresiarchs all held varying opinions on the God of the

Old Testament The Old Testament (OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew and occasionally Aramaic writings by the Isr ...

, from Saturnilus, who are stated as believing that "the God of the Jews is one of the angels", directly opposed by Christ, to Carpocrates who asserted that the Father was for the most part aloof from physical creation, which had been formed by his angels. A discussion of the heretical Docetae begins Book VIII. Who exactly the Docetae were is unclear, though the author seems to make a distinction between this group and others who considered Jesus to exist merely in appearance, the latter being the doctrine to which the term "

Docetism In the history of Christianity, docetism (from the ''dokeĩn'' "to seem", ''dókēsis'' "apparition, phantom") was the doctrine that the phenomenon of Jesus, his historical and bodily existence, and above all the human form of Jesus, was mere s ...

" is now affixed. This heresy is associated with a misinterpretation of the

Parable of the Sower The Parable of the Sower (sometimes called the Parable of the Soils) is a Parables of Jesus, parable of Jesus found in , , and the apocrypha, extra-canonical Gospel of Thomas. Jesus tells of a farmer who sows seed indiscriminately. Some seed ...

Matthew's Gospel The Gospel of Matthew is the first book of the New Testament of the Bible and one of the three synoptic Gospels. It tells the story of who the author believes is Israel's messiah ( Christ), Jesus, his resurrection, and his mission to the ...

and a belief that Christ's soul was separated from his body at his

Crucifixion Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the condemned is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross, beam or stake and left to hang until eventual death. It was used as a punishment by the Achaemenid Empire, Persians, Ancient Carthag ...

. The author proceeds to explain and argue against the Gnostics Monoimus,

Tatian Tatian of Adiabene, or Tatian the Syrian or Tatian the Assyrian, (; ; ; ; – ) was an Assyrian Christian writer and theologian of the 2nd century. Tatian's most influential work is the Diatessaron, a Biblical paraphrase, or "harmony", of the ...

, and Hermogenes, before digressing from the Gnostic theme to refute the practices of the Quartodecimans. He likewise condemns the "Phrygians", ''i.e.'', the followers of Montanus and the Gnostic heresy of the

Encratites The Encratites ("self-controlled") were an ascetic 2nd-century sect of Christians who forbade marriage and counselled abstinence from meat. Eusebius says that Tatian was the author of this heresy. It has been supposed that it was these Gnostic En ...

. Book IX begins with a refutation of the heresy of

Noetus Noetus () was a presbyter of the church of Asia Minor about AD 230. He was a native of Smyrna, where (or perhaps in Ephesus) he became a prominent representative of the particular type of Christology now called modalistic monarchianism or patripass ...

. This particular 'error' is said to implicate the now-canonised popes

Zephyrinus Zephyrinus is a Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the ...

and Callixtus I. This theme of conflict with the papacy is expanded upon in the second chapter of Book IX, which deals in particular with the errors of Pope Callixtus, whom is identified as a "sorcerer". The author then attacks the

Elcesaites The Elcesaites, Elkasaites, Elkesaites or Elchasaites were an ancient Jewish Christian sect in Lower Mesopotamia, then the province of Asoristan in the Sasanian Empire that was active between 100 and 400 CE. The members of this sect, which origi ...

, who he says had a different baptismal practice than that of orthodox Christians. Book IX concludes with a summary of the "heresy" of the

Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

, who are divided into

Pharisees The Pharisees (; ) were a Jews, Jewish social movement and school of thought in the Levant during the time of Second Temple Judaism. Following the Siege of Jerusalem (AD 70), destruction of the Second Temple in 70 AD, Pharisaic beliefs became ...

Sadducees The Sadducees (; ) were a sect of Jews active in Judea during the Second Temple period, from the second century BCE to the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. The Sadducees are described in contemporary literary sources in contrast to ...

, and

Essenes The Essenes (; Hebrew: , ''ʾĪssīyīm''; Greek: Ἐσσηνοί, Ἐσσαῖοι, or Ὀσσαῖοι, ''Essenoi, Essaioi, Ossaioi'') or Essenians were a mystic Jewish sect during the Second Temple period that flourished from the 2nd cent ...

. Book X concludes the work with a summary of what has written throughout.

Legacy

The ''Refutation'' has been a significant source for contemporary scholars on various subjects since its discovery. The compendious breadth of the ''Refutation'' illuminates for the reader not only various Gnostic beliefs, but is also a source of "valuable information on the thinking of the Presocratics." The text is also an important source of Pythagorean and Neopythagorean teachings, which are frequently related to the heresies described therein.Johan C. Thom, "'Don't walk on the highways': The Pythagorean akousmata and early Christian literature." ''Journal of Biblical Literature'' 113, no. 1 (Spring 1994): 93.

Notes

Bibliography

* Miroslav Marcovich, (ed.), ''Refutatio Omnium Haeresium'', Berlin, Walter de Gruyter, 1986 (critical edition of the Greek text). * ''Refutation of All Heresies'', translated with an Introduction and notes by M. David Litwa, Atlanta, SBL Press, 2016. *''Réfutation de de toutes les hérésies'', intr. and transl. by Hans van Kasteel, Grez-Doiceau, Beya, 2019.

External links

Online text (English)Refutation of all Heresies
English from archive {{Authority control 3rd-century books Christian anti-Gnosticism 3rd-century Christian texts Athos manuscripts Early Christianity and Gnosticism Works by Hippolytus of Rome Elcesaites Ancient Greek philosophical literature

Contents

Legacy

Notes

Bibliography

External links