H — Herbivore to Heretification (Part 6 of 6)

3. (Law) An offense against Christianity, consisting in a denial of some essential doctrine, which denial is publicly avowed, and obstinately maintained.

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.

"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.

Heretic
(Her"e*tic) n. [L. haereticus, Gr. able to choose, heretical, fr. to take, choose: cf. F. hérétique. See Heresy.]

1. One who holds to a heresy; one who believes some doctrine contrary to the established faith or prevailing religion.

A man that is an heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject.

2. (R. C. Ch.) One who having made a profession of Christian belief, deliberately and pertinaciously refuses to believe one or more of the articles of faith "determined by the authority of the universal church." Addis & Arnold.

Syn. — Heretic, Schismatic, Sectarian. A heretic is one whose errors are doctrinal, and usually of a malignant character, tending to subvert the true faith. A schismatic is one who creates a schism, or division in the church, on points of faith, discipline, practice, etc., usually for the sake of personal aggrandizement. A sectarian is one who originates or is an ardent adherent and advocate of a sect, or distinct organization, which separates from the main body of believers.

Heretical
(He*ret"i*cal) a. Containing heresy; of the nature of, or characterized by, heresy.

Heretically
(He*ret"i*cal*ly), adv. In an heretical manner.

Hereticate
(He*ret"i*cate) v. t. [LL. haereticatus, p. p. of haereticare.] To decide to be heresy or a heretic; to denounce as a heretic or heretical. Bp. Hall.

And let no one be minded, on the score of my neoterism, to hereticate me.

Heretification
(He*ret`i*fi*ca"tion) n. The act of hereticating or pronouncing heretical. London Times.