Hérésie

Hérésie refers to beliefs or opinions that deviate from the accepted or orthodox doctrine of a religious community, especially as defined by its authorities. The term comes from Latin haeresis, itself from Greek hairesis meaning “a choice” or “a sect”; in French it acquired the specific sense of doctrinal deviation.

In Christianity, heresy is traditionally understood as a post-baptismal denial or alteration of core dogmas, judged by ecclesiastical authorities. The distinction between heresy and schism is that the former concerns incorrect belief, while the latter concerns separation from the church. Early Christian centuries saw rival interpretations condemned by ecumenical councils, leading to creeds such as the Nicene Creed. From late antiquity through the Middle Ages, authorities and rulers sometimes used coercion to suppress heresy, including excommunication, imprisonment, or, in certain jurisdictions, capital punishment. The Reformation intensified disputes over orthodoxy and produced new confessional families. In modern times, many churches emphasize conscience and doctrinal plurality; the term “heresy” is less central in everyday use but remains a historical descriptor for ideas deemed to threaten communal unity.

Outside Christianity, concepts of deviation from doctrinal norms exist in Islam (bid’ah, or innovation) and Judaism (various classifications of heretical belief). These terms reflect different criteria for legitimating belief and authority. In scholarship, heresiography studies historical heresies and the social processes by which communities define orthodoxy. In contemporary discourse, the label can be used more broadly to describe unorthodox ideas in secular or political contexts, though such usage can be polemical.