heterodoxy

Heterodoxy refers to beliefs or practices that depart from the established or officially sanctioned doctrine within a religion, ideology, or intellectual tradition. The term derives from Greek heterodoxos, meaning “having a different opinion” or “other than the accepted norm.”

Used across contexts, heterodoxy indicates dissent or deviation that is not necessarily heresy. It can describe ideas contained within a broader tradition but outside its orthodoxy. In religious settings, heterodox opinions are those not accepted as the creed but are often debated, tolerated, or contested; in secular thought, it designates nonconformist currents that challenge mainstream theories.

Relationship to orthodoxy and heresy: Orthodoxy denotes officially sanctioned doctrine; heresy implies a culpable or formal denial of core tenets and is often subject to sanction. Heterodoxy sits between, encompassing a range of nonconforming beliefs that may be controversial yet not necessarily condemned as heretical.

Historical note: what counts as heterodox has varied by tradition and era. Some heterodox views have influenced reform and later orthodoxy, while others remain outside the mainstream. In contemporary usage, the term appears in theology, philosophy, and social sciences, including labels such as heterodox economics to describe dissenting approaches to mainstream theories.