Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

Originally heresy was any “taking of anything, and particularly the taking of an opinion,” independently of whether the opinion was true or false (HH, p. 387). The term “heresy” was applied to “different sects of the old philosophers, Academicians, Peripatetics, Epicureans, Stoics.” Hobbes's mentioning “Peripatetics,” that is, Aristotelians, here suggests either that being a heretic is not inherently bad or that many of his enemies are heretics (B, p. 9; DCL, pp. 98–9; OL 3:540, 550). In one place, Hobbes denies that heresy in itself denotes something good or bad, true or false, legal or illegal (OL 3:540; cf. 552). A heretic is a person who teaches her own private opinion (L 11.19). “Heretic” did not become a term of abuse until the Christian church used it that way even though Christianity itself was originally called heresy (OL 3:541).Within Christianity, “heresy” is “a sinful opposition” to a religious authority. Thus, heresy is to religion as rebellion is to secular authority (B. p. 9). According to Hobbes, it is important for heresy to be specified in a law, because the Bible is difficult to understand and a person may unintentionally come up with the wrong interpretation of it. To make a mistake should not in itself be a crime (OL 3:547). For something to be a crime and worthy of punishment, it needs to threaten the civil government.Heresy originally entered the church when ... log in or subscribe to read full text