My understanding is that sectarian divisions, AKA heresy, has been part of Christian history since the beginning, that is, the first and second century, CE (e.g., Ebionites, Gnostics, Marcionites, Docetae, Donatists, Paulicans, Arians, Manichae, all before the fourth century, and Albigensians, Bogomils, Cathars and Waldenses in the Middle Ages, to name but a few).I'm looking at an Enclopedia Brittanica article on "Heresy", which states, and I am sure you'll agree with this, that the development of the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian creeds are attempts to deal with divergences in dogma.
And I suggest that liberals, too, believe that they are the defenders and promoters of human values worthy of conservation. |
