In the history of Christianity, docetism (from the Koinē Greek: δοκεῖν/δόκησιςdokeĩn "to seem", dókēsis "apparition, phantom"[1][2]) is the heretical doctrine that the phenomenon of Jesus, his historical and bodily existence, and above all the human form of Jesus, was mere semblance without any true reality.[3][4] Broadly it is taken as the belief that Jesus only seemed to be human, and that his human form was an illusion.
The word ΔοκηταίDokētaí ("Illusionists") referring to early groups who denied Jesus's humanity, first occurred in a letter by Bishop Serapion of Antioch (197–203),[5] who discovered the doctrine in the Gospel of Peter, during a pastoral visit to a Christian community using it in Rhosus, and later condemned it as a forgery.[6][7] It appears to have arisen over theological contentions concerning the meaning, figurative or literal, of a sentence from the Gospel of John: "the Word was made Flesh".[8]
Docetism was unequivocally rejected at the First Council of Nicaea in 325[9] and is regarded as heretical by the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, Armenian Apostolic Church, Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church,[10] and many Protestant denominations that accept and hold to the statements of these early church councils, such as Reformed Baptists, Reformed Christians, and all Trinitarian Christians.
^González 2005, pp. 46–47: "A term derived from the Greek dokein, to seem, or to appear."
^Strecker 2000, p. 438.
^Brox 1984, p. 306.
^Schneemelcher & Maurer 1994, p. 220.
^Breidenbaugh 2008, p. 179–81.
^Ehrman 2005, p. 16.
^Foster 2009, p. 79. Serapion first approved its use, and only reversed his opinion on returning to his bishopric in Antioch, after being informed of its contents. He wrote a "Concerning the So-Called Gospel of St Peter", which is alluded to in Eusebius's Church History VI 12.3–6.
concerned with a group that commingled Judaism and docetism. Others, however, doubt that there was actual docetism threatening the churches, arguing that he was...
knowledge of Jesus, than when others sin without it. In Christianity, docetism is the doctrine that the phenomenon of Jesus, his historical and bodily...
Decet Romanum Pontificem (from Latin: "It Befits the Roman Pontiff"; 1521) is the papal bull that excommunicated the German theologian Martin Luther; its...
"dokein" (δοκεῖν, "to seem"). This word is that from which the heresy of docetism (the heresy that the body of Jesus was merely a projected illusion) got...
investigated the incident. List of social fraternities and sororities Bononia Docet: "Bologna Teaches" (PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-06...
and the beginning of the period of the First seven Ecumenical Councils. Docetism (from the Greek δοκέω dokeō, "to seem") is the belief that Jesus' physical...
argued for a fully divine Jesus that was more like a spiritual apparition (docetism). The Chalcedonian doctrine that prevailed was that Jesus had a dual nature...
depict Christ as purely divine, his human body being a mere illusion (see Docetism). Gnostic sects saw Christ this way because they regarded matter as evil...
Nasaraeus Influenced by Apocalyptic literature Early Christianity Christology Docetism Paul and Gnosticism Merkabah mysticism Middle Platonism Philo Wisdom (personification)...
personally explains its true meaning in conversation. The work then propounds docetism: that the divine Christ was invulnerable and never suffered the pains of...
reactions were real; Christ was not an illusion or spirit (see the heresy of Docetism). Pope Leo the Great referred to this passage when he discussed the two...
Roma quanta fuit ipsa ruina docet is a Latin phrase which roughly translates to, "How great Rome was, its very ruins tell." The first known appearance...
1080/0031322032000185550. S2CID 144743081. Goeschel, Christian (2012). "Italia docet? The Relationship between Italian Fascism and Nazism Revisited". European...
in the flesh, and by their love. Second Epistle of John warns against docetism. Third Epistle of John encourage, strengthen and warn. Epistle of Jude...
Christian theology Diversity in early Christian theology Adoptionism Arianism Docetism Gnosticism Marcionism Montanism Early Christianity Proto-orthodox Christianity...
Son of God, but was adopted at his baptism, resurrection or ascension. Docetism – Jesus was pure spirit and his physical form an illusion. Before AD 313...
tua, aliena. Public, private; sacred, profane; thine, another's. Ratio docet, si adversa fortuna sit, nimium dolendum non esse; si secunda, moderate...
Incarnation and the death of Christ in the cross, and clearly opposed docetism. Polycarp outright denied the teachings of Marcion, claiming he was the...
Nasaraeus Influenced by Apocalyptic literature Early Christianity Christology Docetism Paul and Gnosticism Merkabah mysticism Middle Platonism Philo Wisdom (personification)...
itself and was a point of concern in early Christianity in the form of Docetism, as it opposed the notion that creation is good, as stated in The Book...
indivisibly united in one being with God the Father and the Holy Spirit) and docetism (the belief that Jesus only seemed to be human, and that his human form...
Christian theology Diversity in early Christian theology Adoptionism Arianism Docetism Gnosticism Marcionism Montanism Early Christianity Proto-orthodox Christianity...
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