July 21, 2004

Ought I not to believe this? Circumcellions, Antinomians, Adamites, Beguines, and other garden-variety heretics.
posted by babywannasofa 20 years ago
  • [This is good] I love the wierd and often wonderful offshoots of mainstream Christianity (and, for that matter, other faiths). It's a pity that so many of them end up with torture and massacres.
  • The variety and absurdity of heresies and the concept thereof is a recurring theme in Umberto Eco's recent novel Baudolino. (It's also a fantastic read, featuring hilarious mediaeval-alchemical debates on the nature of the Vacuum.) Incidentally, every Belgian city seems to have a "Begijnhof"/"Beguinage" - Leuven's Begijnhof is worth a visit, by the way - but I didn't realise that Beguines were seen as heretics.
  • [heretical banana] Here, have yerself a bag of Gnostic sects and all. I agree with rodgerd - heresies are often so much more interesting than the religion(s) which spawn them. Kind of like the experimental drill'n'bass side project of a well known soft-rock band. Or something. Also, it's funny when Hollywood celebrities start adopting ersatz versions of them. I've five quid on Orlando Bloom becoming a Waldensian by 2007.
  • Heresy: tastes great, less filling!
  • This made me laugh: The Circumcellions eventually suffered the same fate that befalls most suicide cults -- it died out due to excessive death. Excellent post.
  • Access to the first link on Circumcellions was barred by my workplace filtering software... Not all heresies are loony, of course - Pelagianism and Arianism seem more sensible than the orthodox view to me. Arianism seems to appeal to scientists - both Boyle (openly) and Newton (covertly) were convinced Arians. Nice post, anyway.
  • The Circumcellions eventually suffered the same fate that befalls most suicide cults -- it died out due to excessive death. This seems like a case study for viral memes. The meme survived well as long as there were credulous Donatists to feed on. Once Donanists ceased to exist the Circumcellions waned until the cult disappeared.
  • Looks like a great read. I'm too tired tonight, but tomorrow after work, I'll be on it!