It’s a great question because the word heresy sometimes is thrown around by people.
Some people use the word heresy simply to mean any error or a fairly serious error in theology. But classically the word heresy was used to describe those theological errors so serious that it would deprive one of salvation. I think we ought to be using heresy more in that sense.
Error is error. Error can be serious. Error can be small. Error is always bad, and to be avoided. But there are some errors that are so huge that they really are cutting us off from God, because we have so misunderstood Him and His truth. And that’s what heresy classically was used for in the church.
This transcript is from a live Ask Ligonier event with W. Robert Godfrey and has been lightly edited for readability. To ask Ligonier a biblical or theological question, email ask@ligonier.org or message us on Facebook or Twitter.
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W. Robert Godfrey
Dr. W. Robert Godfrey is a Ligonier Ministries teaching fellow and chairman of Ligonier Ministries. He is president emeritus and professor emeritus of church history at Westminster Seminary California. He is the featured teacher for many Ligonier teaching series, including the six-part series A Survey of Church History. He is author of many books, including God’s Pattern for Creation, Reformation Sketches, and An Unexpected Journey.
General Theology
Resources about frameworks for understanding the nature and works of God, including: covenant theology, differing theological views, historical theology, philosophical theology, and systematic theology.
