Nineteenth-century theologian Friedrich Schleiermacher defined it as 'that which preserved the appearance of Christianity, and yet contradicted its essence'. Heresy is understood today to mean the denial of revealed truth as taught by the Church. A similar overlapping occurred in medieval scholasticism. In the first two or three centuries of the early Church, heresy and schism were not clearly distinguished. Heresy has been a concern in Christian communities at least since the writing of the Second Epistle of Peter: 'even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them' ( 2 Peter 2:1). This list is incomplete you can help by adding missing items.
