Definition

1. Noun:
   • A Christian heresy of the 2nd and 3rd centuries: Marcionism was a theological doctrine that rejected the authority of the Old Testament and the Hebrew God portrayed within it.
   • A denial of the incarnation: Marcionism taught that the God of Jesus Christ was entirely separate from and superior to the creator God of the Old Testament, and it denied that Jesus was truly incarnate as a physical human being.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The early church fathers wrote extensively against the threat of Marcionism.
  • Marcionism was condemned for its radical separation of the law of the Old Testament from the grace of the New Testament.

Advanced Usage

• In theological discourse: The term is used to describe any belief system that posits a fundamental opposition between the God of justice (Old Testament) and the God of love (New Testament).
  • Some scholars see echoes of Marcionism in modern movements that dismiss the Old Testament as irrelevant.

Variants and Related Words

• Marcionite (noun): A follower of Marcion or adherent of Marcionism.
  • The Marcionites established their own distinct communities and scriptures.
• Marcionite (adjective): Pertaining to Marcion or Marcionism.
  • Marcionite teachings posed a significant challenge to early Christian orthodoxy.

Synonyms

• Heresy (in this specific context): A belief or doctrine that deviates from established religious orthodoxy, specifically the 2nd/3rd-century teachings of Marcion.
• Doctrinal deviation: A departure from accepted Christian doctrine, characterized by the rejection of the Old Testament and a docetic view of Christ.

Related Concepts

• Docetism: The heretical belief that Jesus only seemed to have a physical body and suffer, which is a component of Marcionist Christology.
• Gnosticism: A broader category of early Christian heresies emphasizing secret knowledge and the evil nature of the material world, with which Marcionism is often associated.

Noun

1. the Christian heresy of the 2nd and 3rd centuries that rejected the Old Testament and denied the incarnation of God in Jesus as a human