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Apostasy vs Heresy - What's the difference?

apostasy | heresy |

As nouns the difference between apostasy and heresy

is that apostasy is the renunciation of a belief or set of beliefs while heresy is a doctrine held by a member of a religion at variance with established religious beliefs, especially dissension from Roman Catholic dogma.

apostasy

English

Noun

(apostasies)
  • The renunciation of a belief or set of beliefs.
  • * 1871 , James Anthony Froude, History of England from the Fall of Wolsey to the Death of Elizabeth , page 394
  • The King of Navarre suddenly abandoned his party and went over to the Catholics. The explanation of his apostasy was as simple as it was base: Navarre had no confidence in the success of his cause, and he cared little in his heart for anything but women and vanity.
  • *1886 , , The Princess Casamassima .
  • *:What had he said, what had he done, after all, to give them the right to fasten on him the charge of apostasy ? He had always been a free critic of everything, and it was natural that, on certain occasions, in the little parlour in Lisson Grove, he should have spoken in accordance with that freedom; but it was only with the Princess that he had permitted himself really to rail at the democracy and given the full measure of his scepticism.
  • Specifically, the renunciation of one's religion or faith.
  • Synonyms

    * (renunciation of religion or faith) backsliding, conversion, deconversion * (renunciation of a set of beliefs) defection, disaffection, estrangement

    See also

    * deconvert * thoughtcrime

    heresy

    English

    (wikipedia heresy)

    Alternative forms

    *

    Noun

    (heresies)
  • (religion) A doctrine held by a member of a religion at variance with established religious beliefs, especially dissension from Roman Catholic dogma.
  • * 1968 , History of Western Civilization, edited by Heyes, Baldwin & Cole, p.47. Macmillan. Library of Congress 67–13596
  • Heresy meant deliberate departure from the accepted doctrines of the church. It was intellectual and spiritual dissent and concerned the beliefs of Christianity, not the morals of its adherents.
  • A controversial or unorthodox opinion held by a member of a group, as in politics, philosophy or science.
  • See also

    * schism * Arianism * monophysism * Nestorianism * Pelagianism

    References