Customer Reviews

Dissent from the Creed: Heresies Past and Present

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This is one of the most useful books to have crossed my desk in months. Rev. Richard Hogan examines the heresies which have beset the Church from the Ascension to the present.

This book is a historical goldmine, shedding light on such heresies as Gnosticism, Arianism, Nestorianism, Luther and the Reformers, and even modern crisis in the Church.

A thorough reading of this book will show the reader that there really is no such thing as a new heresy. There isn't a heresy that hasn't already been dealt with in the Church's 2,000-year history.

One comes away from this book with a deep appreciation for a Church that has withstood the tests of time.

I highly recommend this book for all students of the Church. It pulls together all of the false religious teachings that the Church has survived into one place.

A very thorough book on the many heresies that have been produced in the last 2000 years of Christianity. Detailed and informative enough to give you a good perspective on what was happening but not so "heady" that normal people can't understand it. The end of each chapter has a brief summary of the heresy and what it consisted of which is a really nice way to wrap it up.

Fr. Hogan uses the Nicene Creed in order to show that the heresies within Catholicism all have dealt with some distortion of just who God is. This book is very readable and incredibly informative. When applicaple Fr. Hogan ties the past into the present. There is also a great presentation of the thought of Pope John Paul II toward the end of the book.

It's not an exhaustive look at every heresy that ever appeared in the Church, but it is a pretty thorough listing. Each heresy is given anywhere from 3-10 pages, some heretics (such as Luther) receiving longer treatment, some (such as Marcion) receiving less exposure.

There is nothing new under the sun, so the Scriptures say, and this book proves it. No heresy is original, and after reading this book, you'll see what I mean. Was Luther original? Not really. You can see bits and pieces of his theology finding their inception in Marcion, or Nestorius, etc. The key to avoiding the repetition of these heresies is being aware of their original appearance in history, the arguments for them, and how the Church handled them.

'Dissent from the Creed' is an excellent resource that explains how heretical leaders and their groups had disregard for the orthodox position of the church throughout history. In doing a research work on Gnosticism, it helped in defining how groups like gnostics denied the full divinity and humanity of Christ. It defines these groups and how they historically came to be.(ie. gnostic, montanist, manicheism, arianism, pelagianism, etc....) The author's message is simple, these groups simply denied the creeds and councils of the church. The conclusion of part one affirms the Nicene Creed and Council of Chalcedon, to which I am in full agreement myself. The conclusion to part two also affirms the true nature of Christ and largely discusses iconoclasm, an internal church debate between the eastern and western churches. I might make the point that: the catholic church is viewed throughout the book to have existed and has no explanations concerning the early church, the rise of papacy, or the rule of the papacy. In historical chronological fashion; the author defines heresies, explains the council decisions, along with the catholic postions all throughout the rest of the book. He even upholds the position of the church that the reformists were heretical. The consistent strand throughout the book is the dissent from the authority of the church. Certainly, the early church had to fight heretical views concerning Christ....I am in total agreement! But, the progressing church began to make theological rulings to ensure not only theological correctness; but political power, which culminated in papal rule. The problem is not a 'dissent from the creed', so much as it is, 'a dissent from scripture.' Not only have heretics deviated from the orthodox church, but from scripture as well. Many of these book reviews have catholics arguing about a multitude of issues in this book, but most importantly the issue of salvation! It pains me to see that a once vibrant and theologically true church has deviated from the authority of Scripture itself. A reviewer is talking about church authority and 'No salvation apart from the church!' "Excuse me?" Is that what Scripture says?? What ever happened to no salvation apart from Christ? Does the Scripture teach that Christ is the Mediator of God and men?...or is it the Catholic Church or Pope? Read the Book of Hebrews! Anyway, this book is a good reference for this discussion and not only shows how heretics dissented from the creed, but how supposed orthodox christians have too!

Fr. Feeney is Not the Heretic but The "Hoganites" are.

Ex Cathedra: There is but one universal Church of the faithful, outside of which no one at all is saved. (Pope Innocent III, the Fourth Lateran Council, 1215)

Ex Cathedra: We declare, say, define, and pronounce that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff. (Pope Boniface VIII, the Bull Unam Sanctam)

A doctrine or dogma of the Church is a truth which has been revealed by God and must be believed by all Catholics.

When the Pope speaks Ex Cathedra, or "from the Chair" he has invoked his highest teaching authority. An Ex Cathedra pronouncement is a dogma that is absolutely immutable and unquestionable.

Saint Benedict Center has been insisting since its foundation over fifty years ago that all the evils plaguing the world today are the result of a weakness within the Catholic Church. And that weakness is precisely that our pastors are no longer preaching the NECESSITY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH FOR SALVATION.

Please read The Devil's Final Battle:

We are living in the most sinful era in history, worse than the days of Noah.

No one on this earth is exempt from the Chastisement about to befall us if the Catholic Church does not obey the Fatima Message very soon.

This does effect YOU, your life, your family, your freedom and your salvation NOW!

"In the Third Secret it is foretold, among other things, that the great Apostasy in the Church will begin at the top."

These are the very words of Cardinal Ciappi (personal Papal Theologian to Pope John Paul II). The result of "the great Apostasy" starting "at the top" is corruption of the clergy and the laity in doctrine, in morals and in liturgy.

Today, the Church is in great crisis. Its very leaders - priests, bishops, and even Cardinals - cause scandal within and without the Church; heretical statements are proclaimed and immorality practiced - such as HOMOSEXUALITY, pedophilia, abortion, contraceptives, and divorce, just to mention a few.

The fact that bad priests are a chastisement is testified to by St. John Eudes. We recall that he told us God will send bad priests when He is angry. God is very angry with His people because He is not only sending us bad priests, He also apparently sent us bad bishops and bad Cardinals too.

The Holy Father is telling us that one-third of the clergy (who are the stars of Heaven) have been dragged down by the devil and his co-workers - the Masons, communists, homosexual networks - and are now working for the devil himself; not for God, not for the Church of Christ, but for the devil.