The Church has been so harsh with heretics only because she deemed that there is no worse enemy than a child who has gone astray. But the record of Gnostic effronteries and the persistence of Manichean currents have contributed more to the construction of orthodox dogma than all the prayers.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The Church punished heretics harshly, but dissent helped shape orthodox dogma.
- In plain terms
- Church persecution created dogma but also strengthened opposing ideas.
- What can you take from it?
- Dissent often strengthens the system it challenges.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Does opposition strengthen belief?
- How does doctrine develop?
Another view
It generalizes complex theological debates into a single dynamic.
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