The Great Heresies

Great Heresies is possibly the greatest book written by Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953), the famous Catholic historian, for here the author, calling upon his vast knowledge

of history, outlines in simple terms for his readers, not only the meaning and influence of heresy against the Catholic Church, but the impact on the entire world of five of the greatest heresies of all time: Arianism, Mohammedanism (Islam), Albigensianism, Protestantism and (what for a better word he calls) the "Modern Attack:'

 

He conjectures that these five differing attacks contain perhaps all the principal thrusts against the Church that are possible. In the process, he discusses in full the impact of each upon Catholic orthodoxy-showing how the world would have been vastly different had Arianism or Albigensianism survived and not been snuffed out by the Church, and how it is vastly different because Protestantism has survived, even though it is now, as he says, "doctrinally dead." Writing in 1938, he predicted, for two solid historical reasons, the re-emergence of Islam-which we in our day have witnessed. But most importantly, he analyzes the "Modern Attack" (which in his heart he wants to call "Anti-Christ"),showing how this heresy, though remaining largely nameless, nonetheless represents the worst threat ever to the Catholic Church because it is waging a fight to the death-in which there will be no quarter and in which the enemies of God and His Holy Religion intend to leave no influence of the Church intact, in any area of man's life.

 

The Great Heresies is an economically written, precisely worded, profoundly insightful book that will reward the reader with an accurate appreciation for the direction of history-as we are living it today-that is far, far beyond what the modest size of this little book might suggest!

Hilaire Belloc –historian, poet, and apologist extraordinaire—died as one of the twentieth century's premier writers. With his encyclopedic knowledge of European history, Belloc emerged as an expert in Christian antiquity. In “The Great Heresies” (TAN books, paperback, 161 pages)—his greatest book, according to many—Belloc focuses his wisdom on the five greatest threats to the Christian Faith over the past two thousand years.

Belloc's book begins by defining a heresy as a single distortion of a complete scheme; a heresy always involves the twisting of one legitimate doctrine while maintaining all the rest. before diving into the individual heresies, he begins with an exploration of heresy's general operation and effects. This introduction sets the stage for a wild romp through the gr Full Review...

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