What is docetism?
Q: What is docetism?
A: Docetism is an early Christian teaching that asserts that Jesus Christ only appeared to have a human body.
Q: Why is docetism considered a heresy by most Christian theologians today?
A: Docetism is considered a heresy because it denies the incarnation of Jesus Christ, which is a central doctrine of Christianity.
Q: What was the view of early Gnostics on matter?
A: Early Gnostics believed that all matter was unclean.
Q: Why did early Gnostics believe Christ could not have had a physical body?
A: Early Gnostics believed that, given their view on unclean matter, Christ could not have had a physical body as he was seen as the eternal Logos.
Q: What is the origin of the term "docetism"?
A: The term "docetism" comes from the Greek word "dokein," meaning "to seem."
Q: Was docetism and Gnosticism always believed to have developed together?
A: For a long time, it was believed that docetism and Gnosticism developed together. However, this is not the case as there are some Gnostic systems that are not docetic, as well as some docetic systems that are not gnostic.
Q: Did the teachings of Plato have any influence on the development of docetism?
A: It is unclear where docetism originated from, but one theory is that it was influenced by the teachings of Plato, who taught that matter was inferior and only ideas mattered.
