heresy
Forbidden religious dissent
Heresy is belief or opinion that contradicts established doctrine, especially religious orthodoxy.
The word carries weight in contexts where official truth exists and deviation is punishable: The church condemned his teachings as heresy.
More loosely, heresy describes any rejection of accepted wisdom: Suggesting the team should trade him is heresy around here.
A heretic holds such views.
Renunciation of former beliefs
- schismFormal organizational fracture
- sectarianismPrejudiced loyalty to subgroups
- blasphemyIrreverence toward the sacred
- sacrilegeViolation of the hallowed
impiety · infidelity · paganism · idolatry · irreligion · profanation · defection · excommunication
Unorthodox belief or opinion
- unorthodoxyDeparture from accepted belief
- dissentDisagreement with authority
- nonconformityRejection of prevailing norms
- freethoughtReason-based belief formation
iconoclasm · deviance · skepticism · contrarianism · revisionism · Gnosticism · dualism
Sustained, probing investigation
- witch-huntPersecution of supposed subversives
- auto-da-féInquisition execution ritual
- excommunicationFormal barring from sacraments
- tortureDeliberate infliction of suffering
martyrdom · tribunal · denunciation · condemnation · trial · stake · pyre · interrogation
Disagreement with authority
- contrarianismOpposing prevailing views systematically
- unorthodoxyDeparture from accepted belief
- iconoclasmAttacking revered traditions
- questioningSeeking answers through inquiry
challenge · subversion · rebellion · radical · maverick · freethinker · provocateur · gadfly
Cultural or social prohibition
- ostracismBanishment from a group
- shunningDeliberately avoiding someone
- stigmaMark of dishonor
- pariahRejected, shunned person
outcast · forbidden · censure · scandalous · untouchable · blacklisting · exile · scapegoating
apostasy
Renunciation of former beliefs
- schismFormal organizational fracture
- sectarianismPrejudiced loyalty to subgroups
- blasphemyIrreverence toward the sacred
sacrilege · impiety · infidelity · paganism · idolatry · irreligion · profanation · defection · excommunication · anathema
heterodoxy
Unorthodox belief or opinion
- unorthodoxyDeparture from accepted belief
- dissentDisagreement with authority
- nonconformityRejection of prevailing norms
freethought · iconoclasm · deviance · skepticism · contrarianism · revisionism · Gnosticism · dualism
inquisition
Sustained, probing investigation
- witch-huntPersecution of supposed subversives
- auto-da-féInquisition execution ritual
- excommunicationFormal barring from sacraments
torture · martyrdom · tribunal · denunciation · condemnation · trial · stake · pyre · interrogation · confession
dissent
Disagreement with authority
- contrarianismOpposing prevailing views systematically
- unorthodoxyDeparture from accepted belief
- iconoclasmAttacking revered traditions
questioning · challenge · subversion · rebellion · radical · maverick · freethinker · provocateur · gadfly · disruptor
taboo
Cultural or social prohibition
pariah · outcast · forbidden · censure · scandalous · untouchable · blacklisting · exile · scapegoating · marginalization
- heresiesGnosticism, Monophysitism, Bogomilism, unorthodoxy, heterodoxy
- historical crimestreason, blasphemy, witchcraft, piracy, arson
- religious strugglesdoubt, backsliding, temptation, trials, tribulation
- theologyecclesiology, eschatology, Christology, God, dogmatics
- church offensesapostasy, schism, blasphemy, sacrilege, simony
- forbidden actsblasphemy, idolatry, sacrilege, adultery, incest
heresyorthodoxy
Adherence to accepted beliefs
true faith · dogma · doctrine · gospel · catholicity
heresyorthodoxy
Adherence to accepted beliefs
conformity · conventionality · received wisdom · consensus · convention
- heresy trialProsecution for religious dissent