Docetism

American  

[doh-see-tiz-uhm, doh-si-tiz-] / doʊˈsi tɪz əm, ˈdoʊ sɪˌtɪz- /

noun

1. an early Christian doctrine that the sufferings of Christ were apparent and not real and that after the crucifixion he appeared in a spiritual body.

2. Roman Catholic Church. an ancient heresy asserting that Jesus lacked full humanity.

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Docetism British  

/ ˈdəʊsɪˌtɪzəm /

noun

1. (in the early Christian Church) a heresy that the humanity of Christ, his sufferings, and his death were apparent rather than real

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Other Word Forms

• Docetic adjective
• Docetist noun

Etymology

Origin of Docetism

First recorded in 1840–50; Docet(ae) + -ism

Example Sentences

Obviously the tendency of Ephesian Christianity was to minimise the human characteristics of the historic Jesus, and to merge into Docetism.

From Landmarks in the History of Early Christianity by Lake, Kirsopp

If Ephesian Christianity had never come to Rome, and met its complement in the Adoptionists, it might, in spite of the Fourth Gospel, have degenerated into thorough-going Docetism, or have been represented only by Gnostics.

From Landmarks in the History of Early Christianity by Lake, Kirsopp

Docetism, originating in apostolic times, passed through many phases, to provide, at the end of the fourth century, in its most refined form, Apollinarianism, the immediate positive cause of monophysitism.

From Monophysitism Past and Present A Study in Christology by Luce, A. A. (Arthur Aston)

Docetism, with its phantom Christ, and Gnosticism with its antithesis of the just God and the good God, were not likely to satisfy mankind.

From The Conflict of Religions in the Early Roman Empire by Glover, T. R. (Terrot Reaveley)

As compared with this, Docetism in Origen's case appears throughout in a weakened form; see Bigg, p.

From History of Dogma, Volume 2 (of 7) by Buchanan, Neil