Book Review: The Gospel according to Heretics: Discovering Orthodoxy through Early Christological Conflicts

Abstract

The Gospel according to Heretics: Discovering Orthodoxy through Early Christological Conflicts. By David E. Wilhite. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2015. xii + 290 pp. $22.99 (paper).Sabellianism, Nestorianism, Eutychianism, Pneumatomachianism, Apollinarianism. The names of these ancient heresies may be familiar to average seminarian or student of theology, but it is far less likely that this same student could identify their distinctive doctrines or theological relevance. Furthermore, those who are aware of convoluted history and political struggles involved in orthodox triumph over these heresies might be inclined to concur with Edward Gibbons famous critique of debates between various parties in Nicene controversy as furious contests waged over the difference of a single diphthong. Yet early Christian heresies do indeed have something to teach us, and in this book David Wilhite seeks to show just what that is.The book has two principal goals. First, it seeks to provide a historically balanced introduction to a variety of ancient Christological heresies spanning second to eighth centuries, and it must be said that Wilhite has achieved this goal with great success. The study of heretics is a notoriously difficult task, because so much of evidence for their teaching must be gleaned from biased and frequently unsympathetic writings of their opponents. Wilhite acknowledges this and prioritizes as much as possible extant writings of heretics he studies. At same time, while he reads orthodox accounts of heretics through a critical hermeneutic of suspicion (p. 6), he does not allow this critical stance to undermine usefulness of orthodox critiques in reconstructing beliefs of their opponents. Also, while book is clearly intended for non-specialists, Wilhites footnotes show that he has kept abreast of most recent scholarship and that he has synthesized insights of this scholarship in his presentation of heresies. Finally, those looking to use book in a class setting will be delighted with its user-friendly formatting. It is divided into ten chapters, each devoted to a single heresy, and each chapter includes helpful summaries and suggestions for further reading.The second goal, observable in title, is to offer a greater understanding of orthodox theology by way of investigating its alternative: gospel according to heretics. …