construction of orthodoxy and heresy, The

Book Description

In this groundbreaking comparative study, John B. Henderson examines how religious authorities across diverse traditions have shaped the boundaries between accepted truth and forbidden error. Drawing from Neo-Confucianism, Sunni Islam, rabbinic Judaism, and early Christianity, this scholarly exploration reveals the surprisingly similar methods these traditions employed to establish orthodoxy while identifying and combating heresy.

Henderson demonstrates that despite their vastly different theological foundations, these religious systems relied on remarkably consistent strategies to maintain doctrinal authority. The book illuminates how religious leaders wielded these tools to gain decisive advantages in theological disputes, ultimately determining which interpretations would be preserved as orthodox teaching and which would be condemned as dangerous deviation.

What makes this work particularly relevant for contemporary readers is Henderson's insight that these ancient patterns persist today. The same mechanisms that once distinguished religious truth from error now appear in modern ideological debates and social studies of deviance. By understanding these historical processes, readers gain valuable perspective on how authority structures operate across cultures and centuries.

This cross-cultural analysis offers readers a unique lens for examining how spiritual communities define themselves through both inclusion and exclusion. For those interested in religious history, comparative spirituality, or the dynamics of belief systems, Henderson's work provides essential insights into the universal human tendency to establish and defend sacred boundaries.