| People | Comment |
| Arianism | An interpretation of christianity viewing Jesus Christ as a mere mortal human. The confession was named after Arius, some time a priest at Alexandria, originating from Antioch. Arianism was condemned as a heresy at the Nicene Council (325). Bishop Eusebius of Nicomedia sheltered the exiled Arius and advocated a moderate Arianism; under his influence, Emperor Constantius (337-361) became an Arian. With Julian the Apostate, a pagan ascended to the throne; when, with Theodosius, christianity again became state religion, Catholicism prevailed and Arianism was effectively banned. The Goths, Vandals, Burgundians, Lombards had meanwhile converted to Arianism (late 4th century) and stuck to it for centuries. |
| Armenian Church | The first Armenian christian communities are recorded for the 2nd century A.D.; in 301 Christianity was adopted as state religion in Armenia. The Armenian church separated itself from the Greek Orthodox Church in 451, deriving a distinct Armenian script. A strictly national church, monophysite. |
| Assyrian Church | another expression for the Nestorian Church, also called East Syrian Church. |
| Catholicism | catholic literally means universal. At the Council of Nicaea, catholic was used as an adjective to describe the dominant theory represented by Athanasius, defending the dogma of trinity. |
| Coptic Church | the church of Egypt. A monophysite church throughout Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Today, c. 8 % of Egyptians are Copts. The Ethiopian church has, for centuries, recognized the supremacy of the Patriarch of Alexandria (the head of the Coptic church). |
| Donatism | A sect of christians from the province of Africa (Carthago), named after Donatus who was opposed to the election of Caecilian as bishop of Carthago. Donatists accused the leadership of their church province to have handed over the sacred scripts to the state authorities for burning rather than chosing martyrdom during the persecutions of christians under Diocletian and Galienus. Donatism was strong in Africa until the coming of Islam; Donatism was condemned by a regional council held at Carthago in 404. |
| Georgian Church | Christianity was adopted as state religion in Georgia c. 330 A.D.; the Georgian church, similar to that of Armenia, is a national church. The Georgian church over history preserved connections with Byzantium; one of the monasteries of Mt. Athos is Georgian. The Georgians have a script of their own. |
| Gnosticism | A religious philosophy that emerged in the first century A.D. in Syria and Samaria. Central concept is gnosis, Greek for knowledge, a knowledge derived from man's existence. For the first 4 centuries, Gnosticism competed with christianity. Gnostics regarded themselves as knowers of a truth not accessible to everyone, an elite. Gnosticism eas condemned by the Council of Nicaea (325). |
| Manichaeism | Named after Mani who taught, c. 242 A.D. a dualism, God
and Satan being part of the nature of every man. Manichaeism is a combination of christian and Zoroastrian elements, later influencing the Albigensian, Catharian, Bogomil heresies. The Mandaeans of Iraq are the only Gnostic community still existing. |
| Monasticism | in christianity monasticism appeared in Egyot in the 3rd century, hermits founding monasteries were they could practise their ascetic lifestyle as a community. Monasticism soon spread throughout the Mediterranean, and rules for monastic life were established, such as the Benedictine Rule (est. 529). |
| Monophysites | Those who believe in God having only one shape (physis),
i.e. those who refused to accept the dogma of trinity - the majority of christians in Syria, Armenia, Egypt (Armenians, Copts, Nestorians, Arians). The name was used in a narrower sense for the followers of Eutyches and their confession, which was labelled a heresy by the Council of Chalcedon in 451. |
| Nestorian Church | Named after Nestorius, a priest from Antioch and some time Patriarch of Constantinople. According to him, Mary was mother only to the human nature of Christ, and only Christ's human nature died on the cross. Nestorianism was condemned as a heresy by the Council of Ephesus 431; Nestorian communities persisted in Syria and, between the 7th and 10th century, expanded, founding communities in Iran, China, India. Today, Nestorian communities survive in Syria and in India (Kerala State). |
| Syrian Jacobites | Named after Jacob Baradai, bishop of Edessa (Syria) in 543. A monophysite church; welcomed the Arabs as liberators from Byzantine oppression, still existing. |