Get involved Share heresy, a theological doctrine or system rejected as false by ecclesiastical authority.

Heresy differs from schism in that the heretic sometimes remains in the church despite his doctrinal errors, whereas the schismatic may be doctrinally orthodox but severs himself from the church. The Greek word hairesis (from which heresy is derived) was originally a neutral term that signified merely the holding of a particular set of philosophical opinions. Once appropriated by Christianity, however, the term heresy began to convey a note of disapproval. This was because the church from the start regarded itself as the custodian of a divinely ... (100 of 610 words Get involved Share

Justinian I, Latin in full Flavius Justinianus, original name Petrus Sabbatius (born 483, Tauresium, Dardania [probably south of modern Ni, Serbia, Yugos.]died Nov. 14, 565, Constantinople [now Istanbul, Turkey]), Byzantine emperor (527565), noted for his administrative reorganization of the imperial government and for his sponsorship of a codification of laws known as the Codex Justinianus (534). ... (58 of 3229 words) Get involved Share

capital punishment, also called death penalty, execution of an offender sentenced to death after conviction by a court of law of a criminal offense. Capital punishment should be distinguished from extrajudicial executions carried out without due process of law. The term death penalty is sometimes used interchangeably with capital punishment, though imposition of the penalty is not always followed by execution (even when it is upheld on appeal), because of the possibility of commutation to life imprisonment. ... (79 of 3225 words)