Apostasy

Apostasy (Greek απο, apo, "away, apart", στασις, stasis, "standing") is the formal renunciation of one's religion. In a technical sense as used by sociologists without the sometimes pejorative connotations of the word, the term refers to renunciation and criticizing one's former religion. An old, narrow definition of this term refers to baptized Christians who leave their faith. One who commits apostasy is an apostate, or one who apostatises. Apostate is generally not a self-definition: very few former believers call themselves apostates and they generally consider this term to be a pejorative.

Related Topics:
Greek - Religion - Sociologists - Baptized - Christians

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Many religious movements consider it a vice, a corruption of the virtue of piety in the sense that when piety fails, apostasy is the result. However, most converts to a new religion can also be considered apostates from a previous belief. The word is also used to refer to renunciation of belief in a cause other than religion.

Related Topics:
Vice - Virtue - Piety - Convert

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Several religious movements punish apostates. Apostates may be shunned by the members of their former religious group http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1470584,00.html. This may be the official policy of the religious group or may happen spontaneously. Some religions may respond to apostasy by excommunicating the apostate.

Related Topics:
Shunned - Excommunicating

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Some atheists and agnostics use the term "deconversion" to describe loss of faith in a religion. Freethinkers see it as gaining rationality and respect for the scientific method and not a loss. One of many possible reasons for this renunciation is loss of faith, another is the failure of religious brainwashing.

Related Topics:
Atheists - Agnostics - Freethinkers - Scientific method - Faith

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The reliability of the testimonies of apostates is an important and controversial issue in the study of apostasy in cults and new religious movements.

Related Topics:
Cult - New religious movement

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Beyond the word's religious connotation, an apostate can also be described as any individual who has renounced his or her beliefs, in particular his or her political beliefs.

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The difference between apostasy and heresy is that the latter refers to rejection or corruption of certain doctrines, not to the complete abandonment of one's religion.

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