Marcionism

Marcionism is the dualist belief system that originates in the teachings of Marcion of Sinope at Rome around the year 144 CE (115 years and 6 months from the Crucifixion, according to Tertullian's reckoning in Adversus Marcionem, xv). Marcionism reflects a different understanding of the roots of Christian belief than that commonly held today. In particular, while many modern Christians hold that Christianity is a natural evolution of Jewish belief, Marcion held that the Christ existed outside that context.

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Marcionism was denounced as heresy, and written against; notably by Tertullian, in a five-book treatise Adversus Marcionem, written about 208. However, the strictures against Marcionism predate the authority, claimed by the First Council of Nicaea in 325, to declare what is heretical against the Church. Marcion's writings are lost, though they were widely read and numerous manuscripts must have existed. Even so, many scholars (including Henry Wace) claim it is possible to reconstruct and deduce a large part of ancient Marcionism through what later critics, especially Tertullian, said concerning Marcion.

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Marcion of Sinope: Marcion of Sinope (ca. 110-160), was a major 2nd century Christian theologian, founder of what would later be called Marcionism, and one of the first to be strongly denounced by other Christians (who would later be called Catholic as opposed to Marcionite) as heretical. He created a strong ecclesias...