ABSTRACT
Heresy in principle is any line of thought which differs from the official expression of the church’s faith and yet claims to have the right to exist and develop within the community. Some heresies might be described as intra-christian. The history of heresy shows that there was in early Christianity a marked difference between the doctrinal position of the general company of the faithful and that of the leading personalities or groups who took the initiative in the struggle against heresy and heretics. The fight against heresy is one of the dominating concerns of the author of the Book to the Seven Churches written between 75 and 85 and used by its author ten years later as an introduction to the Apocalypse. The Nicolaitan heresy found lodgement in only three of the seven churches to whom John addressed his book.
