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Question 3

Bercot explains that the Greek *hairesis* in Galatians 5 is “faction/school of thought,” not “theological error”—how does that reframe the way Christians use the word “heresy,” and how might that change the way your group treats disagreements where both sides claim biblical fidelity?

Another way to ask: If the Greek word in Galatians 5 means “factions” more than “wrong doctrine,” how should that change the way we use the word “heresy”? How should we treat disagreements when both sides think they are being faithful to the Bible?

Direct Answer Bercot reframes “heresy” away from meaning “wrong doctrine” and toward meaning “factionalism,” which would push Christians to treat many disputes less as grounds for exclusion and more as temptations toward sinful division.

Support from Transcript:

He says he avoided the KJV because of how it translates the Greek “heresis,” noting it’s the root of “heresy” but originally meant “a faction or a school of thought.”
He gives the example: the Pharisees are referred to as a “Herisis,” and it is “not necessarily in a particularly negative sense.”
He stresses: “It has nothing to do with whether your theology is correct or not… that is not what God is talking about here.”
He explains that over time “heresy” came to mean “a theological error,” but that is later usage, not Paul’s.
The implication in his larger argument is that Galatians 5 condemns the divisive party-spirit itself, not merely the presence of differing views.

Discussion Follow-ups Where does your group treat disagreements as proof the other side is spiritually unsafe, rather than asking whether the real danger is becoming a faction?

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