DEDICATION

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...[heresi]archs original: "archas," completing the word haeresiarchas from the previous page, referring to the founders or leaders of heretical sects. against all men, while they excuse, praise, and exalt to the very heavens the authors, defenders, and spreaders of every satanic doctrine original: "satanicæ doctrinæ." In the heated religious climate of the time, the author uses this term to describe any teachings he believes are inspired by the devil to lead the faithful astray. in every possible way. Yet in the end, they strike against our entire church original: "ecclesiam," referring here to the established Lutheran or Orthodox Protestant church. as if with a battering ram, accusing it of the crimes of apostasy, Babelism original: "Babelismi," a term derived from the Tower of Babel and Babylon, used by radicals to claim the established church was a place of spiritual confusion and worldly corruption., Anti-Christianity, and popery original: "papatus." This was a common insult used by radical reformers to claim that the Lutheran church had not moved far enough away from the practices of the Roman Catholic Pope.; thus they make the church appear hateful and loathsome to their own followers. The chief source and, as it were, the architect of such slanders is Gottfried Arnold Gottfried Arnold (1666–1714) was a controversial historian and theologian. His most famous work, the Unbiased History of the Church and Heretics, argued that those traditionally labeled "heretics" were often the true Christians, which made him a primary target for institutional church defenders.,