heresiarchs
/həˈriːziˌɑːrks/
noun
- Leaders or founders of a heretical movement or belief system that goes against accepted religious or established doctrine.
- The council was called to debate the writings of prominent heresiarchs from the region.
- The early church condemned several heresiarchs for spreading teachings that contradicted official doctrine.
- Historians study ancient heresiarchs to understand how religious ideas evolved over time.