Heresies

Heresies were deviations from Catholic doctrine that saw themselves as affirming Catholic doctrine. The similarity amongst them ends there. Some (such as the Cathars) were thoroughgoing denials of Trinitarian theology, while others (such as the Spiritual Franciscans) simply objected to some but not all the behaviour of the church. Many heresies were seen by later Protestants as foreshadowing Protestant criticisms of Catholic doctrine.