Thoughts on teaacing heresy

Carl Trueman, Why and How I Teach Heresy:

And we learn from heresies not simply by refuting them but also by first of all asking the critical question, `Is there a legitimate concern which underlies or drives this particular heresy?’ In almost every case, the answer is yes, and the orthodox can learn from the question as a means of critiquing, refining, and strengthening their own doctrinal understanding and commitment.

Teaching heresy is important because 1) heresy is what gives rise to orthodoxy, and 2) by teaching it, hopefully, we can avoid going through the same errors again.

I'm pretty strange, maybe. I enjoy studying heresies. Not that I play with them, but that I want to see the reasons they are condemned as heresy, to study some of the greatest minds in history and to correct my faith and understanding by understanding why what often seems on the surface to make sense, or sometimes just harmless undermines the historic understandings of the Church.