docetism

/doʊˈsiːtɪz(ə)m/

Etymology

From Docetae + -ism, from Late Latin Docetae, from Koine Greek Δοκηταί (Dokētaí) coined 197–203 CE by Serapion of Antioch, from Ancient Greek δοκεῖν (dokeîn, “to seem, to appear”). Related to latter component of synecdoche.

Why this word is great

DOCETISM — [Noun] The belief that Jesus was fully divine and only appeared or pretended to be human and to suffer. From Late Latin Docetae, from Koine Greek Δοκηταί (Dokētaí), coined by Serapion of Antioch (197–203 CE), from Ancient Greek δοκεῖν (dokeîn, "to seem, to appear"). Unlike Arianism (which strips Christ of his divinity) or Orthodox Christology (which holds him as both God and man), Docetism renders the crucifixion a pantomime, the wounds stagecraft, the hunger and thirst mere props. It is the ghostly imprint of feet on water but not on sand, the cry of "My God, my God" without a throat to rasp it, the spear thrust into flesh that does not bleed—a faith too pure for the mess of mortality, and thus, too pure for mercy.

noun

The belief that Jesus was fully divine and only appeared or pretended to be human and to suffer.“His Passion and Resurrection in history were therefore not fleshly events, even if they seemed so; they were heavenly play-acting (the doctrine known as Docetism, from the Greek verb dokein, ‘to seem’).”