A doctrine or practice of extreme self-denial and abstinence, especially in early Christianity; rigid asceticism.
From Greek 'enkrateia' (continence, self-mastery) + '-ism' (system/movement). Describes a specific heretical movement in early Christianity (2nd-4th centuries).
Encratism was so extreme that even the early Church rejected it as heresy—it reminds us that even religions have limits on how much self-denial they'll tolerate, which says something profound about human nature!
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