Definition

Relating to a belief that Jesus Christ's physical body was an illusion and that he only appeared to be human.

Example

The docetic view suggests that Christ's suffering was not real, as he did not possess a physical body.

Conversation

I was reading about different beliefs in Christianity, and I came across the term docetic.

Oh really? What does it mean?

It refers to the idea that Jesus only seemed to be human, which is pretty interesting.

That is intriguing! I didn't know there were so many interpretations.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Docetic → It is derived from 'docet' (from Greek 'dokein', meaning to seem or appear) and the suffix '-ic' (meaning pertaining to). The term 'docetic' refers to the belief that Christ's physical body was an illusion, emphasizing the appearance of his humanity rather than its reality.

Memory Tip

Think of the Greek word for 'to seem' — that's how 'docetic' relates to the idea of something appearing rather than being real.

Visually Confused Words