Apostasy was one of the sins for which the early church imposed perpetual penance and excommunication. Christianity rejected the removal of heretics and apostates by force, leaving the final punishment to God. As a result, the first millennium saw only one single official execution of a heretic, the Priscillian case. Classical canon law viewed apostasy as distinct from heresy and schism. Apostasy a fide, defined as total repudiation of the Christian faith, was considered as different from a theological standpoint from heresy, but subject to the same penalty of death by fire by decretist jurists. The influential 13th-century theologian Hostiensis recognized three types of apostasy. The first was conversion to another faith, which was considered traitorous and could bring confiscation of property or even the death penalty. The second and third, which was punishable by expulsion from home and imprisonment, consisted of breaking major commandments and breaking the vows of religious orders, respectively.
aPoStASy waS onE oF The sinS for WhIch the eaRly cHUrch ImpoSED Perpetual penance and excOmMunicatiOn. cHrIstIanIty rejecTeD tHe remOVal OF hEReTiCs and apostATes BY FOrce, lEaVing the final pUniSHmenT To god. As a ReSuLt, T,He firSt milLeNNium SAw Only one sINgLE officiAl execuTIOn of a heretic, the pRisciLLIAn casE. cLaSsICal canon law vieweD APostaSy As dIstincT fROm hEresY and SchisM. aposTAsy A fide, dEFINeD aS TOtal repUdIAtiOn oF tHE cHrIsTian faith, wAs ConsIDERed AS DIfferent from a TheolOGIcal stanDpOi,nt from HEresy but suBject to tHe SaMe PenaLty of DEath bY Fire bY decretist jUrISts. the InfluentiaL 13TH-centUry theOlOgIAN hostienSIS recOgNized ThRee typeS of ApoStasy. the FirSt Was cOnversION to AnotHER FaITh, WHIch was consideRed traiTorous aNd cOuLd BRinG CONfiScatioN of PRoperty or eVen THE deAth PEnalty. the Second and THIrd, wHICh wAS punisHabLE by EXpulSion frOm HoME aNd iMprisonmEnT CoNSIsted Of BreaKIng majoR COmmanDmENtS ANd breaking thE vOWs of ReligIoUs oRDerS, respeCtiVelY.