Borrowing from the belief system of the Paulicians and the Manichaeans, the Bogomils were able to constitute their own religious doctrine.

Not only did the Bogomils reject the Christianity of the Orthodox Church, they also rejected the docetic teachings of other sects. The Bogomils did not teach that Christ was born out of divinity. These Gnostics also rejected the validity of the Christian trinity and the sacraments and ceremonies associated with the Orthodox Church.

There was no veneration of Mary, and no belief that she was the Mother of God. Baptism was a recognized sacrament, but only to be performed on adults. Prayers and chanting hymns were not to be part of any public religious service; instead, the Bogomils felt that prayers were only to be said within the confines of private houses.

In an effort to steer their new religion away from the corruption of the Catholic Church, the Bogomil Church had no special priests. Instead, they elected spiritual guides among one another. Despite the belief that the Bogomils did not view Christ originating from divine birth, they still taught that Christ was a perfect being. The Bogomils felt that their congregation was “the elect” and each member possessed the ability to be perfect like Christ. Christ became the Son of God through grace, similar to the other prophets.

The Bogomils rejected monasticism, and were iconoclasts. Finally, the Bogomils believed that God, not Jesus, would execute the final judgment.