Montanism

Montanism
Heretical Christian movement founded in AD 156 by Montanus.

Having converted to Christianity, Montanus fell into a trance and began to prophesy. Others joined him, and the movement spread through Asia Minor. The Montanists held that the Holy Spirit was speaking through Montanus and that the Second Coming was imminent. The bishops of Asia Minor excommunicated the Montanists (с 177), but the movement continued in the East as a separate sect; it also flourished in Carthage, where its most illustrious convert was Tertullian. It had almost died out by the 5th–6th century, though some remnants survived into the 9th century.

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also called  Cataphrygian heresy , or  New Prophecy 

      a heretical movement founded by the prophet Montanus that arose in the Christian church in Phrygia, Asia Minor, in the 2nd century. Subsequently it flourished in the West, principally in Carthage under the leadership of Tertullian in the 3rd century. It had almost died out in the 5th and 6th centuries, although some evidence indicates that it survived into the 9th century.

      The Montanist writings have perished, except for brief references preserved by ecclesiastical writers. The chief sources for the history of the movement are Eusebius' Historia ecclesiastica (Ecclesiastical History), the writings of Tertullian and Epiphanius, and inscriptions, particularly those in central Phrygia.

      According to the known history, Montanus, a recent Christian convert, appeared at Ardabau, a small village in Phrygia, about 156. He fell into a trance and began to “prophesy under the influence of the Spirit.” He was soon joined by two young women, Prisca, or Priscilla, and Maximilla, who also began to prophesy. The movement spread throughout Asia Minor. Inscriptions have indicated that a number of towns were almost completely converted to Montanism. After the first enthusiasm had waned, however, the followers of Montanus were found predominantly in the rural districts.

      The essential principle of Montanism was that the Paraclete (Holy Spirit), the Spirit of truth, whom Jesus had promised in the Gospel According to John, was manifesting himself to the world through Montanus and the prophets and prophetesses associated with him. This did not seem at first to deny the doctrines of the church or to attack the authority of the bishops. Prophecy from the earliest days had been held in honour, and the church acknowledged the charismatic gift of some prophets.

      It soon became clear, however, that the Montanist prophecy was new. True prophets did not, as Montanus did, deliberately induce a kind of ecstatic intensity and a state of passivity and then maintain that the words they spoke were the voice of the Spirit. It also became clear that the claim of Montanus to have the final revelation of the Holy Spirit implied that something could be added to the teaching of Christ and the Apostles and that, therefore, the church had to accept a fuller revelation.

      Another important aspect of Montanism was the expectation of the Second Coming of Christ, which was believed to be imminent. This belief was not confined to Montanists, but with them it took a special form that gave their activities the character of a popular revival. They believed the heavenly Jerusalem was soon to descend on the Earth in a plain between the two villages of Pepuza and Tymion in Phrygia. The prophets and many followers went there, and many Christian communities were almost abandoned.

      In addition to prophetic enthusiasm, Montanism taught a legalistic moral rigorism. The time of fasting was lengthened, followers were forbidden to flee from martyrdom, marriage was discouraged, and second marriages were prohibited.

      When it became obvious that the Montanist doctrine was an attack on the Catholic faith, the bishops of Asia Minor gathered in synods and finally excommunicated the Montanists, probably c. 177. Montanism then became a separate sect with its seat of government at Pepuza. It maintained the ordinary Christian ministry but imposed on it higher orders of patriarchs and associates who were probably successors of the first Montanist prophets. It continued in the East until severe legislation against Montanism by Emperor Justinian I (reigned 527–565) essentially destroyed it, but some remnants evidently survived into the 9th century.

      The earliest record of any knowledge of Montanism in the West dates from 177, and 25 years later there was a group of Montanists in Rome. It was in Carthage in Africa, however, that the sect became important. There, its most illustrious convert was Tertullian, who became interested in Montanism c. 206 and finally left the Catholic Church in 212–213. He primarily supported the moral rigorism of the movement against what he considered the moral laxity of the Catholic bishops. Montanism declined in the West early in the 5th century.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Montanism — noun see Montanist …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • MONTANISM —    a heresy which arose in the 2nd century; derived its name from an enthusiast in Phrygia named Montanus, who insisted on the permanency of the spiritual gifts vouchsafed to the primitive Church, and a return to the severe discipline of life and …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • Montanism —    The heresy of Montanus, who began preaching in Phrygia (q.v.) around 172, along with two women, Prisca and Maximilla, whose utterances were considered divine prophecies of the Holy Spirit, and, thus, more authoritative than any bishop (q.v.)… …   Historical dictionary of Byzantium

  • MONTANISM —    a prophetic movement in the second century led by women which preached the imminent return of CHRIST. It seemed to court martyrdom and practice extreme ASCETICISM. TERTULLIAN is often accused of having forsaken ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY to join… …   Concise dictionary of Religion

  • Montanism — n. unorthodox religious movement started by the prophet Montanus during the 2nd century (Religion) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • Montanism —    A late second century apocalyptic movement associated with montanus …   Who’s Who in Christianity

  • Montanism — [ mɒntənɪz(ə)m] noun the tenets of a heretical millenarian Christian sect founded by the 2nd century priest Montanus. Derivatives Montanist noun …   English new terms dictionary

  • montanism — mon·ta·nism …   English syllables

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