The Montanist movement was a derivative of Christianity that arose in central Asia Minor in the latter half of the second century. It was founded by a charismatic leader, Montanus, after whom it was named. Montanus was a pagan priest, perhaps of Cybele the Mother Goddess, prior to his conversion. After receiving and accepting the gospel he began to prophecy charismatically and was aided by his co-leaders Maximilla and Priscilla. His sects teaching spread across Asia Minor reached Rome and moved across North Africa within less than a decade of its founding. This “New Prophecy” split the churches of Asia Minor in twain, some declaring its teachings to be true and some declaring it to be of diabolical origin. Irenaeus, who was visiting the churches of Anatolia during the controversy, was disheartened to see the “universal church” divided. While not openly defending them he did make note that many people who were attracted to the Montanists often times joined the Christian movement. Further, he was critical of the Montanists opponents stating that they were “…disregarding both the spirit of prophecy and the Gospel of John.” He reminded them that, “Paul himself had received visions, uttered prophecies, and recognized men and women prophesying in churches.” The situation was proving quite volatile and the embryonic Catholic Church found its authority challenged.
The movement was seen as dangerous, similar yet dissimilar to the Catholic path. Much of their teaching was indistinguishable from that of other Christians. Although they were more pious than most, engaged in frequent fasts, and held martyderdom in a higher regard. The Montanist movement was not as unique as some might speculate. They were part of a longstanding apocalyptic tradition in Christianity and Judaism as exemplified in the Book of Revelation and other eschatological writings. The region of the empire that gave birth to Montanist had a longstanding tradition of prophetic movements, both Christian and Pagan. Their opponents felt that the movement’s teachings reduced the events of the New Testament to just one more step on the path to salvation.
The Catholic Church found many of the specifics of the movement to be anathema. Montanus, Priscilla and Maximilla not only prophesied but claimed to speak with the authority of God. They represented themselves as a conduit to the divine will. They claimed that it was the beginning of a new age and with their movement the last age of the history was upon the earth. Priscilla went so far as to claim that Christ had appeared to her in human form. Montanus declared that a desert region in Phrygia would be the site of Christ’s imminent return and declared a nearby city the New Jerusalem. Perhaps most dangerous in the eyes of Catholic ecclesiastical authority was the position of authority women were given. This was especially true, with the male ecclesiastical patriarchy that was exerting its control over the church at the time.
The Catholic Church felt compelled to act to put down a heresy that threatened, through its popularity with the masses, to undermine the authority and hijack the Christian faith from the path they had laid out for it. The church attacked; the Montanists and their leaders were accused of being opportunistic and out to make money at the expense of the gullible, they were accused of being demonically possessed and efforts were even made to exorcise Maximilla during one of her prophecies. In the end they were excommunicated by a synod of Anatolian Bishops and their teaching declared heretical. However, due to the populist nature of their teachings the movement remained a force underground for another six centuries. To many its puritanical practices, emphasis on the Holy Spirit, and revivalist ethics were appealing. Amongst its most noted converts was Tertullian who left the Catholic fold when the Montanists were condemned. He declared the Catholic Church to be unspiritual, institutionalized, and full of worldliness. All his accusations have some merit and offer some insight into why the teachings of Montanus, Priscilla, and Maximilla were found so appealing to so many.
The Catholic bishops condemned and attacked the movement because it threatened them. It threated their hold on the church and it threatened their position of authority. It was close enough to Apostolic Christianity to draw faithful members to its banner and leave them feeling still a part of the broader Christian community.
Bibliography:
Frend, W.H.C.. The Rise of Christianity. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984.
Chadwick, Henry. The Early Church. London: Pelican Books, 1967.
White, Michael. From Jesus to Christianity. San Francisco: HarperCollins, 2004
Pagels, Elaine. The Gnostic Gospels. New York: Random House, 1979.
Pagels, Elaine. Beyond Belief. New York: Random House, 2003
Gonzalez, Justo. The Story of Christianity Volume I. San Francisco: Harper Collins, 1984
