Difference between revisions of "Montanists"

<p> Schismatics of the 2century, named from Montanus, a Phrygian, who, c.156,shortly after his conversion to Christianity, proclaimed himself a prophet of the "Spirit." He called the people to gather in the plain of Pepuza, there to live a more spiritual life in preparation for the second coming of Christ which he said was near. In his frenzied ecstasies, he spoke not as God's messenger, but as God, thus, [["I]] am the Lord God Who dwell in man." Two women, Maximilla and Prisca, were associated with him and had similar ecstasies. At first the innovations were not doctrinal but disciplinary. The "Spirit" ordered three Lents to be observed, and re-marriage and flight from persecution were forbidden. The greatest danger lay in the claim that the [[Holy]] Ghost was now supplementing the revelation of Christ, for this tended to overrule the authority of the bishops. The Asiatic Churches were in a turmoil, but the new prophecies were declared heretical, and the [[Montanists]] were excommunicated by local bishops. The news of the so-called "new outpouring of the Spirit" traveled all over the [[Catholic]] world, to Rome, Africa and Gaul. [[Pope]] Zephyrinus, c.202,definitely withheld letters of communion with the Montanists. In Africa, c.206,Montanism won to its side the great lawyer Tertullian; he taught that there were some unforgivable sins. The Montanists lingered in Africa until c.400,when they handed over themselves and their basilica to Saint Augustine. Little is heard of them in the East after the end of the 4th century. Some critics consider that the Montanistic controversy made the Church the Catholic Church; one would better say that [[Montanism]] brought out the innate Catholicity, the unanimity of the Church. </p>

<p> [[A]] sect which sprung up about the year 171, in the reign of the emperor [[Marcus]] Aurelius. They were so called from their leader Montamus, a Phrygian by birth: whence they are sometimes called [[Phrygians]] and Cataphrygians. Montanes, it is said, embraced [[Christianity]] in hopes of rising to the dignities of the church. He pretended to inspiration; and gave out that the Holy Ghost had instructed him in several points which had not been revealed to the apostles. [[Priscilla]] and Maximilla, two enthusiastic women of Phrygia, presently became his disciples, and in a short time he had a great number of followers. The bishops of Asia, being assembled together, condemned his prophecies, and excommunicated those that dispersed them. [[Afterwards]] they wrote an account of what had passed to the western churches, where the pretended prophecies of [[Montanus]] and his followers were likewise condemned. The Montanists, finding themselves exposed to the censure of the whole church, formed a schism, and set up a distinct society under the direction of those who called themselves prophets. </p> <p> Montanus, in conjunction with Priscilla and Maximilla, were at the head of the sect. These sectaries made no alteration in the creed. They only held that the Holy Spirit made Montanus his organ or delivering a more perfect form of discipline than what was delivered by his apostles. They refused communion for ever to those who were guilty of notorious crimes, and believed that the bishops had no authority to reconcile them. They held it unlawful to fly in time of persecution. They condemned second marriages, allowed the dissolution of marriage, and observed three lents. </p>