Montanism (mŏn`tənĭzəm), apocalyptic movement of the 2d cent. It arose in Phrygia (c.172) under the leadership of a certain Montanus and two female prophets, Prisca and Maximillia, whose entranced utterances were deemed oracles of the Holy Spirit. They had an immediate expectation of Judgment Day, and they encouraged ecstatic prophesying and strict asceticism. They believed that a Christian fallen from grace could never be redeemed, in opposition to the Catholic view that, since the sinner's contrition restored him to grace, the church must receive him again. Montanism antagonized the church because the sect claimed a superior authority arising from divine inspiration. Catholics were told that they should flee persecution, Montanists were told to seek it. When the Montanists began to set up a hierarchy of their own, the Catholic leaders, fearing to lose the cohesion essential to the survivial of persecuted Christianity, denounced the movement. Tertullian Tertullian (Quintus Septimus Florens Tertullianus) (tûrtŭl`yən), c.160–c.
..... Click the link for more information. was a notable member of the movement, which died (c.220) as a sect, except in isolated areas of Phrygia, where it continued to the 7th cent. But the puristic anti-intellectual movement had many descendants—Novatian Novatian (nōvā`shən), fl. 250, Roman priest, antipope (from 251), and theologian. He opposed the election of St.
..... Click the link for more information. , the Donatists (see Donatism Donatism (dŏn`ətĭzəm), schismatic movement among Christians of N Africa (fl. 4th cent.
..... Click the link for more information. ), the Cathari Cathari (kăth`ərī) [Gr.,=pure], name for members of the widespread dualistic religious movement of the Middle Ages.
..... Click the link for more information. , and even Emanuel Swedenborg Swedenborg, Emanuel (swēd`ənbôrg; āmä`n
..... Click the link for more information. and Edward Irving Irving, Edward, 1792–1834, Scottish preacher, under whose influence the Catholic Apostolic Church was founded; its members have sometimes been called Irvingites. He was tutor to Jane Welsh, later the wife of Thomas Carlyle , and became the friend of Carlyle.
..... Click the link for more information. .

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 (c. 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.

Montanism

2nd-century heretical Christian movement led by prophet Montanus. [Christian Hist.: EB, VI: 1012]

See : Apostasy

Montanism (redirected from Montanist)

Montanism

Montanism
(redirected from Montanist)