Montanism
Montanism was a spontaneous, ecstatic movement with its roots in the pagan past as much as Christian gospels. It arose during testing times when the early church was trying to decide on a set identity with which to bind together its scattered communities. Unlike Adoptionism, Montanism did not debate the meaning of the scriptures. For this reason, it remained theologically in line with the mainstream church. However, it became a significant threat to church authority because of its extreme ascetic principles- and the fact that it allowed its members to become prophets- even the women.
The movement began in the small town of Pepuza in the province of Phrygia, now modern central western Turkey. Phrygia had long been a place of mysticism and revelation. It had been home of one of the oracles of Apollo and the ecstatic mystery cult of Cybele. Some of these mystical tendencies lingered in local Christians because, in 156AD, a local man named Montanus began to receive ecstatic revelations. Their source was controversial for “I am come neither angel nor envoy,” the visions told Montanus, “ but God the Father.”
“God,” told Montanus that his revelations could be made to anybody-not just ordained priests. ‘Man is like a lyre, and I strike him like a plectrum,” he explained. ” Man is asleep, and I am awake.” Montanus spread the news and other prophets soon joined him. Two, in particular, Maximilla and Prisca made a significant impact. Although Montanism stayed local for around twenty years, it was Maximilla and Prisca who gave the movement a new impetuous around 177AD when fresh persecutions of Christians broke out.
Their plight convinced Christians that the end of the world was nigh. The Montanist’s revelations confirmed this- and that Christ would be returning to earth in Pepuza. In the meantime, God had revealed to them that the faithful neede to prepare by living a stricter Christian life. They needed to abstain from worldly pleasures and become more ascetic. Local church leaders became alarmed. While the Montanists were not directly undermining them, what was to stop other more dangerous heresies arising because of all this unfettered prophecy? More to the point, if people believed anyone could commune with God, bishops would soon become redundant.
So, the Phrygian bishops declared Montanus to be an agent of Satan and excommunicated him. However, Rome was not convinced- so the Phrygians recruited extra support. In Lyon, a group of notable Christians was awaiting their martyrdom. The Phrygian bishops asked them to prepare an argument against Montanism. Despite having more pressing things on their minds, the soon to be martyrs obliged and sent their reasonings to Rome. Rome outlawed Montanism, and in Phrygia, the Bishops set about exorcising its prophets. It continued to spring up from time to time but eventually died out in the fourth century. After all, not everyone could be a psychic Christian. Nor did they want to live such a strict ascetic life.
Orthodoxy defeated Montanism because it was the more comfortable form of Christianity to follow. However, once Christianity became legal, it became essential for the establishment to control and outlaw dissenting Christian beliefs.