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Montanism: Gender, Authority and the New Prophecy

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INTRODUCTION
Professor Christine Trevett's book "Montanism: Gender, Authority, and the New Prophecy" is 299 pages long and has 5 chapters, 1 map, and some front and back matter. Chapter headings are: 1. Beginnings, 2. The New Prophecy to Hippolytus and Tertullian, 3. The Teachings of the New Prophecy, 4. Montanism and Women, 5. The Fate of Montanism. It traces the origins, development, characteristics, and demise of a significant (and perhaps the very first) "renewal" movement within the early church.

CONTENT OVERVIEW
We are told that the beginnings of the Montanist (or New Prophecy) movement occurred somewhere between the 150's and 170's AD in today's western Turkey (i.e. Asia Minor). The origins were probably even earlier in the New Testament era, through a connection to Philip's 4 daughters who were prophetesses, the apocalyptic writings of the Apostle John, and some of the encouragements of the Apostle Paul toward prophetic and Spirit-guided ministry in the early church. Contrary to some popular notions, the Montanists were generally orthodox in their theology, especially in the first several generations, and were part of the mainstream "Catholic" or "Orthodox" churches when they first started their renewal work. They were simply a renewal movement with an emphasis on the Spirit speaking prophetically through believers, but especially through "the Three", namely, Montanus, Maximilla, and Priscilla.

As controversy about, and opposition to, such a prophetic emphasis grew, so did questions about their encouragement of women in public ministry, the movement's independence from Catholic bishops, their promotion of celibacy as superior to married life, and their willingness to suffer martyrdom for their Christian convictions. The debate was never about the authority of the prophetic and apostolic writings, i.e. the Bible, but about the right interpretation. To a pagan outsider, Montanist Christians would have been hard, if not impossible, to distinguish from Catholic Christians because a formal or discernable breach had not yet occurred. It was only when the movement was denounced and opposing positions became entrenched, that a separate Montanist movement emerged, which then quite easily could be caricatured and vilified by Catholics. Eventually Tertullian, one of the heavy-weight Catholic theologians of the day, became a Montanist because he was attracted to their spiritual intensity, rigorous lifestyle, and desire to get back to the true apostolic church. He valiantly explained and defended their position.

In much later centuries, some Montanist groups did in fact become heretical in theology (e.g. a few even worshipping their founder Montanus) and in practice (e.g. tattooing or scarring rituals) and were vigorously opposed tooth and nail by Church and State. (But perhaps the same can be said about the errors that crept into the mainstream state Church too). Especially under Justinian I around 530 AD, their books were burned, their buildings confiscated, and their civil rights taken away. Many either fled back into the Catholic fold or were absorbed into later dissenting Christian movements like the Novatianists and Donatists.

CRITIQUE
From a scholastic viewpoint, there is a depth and breadth in the book that only a scholar can bring as evidenced by the quantity of footnotes and bibliographical material included. She is intimately familiar with the primary sources and often inserts the original Greek term or phrase, so the reader can judge it themselves. The broad sweep of the book includes assessing the sociological, economic, and religious context in which the Montanist communities initially took root, through to the work of later generations, and then finally to the circumstances and events that led to its eventual demise. Trevett is deliberately cautious about many of her conclusions (sometimes inserting phrases like "I think") and appears to be willing to augment her views based on new research.

From a narrative viewpoint, there was no storytelling, as such. If anything, it was scholarly analysis of the main characters, their lives, their theologies, their enemies, etc, which did not engender any kind of sympathy for the movement. Such narrative structure, of course, is not necessarily to be expected in such a book or even possible based on the actual evidence. At most, we learn more about Tertullian and his character and views because of the relative abundance of his writings compared to the founders Montanus, Maximilla, and Priscilla, or later generations of formal Montanist leaders.

From a stylistic viewpoint, it is generally a readable book, but is not well suited to a popular audience of non-specialists. You really have to be interested in the topic to read through 300 pages of scholarly argumentation about, at times, seemingly minute details of little consequence. Sometimes it is tedious to read because of the frequent use of subjective clauses and parentheses (exactly like this which may run on for quite a while before coming to the point) and unnecessary details that do not add much to the discussion at hand. I wish there would have been more maps, flowcharts, and photographs of inscriptions and archaeological sites, to help put things into context.

SUMMARY
Overall, this was a very satisfying read. I learned much specifically about the Montanists, but also generally about the way movements grow, develop, and decline. There are practical lessons from this book that I hope to carry over into my own modest role in helping to catalyze, coach, and connect the modern-day house church movement, which can be said to be a "renewal" movement within the Church at large that humbly seeks to bring back the power, patterns, and principles of the original apostolic Church.

RAD ZDERO, author of LETTERS TO THE HOUSE CHURCH MOVEMENT and THE GLOBAL HOUSE CHURCH MOVEMENT

This Book is the very rare book, that dig up the surface of history to find the REAL-INSIDE below it. I always curious about the Montanists whether they were the normal christians or people of poor fanatical heresy. Christine Trevett, the author, showed me the truth with her sincere pains taking effort! Thank you madame Trevett! YOU ARE A TRUE LARK AMONG THE SO MANY PARROTS!!