DID TERTULLIANS THEOLOGY CHANGE WHEN HE BECAME A MONTANTIST?

Before Tertullian broke with mainstream Christianity and joined the Cult of Montanus he wrote an Apology in behalf of Christians. 

Did he preach a:

( TWO ) --- IN --- ONE GOD CONCEPT?

Or a:

( THREE ) --- IN --- ONE GOD CONCEPT?

Before he converted to Montantism?

LATIN TEXT: “...ita [13] et quod de deo profectum est, deus et dei filius et unus ambo...” - (Chapter 21:7-15; “Tertulliani Liber Apologeticus,” Text edited by F. Oehler, as revised by T. R. Glover, 1851-53.)

LATIN TEXT: “...Ita [13] et quod de deo profectum est, deus et dei filius et unus ambo...” - (Chapter XXI.1-31, Tertulliani Apologeticum. Text edited by Carl Becker 1961.)

TERTULLIAN PRE-MONTANTIST (before circa. 185 C.E. ): “...so, too, that which has come forth out of God is at once God and the Son of God, AND THE TWO ARE ONE...” - (Chapter XXI. THE APOLOGY. Translated by the Rev. S. Thelwall, Late Scholar of Christ's College, Cantab.)
http://www.tertullian.org/anf/anf03/anf03-05.htm#P344_139064

TERTULLIAN PRE-MONTANTIST PERIOD (before circa. 185 C.E.): “...Thus it is that the Logos which came forth from God is both God and the Son of God, AND THOSE TWO ARE ONE...” - (Pages 61-69, CHAPTER XXI. CONCERNING THE BIRTH AND CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS CHRIST. The Apology of Tertullian, tr. and annotated by W. Reeve; and the Meditations of the emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, tr. by J. Collier. pp. xvi. 270. [1889.] Series: Ancient and modern library of theological literature 31.)

JAROSLAV JAN PELIKAN (circa. 1923–2006 C.E.): “...In any case, the crucial place for an examination of the significance of Montanism for the history of the doctrine of the trinity is Tertullian. Is it correct to say that “WHAT INDIVIDUAL ADHERENTS OF THE NEW PROPHECY DID FOR THE THEOLOGICAL ARTICULATION OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY DID ( NOT ) COME FROM THEIR MONTANISM?” - OR – IS IT ( MORE – ACCURATE ) TO SUGGEST THAT MONTANISM ( TAUGHT ) TERTULLIAN TO THINK OF THE PARACLETE IN ( MORE – PERSONAL ) TERMS THAN HE HAD IN HIS EARLY WORKS, SO THAT HE CAME TO A ( MORE - METAPHYSICAL ) DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY? With certain reservations, the second alternative seems preferable, partly for sheer chronological reasons. THE EARLY WRITINGS OF TERTULLIAN TENDED TO STRESS THE FATHER AND THE SON ( AT – THE - EXPENSE – OF ) THE HOLY SPIRIT; those which definitely dated from the Montanist period, on the other hand, did contain a ( more - metaphysical ) doctrine of the “Trinity”-- a word which Tertullian seems to have been the first theologian to employ in Latin. THE EMPHASIS ( IN MONTANISM ) ON THE SPIRIT ( IS – THE – EXPLANATION ) OF THIS ( SHIFT ) THAT SUGGESTS ITSELF MOST INSISTENTLY...” - (Page 105, “The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition: (100 – 600),” By Jaroslav Jan Pelikan Published August 15th 1975 by University of Chicago Press.)
[PERSONAL NOTE]: He goes on in the following paragraphs to play down, (at least in my opinion), and without any real substantial, or even convincing arguments, the demonic role in the new prophecy of Montanus.

FEEL FREE TO COMMENT

Members comments and thoughts are always welcome.

Genuine questions are always welcome.

Verbal abuse of Jehovah's Witnesses is not welcome.

DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE IS --- ( NOT ) --- AN OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY This is a personal website that is not officially supported nor endorsed by the WBTS. The Watchtower Society cannot be held responsible or liable for the content found on this blog/website. Links are offered here for additional reading, however the manager of this site does not necessarily support every comment on all of these sites. You are invited to conduct your own research. To those who are not Jehovah's Witnesses, please remember that if you are looking for the authoritative information on beliefs, practices and news releases you should look to the source at http://www.watchtower.org/

Comments

Popular Posts