Heresy or Prophecy: Tertullian’s Theology of the Holy Spirit in Early Christianity

by Open Science Repository Religion and Theology
(June 2014)

Abstract


Spirituality and critical scholarship can be seen as the twin forces that have continued to influence the church in many ways at all times. Pursuing one or emphasizing one at the expense of the other makes the church imbalance. This truth is what this paper seeks to illustrate through the life, faith, and apologies of Tertullian against Praxeas and the church in the second century in favour of the Montanists. Tertullian condemned the official church for throwing out the Holy Spirit, and encouraged the Montanists who he described as spirituals, prophets, and true men and women of God.

In Tertullians defense of (‘the true prophets’), the Montanists, he articulated his theological thoughts on the Holy Spirit and his relationship with the church and the believer, order of life, marriage, the water of baptism, and the gifts of the Spirit as his theological basis.

Keywords: heresy, prophecy, gifts of the Spirit, trinity, filioque, carnals, spirituals.

Full text


Heresy or Prophecy: Tertullian’s Theology of the Holy Spirit in Early Christianity

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