Tertullian: life, writings and Montanism

Overview

Known about Tertullian's life, argument of the Apologeticum and argument of On the Prescription of Heretics.

What you need to know

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Questions from this subtopic

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1. 1

   What is known about Tertullian's life?

   Model answer

   Tertullian lived at Carthage in Roman North Africa from about AD 155 until some time after 220, and was married, since he addresses two treatises to his wife. Jerome says he was the son of a centurion and served as a presbyter, and the familiar claim that he was a professional lawyer rests on a probable confusion with a jurist of the same name, so it should be treated with caution.

2. 2

   Why is Tertullian important in the history of Christian literature?

   Model answer

   Tertullian was the first substantial Christian author to write in Latin, and much of the vocabulary of Western theology comes from him. Terms including trinity, person, substance and sacrament entered Christian usage through his writing.

3. 3

   Into what three groups are Tertullian's writings usually divided?

   Model answer

   His works are grouped as apologetic writings defending Christians against public slander, polemical and doctrinal writings defending the faith against heresy, and moral or disciplinary writings setting out how a Christian should live. The division is a convenience, since several works belong to more than one group.

4. 4

   What is the argument of the Apologeticum?

   Model answer

   Written in AD 197 and addressed to the governors of the provinces, the Apologeticum argues that Christians are loyal subjects who pray for the emperor and commit none of the crimes attributed to them. Tertullian attacks the injustice of a procedure in which confession alone convicts, whereas in every other case torture is used to extract a confession.

5. 5

   Give two of Tertullian's best-known apologetic sayings and their sense.

   Model answer

   Tertullian wrote that the blood of Christians is seed, meaning that executions increase rather than reduce the number of believers. He also reports outsiders saying “See how they love one another”, which he uses to contrast Christian charity with the mutual hostility of their critics.

6. 6

   What does Tertullian mean by saying that the soul is naturally Christian?

   Model answer

   Tertullian argues that ordinary people, in unguarded moments, speak of one God, appeal to his judgement and use language that fits Christian belief rather than the myths of the state religion. The testimony of the untrained soul is therefore offered as evidence for the truth of what Christians teach.

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