Page "Montanism" Paragraph 5

There was never a uniform excommunication of New Prophecy adherents, and in many places they maintained their standing within the orthodox community.

This was the case at Carthage.

While not without tension, the church there avoided schism over the issue.

There were women prophesying at Carthage, and prophecy was considered a genuine charism.

It was the responsibility of the council of elders to test all prophecy and to determine genuine revelation.

The best-known defender of the New Prophecy was undoubtedly Tertullian, who believed that the claims of Montanus were genuine beginning c. 207.

He believed in the validity of the New Prophecy and admired the movement's discipline and ascetic standards.

A common misconception is that Tertullian decisively left the orthodox church and joined a separate Montanist sect ; in fact, he remained a catholic Christian.