8/16/21
Tour of Christian History
Harris, J. Rendel. "Supposed Montanism of the Teaching." The Teaching of the Apostles, newly edited, with facsimile text and a commentary, for the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, from the MS. of the Holy Sepulchre (Convent of the Greek Church) Jerusalem. Baltimore: Publication Agency of the Johns Hopkins University, 1887, 95-96.
It may be a popular activity to look at a text and assign it to one or another heretical group coming from early Christianity. Harris notes that Harnack has done this with the Didache. Harris considers the most likely allegation against the Didache is that of Montanism (Harris 1887, 95).
Though the issue could be avoided altogether by affirming the Didache comes from a time period prior to Montanism, Harris observes that Montanism did grow from earlier ideas. It seems more likely to Harris that Montanism may have borrowed some elements of the Didache and repurposed thiem. His argument is that this is especially more plausible because the Didache has Jewish origins but Nontanism grows out of Phrygian culture (Harris 1887, 95). Harris concludes by illustrating that prophecy and the work of prophets as described in the Didache can be shown to harmonize either with New Testament texts or conflciting Montanist views (Harris 1887, 96).
Tour of Christian History
Harris, J. Rendel. "Supposed Montanism of the Teaching." The Teaching of the Apostles, newly edited, with facsimile text and a commentary, for the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, from the MS. of the Holy Sepulchre (Convent of the Greek Church) Jerusalem. Baltimore: Publication Agency of the Johns Hopkins University, 1887, 95-96.
It may be a popular activity to look at a text and assign it to one or another heretical group coming from early Christianity. Harris notes that Harnack has done this with the Didache. Harris considers the most likely allegation against the Didache is that of Montanism (Harris 1887, 95).
Though the issue could be avoided altogether by affirming the Didache comes from a time period prior to Montanism, Harris observes that Montanism did grow from earlier ideas. It seems more likely to Harris that Montanism may have borrowed some elements of the Didache and repurposed thiem. His argument is that this is especially more plausible because the Didache has Jewish origins but Nontanism grows out of Phrygian culture (Harris 1887, 95). Harris concludes by illustrating that prophecy and the work of prophets as described in the Didache can be shown to harmonize either with New Testament texts or conflciting Montanist views (Harris 1887, 96).
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