The New Prophecy and 'New Visions' : Evidence of Montanism in The Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas

"The Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas, a precious document from the early church, reported the imprisonment and martyrdom of six Carthaginian Christians in 203. Embedded in this work is the personal diary of Perpetua, which is the earliest extant writing known to be penned by a Christian woman. A beatific vision recorded by her teacher, Saturus, is also included along with an unnamed editor's eyewitness account of the martyrs' contest with wild beasts and their ultimate execution." "In this book, Rex D. Butler examines the Passion for evidence of Montanism and proposes that its three authors - Perpetua, Saturus, and the unnamed editor - were Montanists. Although many scholars have discussed both sides of this issue, this work is the most extensive investigation to date."--BOOK JACKET "The Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas," a document from the early church, reported the imprisonment and martyrdom of six Carthaginian Christians in 203. Montanism is a Spirit-based movement that began in Asia Minor in the second century. This book examines the "Passion" for evidence of Montanism and proposes that its authors were Montanists. Preface and Acknowledgments ix Abbreviations xiii Introduction 1 1. Montanism 9 2. Authorship of the Passion 44 3. Examination of the Passion 58 4. The Passion in Literary/Historical Context 97 Conclusion 127 Notes 133 Selected Bibliography 185 Index of Modern Authors 207 Subject Index 209