Montanism was an early-Christian splinter movement originating in the
middle of the second century. Montanus, traveling with two prophetesses, preached against marriage
- since, he said, God was about to lower a city from the sky into the
region of Asia Minor known as Phrygia. This city would be known as New
Jerusalem, and become the center of a Christian new world order.
Though
defended in some of his teachings by key church father Tertullian,
Montanus was condemned as heretical in the year 177 by a synod presided
over by the Bishop of Hierapolis. Though small, his movement persisted
perhaps until the 6th century.
