RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Tertullian
now the authoritative tradition handed down in the Church, now the Scriptures themselves, and perhaps also a definite doctrinal formula. While he nowhere gives a list of the books of Scripture, he divides them into two parts and calls them the instrumentum and testamentum (Adv. Martionem, iv. 1). He distinguishes between the four Gospels and insists upon their apostolic origin as accrediting their authority (De prwscriptione, xxxvi. ; Adv. Mar-/ eionem, iv. l-o) ; in trying to account for Marcion's treatment of the Lucan Gospel and the Pauline writings he sarcastically queries whether the " shipmaster from Pontus " (Marcion) had ever been guilty of taking on contraband goods or tampering with them after they were aboard (Adv. Marcionem, v. 1). The Scripture, the rule of faith, is for him fixed and authoritative (De corona, iii.-iv.). As opposed to the pagan writings they are divine (De testimonio animw, vi.). They contain all truth (De prwscriptione, vii., xiv.) and from them the Church drinks (potat) her faith (Adv. Praxeam, xiii.). The prophets were older than the Greek philosophers and their authority is accredited by the fulfilment of their predictions (Apol., xix.-xx.). The Scriptures and the teachings of philosophy are incompatible. " What tias Athens to do with Jerusalem? " he exclaims, " or the Academy with the Church? " (De prwscriptione, vii.). Human philosophy is a work of demons (De anima, i.) ; the Scriptures contain the wisdom of Heaven. The rule of faith, however, seems to be dso applied by Tertullian to some distinct formula Df doctrine, and he gives a succinct statement of the Christian faith under this term (De prwscriptione, xiii.).
IV. Moral Principles: Tertullian was a determined advocate of strict discipline and an austere 3ode of practise, one of the leading representatives Df the Puritanic element in the early Church. These views led him to adopt Montanism with its ascetic rigor and its belief in chiliasm and the continuance Df the prophetic gifts. In his writings on public amusements, the veiling of virgins, the conduct of women, and the like, he gives expression to these views. On the principle that we should not look it or listen to what we have no right to practise, md that polluted things, seen and touched, pollute [De spectaculis, viii., xvii.), he declared a Christian should abstain from the theater and the amphitheater. There pagan religious rites were applied md the names of pagan divinities invoked; there he precepts of modesty, purity, and humanity were gnored or set aside, and there no place was offered ;o the onlookers for the cultivation of the Christian ;races. Women should put aside gold and precious stones as ornaments (De cultu, v.— vi.), and virgins should conform to the law of St. Paul for women md keep themselves strictly veiled (De virginibus >elandis). He praised the unmarried state as the lighest (De monogamia, xvii.; Ad uxorem, i. 3), jailed upon Christians not to allow themselves to be ixcelled in the virtue of celibacy by vestal virgins md Egyptian priests, and he pronounced second narriage a species of adultery (De exhortatione casitatis, ik.). If Tertullian went to an unhealthy ex- ;reme in his counsels of asceticism, he is easily forgiven when one recalls his own moral vigor and his
great services as an ingenuous and intrepid defender of the Christian religion, which with him, as later with Luther, was first and chiefly an experience of his own heart. On account of his schism with the Church, he, like the great Alexandrian Father, Origen, has failed to receive the honor of canonization. (P. ScHAFFf.) D. S. SCHAFF. Bibliography: Editions of the works of Tertullian are numerous. The editio princeps by Beatus Rhenanus appeared at Basel, 1521, 3d ed., 1539. Others are by M. Mesnarts, Paris, 1545; S. Gelenius, Basel, 1550; R. L. de la Barre, Paris, 1580; J. von Wouwer, Frankfort, 1603 and 1612; J. Pamelius, Paris, 1608 and elsewhere later; J. A. Sender, Halle, 1770-76; E. F. Leopold, Leipsic, 1839-41; in MPL, vols, i.-ii.; one of the best is by F. Oehler, 3 vols., Leipsic, 1853-54; another is in the CSEL, Reifferscheid and G. Wissowa, Vienna, 1890 sqq., continued by A. Kroymann in new ed., 1906 sqq., who is also issuing editions of separate works, Tubingen, 1907 sqq.; cf. the latter's Qucestiones Tertullianae, Innsbruck, 1898. Eng. transl. of the " Works " in ANF, vols, iii.-iv. The editions of separate works are too numerous to give here. Works dealing more or less closely with the life of Tertullian are: Grotemeyer, Ueber Tertullien's Leben und Schriflen, Kempen, 1863-65; J. Kaye, The Ecclesiastical History of the Second and Third Centuries, new ed., Cambridge, 1889; G. Boissier, La Fin du paganisme, i. 259 sqq., Paris, 1891; H. Leclercq, L'Afrique chretienne, vol. i., Paris, 1904; W. Walker, Greatest Men of the Christian Church, Chicago, 1908; DCB, iv. 818-864 (by Pusey; elaborate); Schaff, Christian Church, ii. 818-833 et passim; Neander, Christian Church, vol. i., passim; and in general the works on the church history and history of doctrine of the period.
On his writings and doctrine consult: J. A. Nosselt, De vera estate ac doctrina scriptorum Tertulliani, Halle, 1768; W. Miinscher, Darstellung der moralischen Ideen des Clemens von Alexandrien und des Tertullian, Helmstedt, 1796; F. C. H. Schwegler, Der Montanismus, Tubingen, 1841; K. Hesselberg, Tertullian' s Lehre entwickelt aus seinen Schriften, vol. 1, Leben und Schriften, Dorpat, — 1848; J. A. W. Neander, Antignosticus oder Geist des Tertullian und Einleitung in dessen Schriften, Berlin, 2d ed., 1849; G. TJhlhorn, Fundamenta chronologic Tertullianoi, Gottingen, 1852; A. Cres, Les Idees de Tertullien sur la tradition ecclesiastique, Strasburg, 1855; P. Daures, Etude sur V apologetique de Tertullien, Strasburg, 1855;
F. A. Burckhardt, Die Seelenlehre des Tertullian, Budissin, 1857; C. Viala, Tertullien considers comme apologiste, Strasburg, 1857; H. Mauchon, Exposition critique des opinions de Tertullien sur Vorigine et la nature du peche, Strasburg, 1859; V. Bordes, Expose critique des opinions de Tertullien sur la redemption, Strasburg, 1860; P. Gottwald, De montanismo Tertulliani, Breslau, 1862; J. Donaldson, Critical Hist, of Christian Literature and Doctrine, 3 vols., London, 1864-66; J. Pelet, Essai sur V Apologeticus de Tertullien, Strasburg, 1868; C. A. H. Kellner, in TQ, lii (1870), 547-556, liii (1871), 585-609; K. Ronsch, Das neue Testament Tertullians aus den Schriften des Letzteren reconstruirt, Leipsic, 1871; C. E. Treppel, Tertullien, 2d ed., Paris, 1872; F. Boehringer, Die Kirche Christi, 2 vols., 2d ed., Zurich, 1873; K. Leimbach, Beitrage zur Abendmahlslehre Tertullians, Gotha, 1874; G. Caucanus, Tertullien et le montanisme, Geneve, 1876; G. N. Bonwetsch, Die Schriften Tertullians, Bonn, 1878; A. Harnack, in ZKG, ii (1878), 572-583; idem, Die griechische Uebersetzung des Apologeticus Tertullians, Leipsic, 1892; idem, Litteratur, i. 667-687, ii. 2 passim; F. Oehninger, Tertullian und seine Auferstehungslehre, Augsburg, 1878; J. de Soyres, Montanism and the Primitive Church, London, 1878; F. Nielsen, Tertullian' s Ethik, Copenhagen, 1879;
G. R. Hauschild, Die rationale Psychologie und Erkenntnistheorie Tertullians, Frankfort, 1880; G. N. Bonwetsch, Die Geschichte des Montanismus, Erlangen, 1881; W. Belck, Geschichte des Montanismus, Leipsic, 1883; G. Ludwig, Tertullian' s Ethik, Leipsic, 1885; L. Atzberger, Geschichte der christlichen Eschatologie der vornicanischen Zeit, Freiburg, 1886; L. Lehanneur, Le Traite de Tertullien contre les Valentiniens, Caen, 1886; M. Klussmann, Curarum T ertullianearum particular, Halle, 1887; T. Zahn, Geschichte des neutestamentlichen Kanons, i. 51 sqq., 105 sqq., 585 sqq., ii. 449 sqq., Leipsic, 1889-92; P. Corssen,
Tertullian Tetrapolitan Confession