Tertullian’s On Marriage

Tertullian, the founder of Latin Christianity and a man of great intellect, was born in Carthage to a proconsular centurion sometime around A.D. 145. He was likely educated in Rome as an expert in law and joined the Church around 185, becoming a presbyter in 190. His writings profoundly influenced Augustine and Cyprian who, in turn, provided inspiration to the Reformers in Europe and in the Anglican Church. 

In his later years Tertullian embraced Montanism, a movement, labeled a heresy by the Church, which claimed to have further revelation from the Holy Spirit, held to a strict moral code, and elevated female prophets. Tertullian perhaps embraced this because he was discontent with the orthodox church of his day and found the uncompromising morality of Montanism appealing. Despite this, he is recognized as the founder of Latin Christianity and an incredibly influential Christian thought leader and writer.

This episode contains two of Tertullian’s works: his Exhortation to Chastity and On Monogamy. These two are included together because they address similar issues. In both, Tertullian calls the Church to radical sexual purity, apparently coming into conflict with many of the other congregations in his day. He argues against “the Digamists,” believers who allowed Christians to remarry, including after the death of a spouse. In Tertullian’s view Scripture teaches that there is no circumstance in which a Christian ought to remarry. While his position found him at odds with his contemporaries, they appear to have agreed that Christians could not be married to more than one spouse at a time, that sex outside of marriage was sinful, and that marriage was exclusively between men and women. 

These texts also illuminate two principles guiding Tertullian’s interpretation of Scripture, both of which likely contributed to him being declared a heretic. The first is this principle: “No necessity is excusable which is avoidable.” Despite having been married himself, he argues that this divinely-instituted union is an indulgence that has been superseded by the holiness he believed was instituted by Christ. The second was to identify the “New Prophecy” from Montanus and his followers as authoritative, lending his ascetic and morally severe interpretation of Scripture the divine authority of the Holy Spirit. Despite these dubious hermeneutical practices, Tertullian’s work reminds us today that the point of marriage and sexuality is not primarily our enjoyment and fulfillment but rather God’s glory.

And now, please enjoy this rendition of Tertullian’s On Marriage.

If you would like to read more of the writings of the Early Christian Fathers, please visit ccel.org to view the full collection.