Tertullian on Modesty

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.

Here, we have Tertullian’s On Modesty, a medium-length work exploring the concept of forgiveness and repentance from the sin of adultery. Like many today, Tertullian laments the loss of discipline and holiness in the Church. His primary concern is that some Churches have begun to pardon adulterers, allowing them to partake of the sacrament of Communion and rejoin the community.

Tertullian’s view of repentance, like his other ethical views, is fairly black and white. Much like the modern Caltholic teaching regarding mortal and venial sins, Tertullian makes a distinction between sins that the Church can pardon, such as anger that goes beyond sundown, and sins that only God can forgive, like adultery, idolatry, and murder. His argument is essentially that the Church does not have the authority to forgive such great evils and that to allow one who committed these atrocities back into the body of Christ is itself sinful on two counts. First, the Church presumes to act in God’s stead. Second, it would fundamentally contaminate the holiness of Christ’s bride.

Tertulian’s argument is ultimately very narrow; he concedes that the blood of Christ is sufficient to cover all sins before one is baptized. After believing, however, Tertullian argues that committing a mortal sin, particularly adultery, would cut a person off from the Church. Unfortunately, he spends little time addressing what to actually do with such a person other than to excommunicate them and encourage them to seek God’s forgiveness on their own. Interestingly, his line of argument suggests that other Churches may have followed a similar practice for idolatry, refusing to bring a repentant believer back into the Church after denying Christ and worshiping idols. 

This hits on one of the great tensions in Christianity; how do we practically balance the forgiveness of God with His holiness? While Tertullian goes too far in his prescriptions, a straightforward reading of Hebrews does seem to imply that there are circumstances in which professing Christians can be separated from God. We are called to holiness in our faith and, at the very least, this work by Tertullian reminds us that turning a blind eye to sin and cheapening the Grace of Christ defiles his bride. 

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

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