Tertullian biography

He lived a stormy life: born in Carthage in the family of the Proskomsky Centurion, he moved to Rome, where he led the irreplaceable life of a rich loafer, studying rhetoric and philosophy. Then Tertullian switched to the right and became a lawyer - and probably known; Even the "Digest" of Justinian, the classic code of Roman law, is mentioned even of the lawyer Tertullian, even the "digest" of Justinian.

Probably, then the style was forged, later migrated to his treatises. Turning to Christianity at the age of about 35, Tertullian became a priest and defended his new faith in the same way as once his customers in court - thoroughly, assertively and cocky. A decade later, Tertullian went to the low -Azian Montanist sectarians who resembled modern charismatics - ascetics and mystics, who despised the flesh, who waited for the speed of the world, worshiped their "prophets" and looking for a direct obsession with the Holy Spirit, to "speak languages" in practice, this means unexplored glossalames, to heal and gain other supernatural abilities.

But Tertullian and this was not enough - he left the Montanists and founded his own sect, which lasted at least a hundred years after his death. Blessed Jerome, who wrote his biography, called him “ardens vir” - “frantic husband”, and this inner fire, which drove Tertullian all his life from faith to faith and from group to group, is perfectly felt in his works. Tertullian is a fighter, his works are aggressive.

He is not academic. In his treatises, it is always heard how the author turns to the interlocutor - to the imaginary or real, retorts his arguments, and builds the oncoming system of views against the expected attacks. He is always looking for not victories on points, but the surrender of the enemy - and there is not enough reason for his attack can withstand.

Tertullian did not fall among the Church of the Church because of his apostasy, but his merits to the church are immense. The works of the period when he was still with the Church still draw up its gold fund. In the history of Tertullian, he remained his famous phrase "Credo Quia Absurdim Est"- "I believe, for absurd." This, strictly speaking, is not quite an accurate quote from his treatise "On the Flesh of Christ", where he polemicizes with the Gnostik Marcion, but it excellently grasps the very essence of faith.

Faith does not exist thanks, but contrary to evidence. If something can be proved, then this is no longer the subject of faith. Faith requires the effort to believe in the impossible, unthinkable and incomprehensible - without this breakthrough beyond the everyday life of the mind and consciousness of God not to comprehend. Believe in proven and shown is little honor.

The real faith begins where the experience and evidence end.