Montanism

Montanism was a charismatic movement that arose in the second century around the prophetic figures of Montanus, Priscilla, and Maximilla. Central to the movement were extraordinary manifestations of the Holy Spirit (e.g., enthusiasm, prophecy, speaking in tongues), which were understood as revelatory of the imminent return of Christ and the end of the world. In expectation of this impending apocalypse, and in response to a perceived moral decline in the greater Church, Montanism emphasized a rigorous ethic of personal asceticism. As with the charges of enthusiasm and regimented discipline, the moniker of "Montanism" occasionally adhered to the early Methodist movement.