Answer
Priscillianism was founded in the fourth century by Priscillian, a Spanish bishop. The movement emerged in the Roman province of Hispania, corresponding to modern-day Spain and Portugal. The teachings of Priscillianism combined elements of ascetism, mysticism, and dualism. As such, they were condemned as heretical.
Priscillian, born around AD 340 in the Roman province of Galicia, was a charismatic leader and advocate of rigorous ascetism, promoting a strict lifestyle that included celibacy, fasting, and spiritual purity. He was influenced by various philosophical and religious traditions, such as Gnosticism and Manichaeism, which stressed an inherent conflict between good and evil (or spirit and matter).
Priscillianism emphasized asceticism, esotericism, and an unconventional interpretation of Scripture. Its adherents practiced extreme self-discipline, abstaining from marriage and all worldly pleasures. They also believed in a cosmic struggle between the forces of light and darkness, a concept borrowed from Manichaeism. Priscillian claimed to have wisdom accessible only to a few; in this, he tapped into Gnostic traditions that valued secret knowledge (gnosis) for salvation. His scriptural interpretations were often allegorical and mystical and differed significantly from biblical Christianity.
Priscillianism gained many followers in Hispania and Gaul (modern-day France). However, its divergence from biblical Christianity alarmed church leaders. This controversy reached a boiling point at the Council of Saragosa in AD 380. Priscillianism was not only condemned as heretical, but the council explicitly denounced ascetism and unconventional interpretations of Scripture. To make matters worse, Priscillian was accused of sorcery and heresy. In 385, the Roman emperor Magnus Maximus ordered Priscillian to be executed, marking the first instance of a practicing Christian—a former bishop, no less —being put to death by the government on a charge of heresy.
Priscillianism’s rigorous asceticism conflicts with the doctrine of Christian liberty. While the Bible commands believers to have self-control and warns against excess (1 Corinthians 9:27), it also affirms that true righteousness is not found in rule-following. In 1 Timothy 4:1–5 Paul says,
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer (ESV).
Priscillianism’s dualistic worldview, which posits a fundamental opposition between spirit and physical matter, contradicts the biblical creation account. Genesis 1:31 declares, “God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good” (ESV). Thus, matter is not intrinsically evil, and the Bible never says it is.Priscillian’s emphasis on secret knowledge is contrary to the doctrine of redemption. Redemption is not achieved by knowledge; rather, sinners receive salvation by faith in the shed blood of Christ (John 20:31). After receiving the gift of salvation, believers will grow in true wisdom and knowledge, available to all. Paul expresses his heart for all believers when he says, “I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2–3, NLT).
Allegorical or mystical interpretations of Scriptures distort biblical truth. The Bible itself warns against twisting its teachings. Second Peter 3:16 states, “He [Paul] writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.” This warning stresses the importance of faithful and accurate interpretation. Distortions of Scripture lead to destruction.
Priscillianism is nothing more than a cocktail of Gnosticism and Manichaeism, which are heretical doctrines. Instead of being swayed by false teachings, believers should remain grounded in God’s Word. In doing so, we will grow and mature in Christ, who is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
