Was Tertullian of Carthage a schismatic? How did he view the church and its bishops? In this study David Rankin sets the writings of Tertullian in the context of the early third-century church and its developments, and discusses Tertullian's own theology of the church, his imagery and his perception of church office and ministry. Tertullian's contribution to the development of the church has often been misunderstood, and this thorough exploration provides a timely reassessment of its nature and importance.