Prophets and Gravestones: An Imaginative History of Montanists and Other Early Christians

by William Tabbernee

Before the great councils of Christendom and before there were centers of ecclesiastical authority that spoke on behalf of the widely scattered churches found throughout the Roman Empire, how was one to determine what teachings were true and which prophets and prophetesses were authentic? Montanism is named for its first proponent, a certain Montanus from Phrygia in Asia Minor in what is today Turkey who began his "spirit-filled movement" within the area sometime around 165 C.E. He was shortly joined by two women, Priscilla and Maximilla. All proclaimed that they were filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied about the return of Jesus Christ as immanent and that the New Jerusalem would be established in the city of Pepouza in Phrygia. With his profound knowledge of the group known at that time as "The New Prophecy" William Tabbernee dramatically tells the story of the followers of Montanus, Maximilla, and Priscilla, as well as of those other Christians, some well known such as Tertullian, most not, who followed their teachings for centuries thereafter. Replete with vivid descriptions, photographs of, and drawings illustrating the places and events surrounding these men and women, and with maps to orient the reader in the geography of its origins, this book provides an articulate, erudite, and thoroughly fascinating tour-de-force of what has been labeled a Christian heresy almost from its inception.

Genres: Religion

338 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

William Tabbernee (PhD, University of Melbourne), ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), is executive director of the Oklahoma Conference of Churches. He formerly served as president and Stephen J. England Distinguished Professor of the History of Christianity at Phillips Theological Seminary. Tabbernee led an international team of archaeologists and historians that discovered the long-lost site of Pepouza, Montanism's most holy city. He is the author of numerous books, including Prophets and Gravestones, and lives in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Reviews

[Jacob O'connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was a whipper-snapper Christian in rural Oklahoma, I worked for a "Pentacostal Holiness" lady. What set the holiness apart from the Baptists, of which I was one, was their take on tongues/prophesy and the "second blessing". Jo said Baptists were like an 8 cylinder car running on 4 plugs. This bothered me. Was I missing out on something? Was I a believer in need of a tune up?

I wasn't the first to face these questions. A sect called the "Montanists" challenged the second century church in much the same way. Tabbernee has written the details of the Montanist prophets in story form, and I applaud him. This is a well researched book made much more digestible by his anecdotes. It isn't Stephen King, but I feel I can relate to the historic characters in a way traditional history books can't do.