William Tabbernee

Fake Prophecy and Polluted Sacraments is an insightful case-study of the opposition to Montanism, an early-Christian prophetic movement, by Church and State both before and after ‘catholic’ Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire.

Ecclesiastical and Imperial Reactions to Montanism

Fake Prophecy and Polluted Sacraments

Perpetua, Montanism, and Christian Ministry in Carthage C. 203 C.E.

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 CE. 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. Professor Tabbernee has prepared a series of study questions for each chapter of this engaging book. These questions are suitable for use in a variety of settings, including book clubs, discussion groups, and formal undergraduate and master's level courses. While they are copyrighted they have been made available without cost and can be downloaded to your computer as a PDF file from the book's web page on Baker Academic's site.

An Imaginative History of Montanists and Other Early Christians

Prophets and Gravestones

Peter Lampe

This book tells the exciting story of the discovery in July 2000 of Pepouza, the most Holy City in the theology of Montanism, a prophetic sect of early Christianity, and an imperial estate on which Tymion was located. The discovery culminates three years of careful study and preliminary field work preceded by a further thirty years of Montanist research by William Tabbernee who led the discovery. This book also details the archaeological surface survey campaigns conducted from 2001 to 2004 at the sites. These campaigns, directed by original “team”-member Peter Lampe, have already revealed a great deal of specific information concerning the ancient site of Pepouza and the imperial estate around Tymion.

The Discovery and Archaeological Exploration of a Lost Ancient City and an Imperial Estate

Pepouza and Tymion

This major work draws on current archaeological and textual research to trace the spread of Christianity in the first millennium. William Tabbernee, an internationally renowned scholar of the history of Christianity, has assembled a team of expert historians to survey the diverse forms of early Christianity as it spread across centuries, cultures, and continents. Organized according to geographical areas of the late antique world, this book examines what various regions looked like before and after the introduction of Christianity. How and when was Christianity (or a new form or expression of it) introduced into the region? How were Christian life and thought shaped by the particularities of the local setting? And how did Christianity in turn influence or reshape the local culture? The book's careful attention to local realities adds depth and concreteness to students' understanding of early Christianity, while its broad sweep introduces them to first-millennium precursors of today's variegated, globalized religion. Numerous photographs, sidebars, and maps are included.

An Exploration across Cultures and Continents

Early Christianity in Contexts

"Fake Prophecy and Polluted Sacraments" is an insightful case-study of the opposition to Montanism, an early-Christian prophetic movement, by Church and State both before and after 'catholic' Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire.

William Tabbernee

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