Download or read book The Role and Function of Prophetic Gifts for the Church at Carthage, AD 202 - 258 written by Cecil M. Robeck and published by . This book was released on 1985 with total page 428 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Recent years have seen a significant rise in scholarly research on the gifts of prophecy and the related phenomena of visions and dreams. This study attempts to evaluate the role (extent of their presence) and function (interpretation and application) of such phenomena for the persecuted church at Carthage between A.D. 202 and 258. The Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas as well as the writings of Tertullian and the epistles and treatises of Cyprian provide the basic texts. The Passion is a diary-like account of the last days of several young catechumen, martyred in Carthage in A.D. 202/3. It has been edited and published by a redactor whose concern was to provide contemporary illustrations of how God continued to meet the needs of His people. Of significance are visions experienced by Perpetua (The Ladder 4.1-10; Dinocrates 7.1-10, 8.14; and The Egyptian 10.14) and her fellow prisoner Saturus (11.1-13.8). It is concluded that these visions must be interpreted in light of prevailing Roman world-view in matters of afterlife, with accompanying allusions to apocalytpic and biblical texts. Their primary functions were to bring strength, comfort, and direction in the midst of persecution. Tertullian, a contemporary of Perpetua came under the influence of the New Prophecy. His writings prior to A.D. 206 show little interest in prophetic phenomena, but from that point onward are heavily influenced by Montanist concerns. His primary use of nearly a dozen oracles and/or visions is to demonstrate the continued direction of the church through the Spirit. He understands the Spirit's role to be illuminator, a conveyor of Christ's continuing word to the church in keeping with John 16:12-15. Yet, the prophetic word of the Spirit is always judged by Scripture and the regula fidei. Coming at the close of the period under discussion is the tenure of Bishop Cyprian. His writings reveal four primary functions which prophecies and visions played in his own ministry; (1) introduction of ecclesiastical appointments, (2) provision of comfort to the Confessors, (3) exhortations to Christian unity, and (4) words of personal direction. The varieties of prophetic phenomena experience by laity, clergy, men, women, new converts, mature believers and whole councils demonstrate the significant role of prophetic gifts for the North African Church. Their use on the whole seems to have been consistent with Scriptual guidelines.