Cecil M Robeck

""Prophecy"" is never easily defined. It has meant different things to different people of the church at different times. For some, it is an ancient and finished event from which we can only learn; for others, it is still an ongoing wonder, occurring daily in varying manifestations and calling for widely divergent responses. Through the writings and legacy of Perpetua, Tertullian, and Cyprian, early Christians of the third century, Cecil Robeck has undertaken a historical examination of the gift of prophecy in the early church. He explores their visions and how those visions served and spoke to the persecuted community of believers who formed the early church. From the perspectives of a laywoman, a bishop, and a theologian, he looks at connections between prophetic phenomena--on the rise in Carthage at that time and in decline elsewhere--and ecclesiastical expectations. Placing emphasis on the prophetic function rather than the prophetic person, Robeck probes the interpretation, application, and effect of their visions on the church. Through that lens, he demonstrates that their visions have meaning beyond the personal and immediate for the prophet--that they can provide guidance, enlightenment, and meaning not only for their world and time, but for ours as well.

"Prophecy" is never easily defined. It has meant different things to different people of the church at different times. For some, it is an ancient and finished event from which we can only learn; for others, it is still an ongoing wonder, occurring daily in varying manifestations and calling for widely divergent responses. Through the writings and legacy of Perpetua, Tertullian, and Cyprian, early Christians of the third century, Cecil Robeck has undertaken a historical examination of the gift of prophecy in the early church. He explores their visions and how those visions served and spoke to the persecuted community of believers who formed the early church. From the perspectives of a laywoman, a bishop, and a theologian, he looks at connections between prophetic phenomena--on the rise in Carthage at that time and in decline elsewhere--and ecclesiastical expectations. Placing emphasis on the prophetic function rather than the prophetic person, Robeck probes the interpretation, application, and effect of their visions on the church. Through that lens, he demonstrates that their visions have meaning beyond the personal and immediate for the prophet--that they can provide guidance, enlightenment, and meaning not only for their world and time, but for ours as well.

In The Azusa Street Mission and Revival, Cecil M. Robeck, Jr. brings to bear expertise from decades of focused study in church history to reveal the captivating story of the Apostolic Faith Mission in Los Angeles, which became known as the Azusa Street Mission. Sometimes the largest blaze begins with the tiniest spark.At the dawn of the twentieth century, William J. Seymour, the son of Louisiana slaves, began meeting with a tiny congregation in a two-story wooden building in downtown Los Angeles. What began as a spontaneous gathering of believers quickly grew into a passionate revival and renewal of the work of the Holy Spirit. The movement spread at breathtaking speed. With little more than a printing press, a trolley stop, and a powerful message, the spiritual fire emanating from the Apostolic Faith Mission on Azusa Street rapidly crossed strict cultural and national borders—into Mexico, Canada, Britain, Scandinavia, Africa, India, and China. Led by William J. Seymour, the revival became the catalyst for the modern Pentecostal movement.Today, the more than 500 million Christians who identify as Pentecostal or Charismatic can trace the roots of their faith to this humble beginning at Azusa Street. The Azusa Street Mission and Revival tells the full story of how this uniquely diverse and inclusive group grew into a powerful movement that forever changed the landscape of Christianity.