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UNIVERSITY OF GHANA

COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES

WALKING IN THE SPIRIT:

A PENTECOSTAL READING OF ROMANS 8

BY

SAMUEL OWUSU AGYARE

(10600238)

THIS THESIS IS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES

IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE AWARD OF MASTER OF

PHILOSOPHY IN THE STUDY OF RELIGIONS

DEPARTMENT FOR THE STUDY OF RELIGIONS

JULY 2019

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DECLARATION

This is to certify that this thesis is the result of research undertaken by Samuel Owusu

Agyare under the supervision of Dr. Nicoletta Gatti and Rev. Prof. Eric B. Anum towards the award of MPhil Degree in the Study of Religions in the Department for the

Study of Religions, University of Ghana (Legon).

…………………………………… ……………………………………..

SAMUEL OWUSU AGYARE Date

(Student)

…………………………… ……. ……………………………………..

DR. NICOLETTA GATTI Date

(Supervisor)

…………………………………… …………………………………………

REV. PROF. ERIC B. ANUM Date

(Co-Supervisor)

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ABSTRACT

The Church of Pentecost (CoP) is one of the fastest growing churches in Ghana. In the last decade, the church has encouraged ministers to undertake theological studies to reach an in-depth understanding of the tenets of faith. However, two aspects need more attention: the study of a ‘specific’ hermeneutical approach to the readings of Scripture; and an exegetical study of the ‘pneumatological’ New Testament texts, widely employed by CoP ministries in their teaching and preaching. Against this background, the thesis examines a text commonly known as ‘the gospel of the Spirit, Romans 8, to understand the perlocutory effect on the original readers, and the Church of Pentecost

(CoP) understanding and appropriation for human and community transformation.

The study employed the Contextual Bible Study (CBS) approach proposed by Gerald

West as its theoretical framework. The approach proposed an inter-cultural study of the biblical text based on two-steps: the study of the ‘original readers’ context and the appropriation by the contemporary readers.

To reach an informed understanding of the original readers’ context, the research employed Kennedy’s rhetorical method. The rhetorical situation, problem, structure and analysis of the text revealed that ‘Walking in the Spirit,’ according to Rom. 8, is a holistic process involving personal and community transformation, in which the cry of the poor and the cry of the earth are heard. To access the CoP ‘ordinary readers’ interpretation, three groups were selected: the ‘literate’ from Kasoa English Assembly, the ‘semi-literate’ from Amanfro Assembly and the ‘theological students’ from

Pentecost University College (PUC).

The CBS engagement showed that the ‘ecclesiastic lens’ employed by all participants offered a uniform approach to hermeneutics; in fact, the level of literacy and/or

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theological preparation seemed to have little or no impact on the reading of the text.

Respondents described the Holy Spirit as registrar, encourager, deliverer, liberator, etc., and above all as the guide to divine sonship. Accordingly, ‘Walking in the Spirit’ was conceived as a ‘spiritual and experiential journey,’ in which the Spirit is encountered, and his presence ‘attested’ to by miraculous signs.

The study discloses that CoP members’ approach to the reading reflects the main characteristics of Pentecostal Hermeneutics summarised by Green and Ellington, albeit with emphasis of some elements such influences of the spirits (good and evil); ‘literal’ approach to interpretation and ‘radical’ application of faith – informed by their African cultural background. Furthermore, the research indicated in the vivid experience of the

Spirit; as a missionary tool a positive modality of contextualising the call to action of

Romans 8 — ‘walking in the Spirit’ — by the CoP’s members.

Finally, the researcher proposed a revision of the teachings of the CoP to include elements such as social justice; fight against corruption; ecological awareness, etc. as manifestation of the presence of the Spirit of truth in the life of the believers.

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DEDICATION

To the late Rev. Professor Joseph Quayesi-Amakye, the former Dean of Theology and

Missions, Pentecost University College for motivating me to continue this research when I was about to quit the studies due to personal challenges.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am grateful to God Almighty for the opportunity granted me to embark on this study.

I express my profound gratitude to Him for the wisdom, good health and peace of mind provided me. I enrolled on this programme during one of the turbulent times of my life, but in all, the Lord has been faithful.

Besides, I acknowledge the efforts of my supervisors, Dr. Nicoletta Gatti and Rev.

Professor Eric B. Anum. I appreciate their sincere love, care and counsel. They did not only play their roles as supervisors but also showed concern as parents with special interest in making sure that I finished the work on time. I equally recognise Rev. Prof.

George Ossom-Batsa for his invaluable contributions and rare counsel. His contributions have immeasurably influenced my thinking and consequently shaped the outcome of this research.

I also show sincere appreciation to my course mates: Abraham, Clement, Felix and

Gabriel for their support and counsel. I thank them for their friendly relationship.

Moreover, I thank my senior pastor, Rev. Dr. Benjamin Ali, the former Dean (FTM-

PUC), who had confidence in me and allowed me to understudy him during lectures in the Biblical Languages. The leadership of the CoP, Aps. Eric K. Nyamekye (Chairman

- CoP), Rev. Professor Opoku Onyinah (Former Chairman - CoP), Rev. Dr. Daniel

Walker (Rector - PUC), Rev. Dr. Ali, Rev Dr. Emmanuel Apea, Mr. Foster Amoani

(Registrar -PUC), Rev. Dr. Samuel K. Asante and others who stood by me in difficult times by giving me employment and sponsorship opportunity for the study. Not forgetting Rev. Dr. Christian Tsekpoe, Rev Dr. Justice A. Arthur, Rev. Dr. Victor J.T.

Zizer, Rev. Michael M. Kopah, Rev. Dr. Samuel Ofori, Rev. George Danquah, Rev.

Jacob Asare, Mrs. Grace Danquah, Ms. Rebecca Arthur, and other lecturers in the

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Theology Department of Pentecost University College, for their immeasurable support in diverse ways.

Finally, I am thankful to God for an understanding and supportive wife, Mrs. Mercy

Owusu Agyare and our children Benedict, Matilda, Jonathan, Sammy, Alberta, Sarah and Awusi. Simon, Benedict and Michael were ‘the giants’ who stood with me during all-nights studies. I could not have done this without them. I appreciate them for being there for me when it mattered most.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ...... ii

ABSTRACT ...... iii

DEDICATION ...... v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS ...... viii

CHAPTER ONE : INTRODUCTORY ISSUES………………………………………1

1.1 Background ...... 1

1.2 Statement of the Problem ...... 5

1.3 Research Questions ...... 6

1.4 Review of Related Literature ...... 6

1.4.1 General Hermeneutics ...... 6

1.4.2 Pentecostal Hermeneutics ...... 11

1.4.3 Pentecostal Reading of Romans 8...... 16

1.5 Contextual Bible Study Framework...... 18

1.6 Methodology ...... 18

1.7 Organization of the Study ...... 19

CHAPTER TWO: PENTECOSTAL HERMENEUTICS……………………………20

2.1 Introduction ...... 20

2.2 History of Pentecostalism ...... 20

2.2.1 The ‘Black’ Origin of Pentecostalism ...... 26

2.2.2 Pentecostalism in Ghana: Classification ...... 27 viii

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2.3 Hermeneutics ...... 29

2.3.1 The Starting of the Debate on Pentecostal Hermeneutics ...... 31

2.3.2 Possibility of Pentecostal Hermeneutics ...... 33

2.3.3 What Hermeneutics Entails or Comprises ...... 34

2.3.4 Characteristics of Pentecostal Hermeneutics ...... 35

2.5 Conclusion ...... 40

CHAPTER THREE : RHETORICAL ANALYSIS OF ROMANS 8:1-39…………..41

3.1 Introduction ...... 41

3.2 Rhetorical Situation of the Letter to the Romans...... 41

3.3 Rhetorical Problem ...... 43

3.4 The Rhetorical Structure of Romans 8...... 45

3.5 Exegetical Analysis ...... 47

3.5.1 The Spirit of Life (8:1-11) ...... 48

3.5.2 The Spirit of Sonship (8:12-17) ...... 54

3.5.3 The Spirit as first Fruit (8:18-30) ...... 57

3.5.4 The Triumph of God (8:31 -39) ...... 61

3.5.5 Summary ...... 65

3.6 Paul’s Exegetical Teachings of the Spirit ...... 67

3.7 Conclusion ...... 71

CHAPTER FOUR: CONTEXTUAL BIBLE STUDY OF ROMANS 8…..…………74

4.1 Introduction ...... 74

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4.2 Historical Overview and Organization of CoP, Ghana ...... 74

4.3 The Contextual Bible Study ...... 78

4.3.1 The CBS Process...... 79

4.3.2 Formulation of Questions ...... 80

4.4 Products of CBS ...... 82

4.4.1 Reading Romans 8 with Kasoa English Assembly ...... 82

4.4.2 Reading Romans 8 with Amanfro Assembly...... 87

4.4.3 Reading Romans 8 with Theological students from PUC ...... 92

4.5 Comment on the Reading Processes ...... 97

4.6 Characteristics of African-Pentecostal Readings in CBS ...... 102

4.7 Conclusion ...... 105

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATIONS……...107

5.1 Introduction ...... 107

5.2 Summary ...... 107

5.3 Recommendations ...... 112

5.4 Concluding Remarks ...... 113

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 117

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTORY ISSUES

1.1 Background

One of the fastest rising churches in Ghana is The Church of Pentecost (CoP), with a

global membership of about three million.1 Central to the life of this Church is the

presence of the Spirit as a demonstration of its identity with the early church (Acts 2:1-

5, 42 – 43). The church believes that its doctrines, practices and even their liturgy are

in continuity with the early church. Therefore, members are expected to live by these

central teachings of the church in order to experience the workings of the Spirit in their

lives. This is considered not only as a way of moulding members’ lifestyle but also a

means of engendering individual growth within their community.2

While the impact of these teachings on members is difficult to measure, there seems to

be a direct correlation between individual growth and the main teachings of the church.

It is important to note that the pastoral approach, mode of worship, members’ lifestyle

and core teachings are evidently influenced by the CoP’s interpretation of the Scripture.

Furthermore, as a typical African Christian community, members of the CoP live within

communities to gain communal strength through interactions. Through these

engagements with one another, the hermeneutical understanding of a text from the Bible

is portrayed in their daily lives. Thus, their understanding of a message or a text

determines their character and beliefs. This comes to light as a result of their

1 Opoku, Onyinah, “Rapid Growth of the Church of Pentecost,” Daily Guide Africa, May 5, 2017, http:// www. dailyguideafrica.com/Religion of Friday.html. 2 Nevertheless, Peter Wagner has observed that, in recent times, it has become increasingly difficult to assess the character of individual Christians based on the teachings of a church community Peter C. Wagner, Church Growth: The State of the Art (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1986), 1. 1

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understanding and interpretation of the various texts that dwells on walking in the

Spirit.

However, while the reading of the Bible has always been part of the church’s teaching, the Church was at the beginning opposed to academic studies and scientific interpretation of the Bible. Until recently, members of the Pentecostal community who exhibited some ‘spiritual’ elements were chosen by the community and ‘called’ to join the clergy without any theological training, following the experience of Paul and

Barnabas narrated in the Acts of Apostles: “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which

I have called them.’ So, after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off” (13:1-3).

The situation is now changing; the Church of Pentecost is encouraging pastors and lay people to study theology in academic institutions. In fact, not only members of the CoP constitute the majority of students enrolled in the theological and leadership programmes at Pentecost University College, but they are pursuing degree in other tertiary institutions in Ghana. However, those who embark on further studies tend to concentrate on other theological disciplines such as Pentecostal Studies and Mission, rather than biblical studies.3

For those embracing biblical studies, a double challenge is present: methodology and content. The first is the problem of method. Scholars from Historical Missionary

Churches often criticise Pentecostals as having no developed hermeneutics. They contend that Pentecostals only engage in proof-texting, without any regard for context:

3 The data on enrolment is retrieved from the Academic Department of Pentecost University College and the Headquarter of the CoP (November 2018). 2

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Their attitude towards Scripture regularly has included a general disregard for scientific exegesis and carefully thought-out hermeneutics. In fact, hermeneutics has simply not been a Pentecostal thing. Scripture is the Word of God and is to be obeyed. In place of scientific hermeneutics there developed a kind of pragmatic hermeneutics – obey what should be taken literally; spiritualize, allegorize, or devotionalize the rest4. Even some Pentecostal scholars like Israel share the same opinion:

Calls for a Pentecostal hermeneutic seem to me to be misguided. They would be motivated either by an ideology (as some Marxist and Feminist hermeneutics are) or an epistemology of the Spirit. A Pentecostal ideology is no hermeneutic at all; it is the obliteration of the horizon of the text by the interpreter5. However, other scholars like Anderson — while acknowledging that biases are inevitable and a ‘presuppositionless’ hermeneutics does not exist — believe that there is a distinguishable and authentic Pentecostal hermeneutic (PH). For example,

Anderson argues that, Pentecostals combine “different (but legitimate) methodological, personal, historical, and theological presuppositions” in interpretation.6

The second problem concerns the content of the study, the choice of the biblical text.

In fact, biblical scholars belonging to classical Pentecostal Churches have focalised their attention on pneumatological issues in the Lukan narrative,7 as recognised by

Mittelstadt8 and Stronstad. For example, Stronstad observes that the history of PH is associated with the message of the Lukan narrative with special emphasis on the

Pentecost narrative (Acts 2:1-11). He further indicates four hermeneutical strategies that control the reading and actualisation of Lukan pneumatology within

Pentecostalism: a) holistic; b) pneumatic; c) genre and d) pragmatic.9

4 Gordon Fee, Paul, the Spirit and the People of God (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1996), 24. 5 Allan Anderson, An Introduction to Pentecostalism: Global Charismatic Christianity (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004), 9. 6 Ibid, 9. See also; Scott A. Ellington, “Locating Pentecostals at the Hermeneutical Round Table,” JPT 22, no. 2 (2013): 206-225. 7 Roger Stronstad, The Charismatic Theology of St. Luke (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1984), 5–9. 8 Cf. Mittelstadt, Reading Luke-Acts, 1, 156-159 9 Stronstad, The Charismatic Theology, 5-9. 3

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In more recent publication, however, Pentecostal scholars have stated the importance of exploring other texts, where the identity and the function of the Holy Spirit are defined, as the chapter 14—16 of the Gospel according to John10 and the Pauline literature, with growing interest in a text that is usually defined ‘the Gospel of the Holy

Spirit’: Romans 8.11

The Pentecostal churches living in the African continent have been conspicuously absent in the debate: in Ghana, for example, no reflection has been encouraged about the identity of Pentecostal hermeneutics and no analytical studies of pneumatological texts have been conducted to read the Bible with ‘Pentecostal’ and ‘African’ eyes. In this way, there is a growing ‘gap’ between academia and faith experience: while

Pentecostal communities are gathering around the Bible to find in the Bible their identity, often employing a fundamentalist approach; Pentecostal academia are not proposing models to read the Bible respectful of the culture of text and of the

Pentecostal-African culture of the reading community.

It is interesting to note that one of the texts around which the CoP has built its teaching on the active role of the Spirit in the lives of its members is Romans 8. The text is usually employed to prepare neophiles to the baptism of the Spirit, manifested in the gift of glossolalia, and to live “walking in the Spirit.”

Rom. 8:2-4 states,

10 “How might scholars so focused on the relationship between Lukan and Pauline unity and diversity enlarge the conversation bringing Johannine theology and practice into the mix?” Mittelstadt, Reading Luke-Acts, 160. 11 Paul’s epistle to the Romans is the less ‘contextualized’ of Paul authentic letters, probably because the community was not founded by Paul and the reason to writing is not to address a specific problem or pastoral situation but to introduce himself and his ‘gospel,’ to persuade the community to support his future missionary activity. For this reason, it seems to be directed towards Christians in general. This suggest that a letter written to a church in Rome could become beneficial to other communities worldwide, such as Ghana, as far as the Christian faith and the standards of the church remain same to the church universally. John Phillips, Exploring the Letter to Romans. The John Phillips Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2001), 36. 4

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2 ὁ γὰρ νόμος τοῦ πνεύματος τῆς ζωῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἠλευθέρωσέν σε ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ τοῦ θανάτου. 3 Τὸ γὰρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διὰ τῆς σαρκός, ὁ θεὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ υἱὸν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκὸς ἁμαρτίας καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινεν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί,4 ἵνα τὸ δικαίωμα τοῦ νόμου πληρωθῇ ἐν ἡμῖν τοῖς μὴ κατὰ σάρκα περιπατοῦσιν ἀλλὰ κατὰ πνεῦμα.

For the law of the life-giving Spirit in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For God achieved what the law could not do because it was weakened through the flesh. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,4 so that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Against this background, this research explores the Pentecostal reading of Romans 8 in order to understand the perlocutory effect on contemporary Ghanaian Pentecostals

(readers) and investigate how Pentecostal readers understand and appropriate Paul’s invitation of “waking in the Spirit”.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Chapter 8 of the letter to Romans is often defined as “the gospel of the Spirit.” It is widely used by the CoP in her teaching on the baptism of the Spirit and on the need to transform life in a ‘walk’ in the Spirit. However, the text is not at the centre of the reflection of Pentecostal biblical scholars who focused their study on the Lukan narrative. Furthermore, in the CoP, there is a growing gap between the pastoral use of the text, often interpreted following a fundamentalist approach and the academia. While ordinary readers seek in the Bible concrete answer and modality of living their

Christian/Pentecostal experience, there is no hermeneutical reflection on how to read the text with Pentecostal and African eyes, employing approaches respectful of the original culture of the text and of the culture of the readers. This situation poses a hermeneutical challenge that the research intends to address.

Against this background, the study investigates the possibility of a Pentecostal reading of Romans 8 in order to understand the relevance of the text for CoP contemporary readers.

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1.3 Research Questions

To be able to address the problems stated above, the following research questions would be considered.

The main research question is: How does CoP interpret and appropriate Romans 8?

The secondary research questions are:

1. What are the main characteristics of a Pentecostal hermeneutics?

2. What is the relevance of the text for ordinary readers in the CoP communities

in Ghana?

1.4 Review of Related Literature

This section is divided into three thematic sub-sections. These are General hermeneutics, involving definitions such as hermeneutics, exegesis and meaning;

Pentecostal hermeneutics and Pentecostal reading of Rom. 8:1-39.

1.4.1 General Hermeneutics

In the last decade, an interesting scholarly debate has been generated about the

‘meaning’ of hermeneutics and the relationship among connected terms such as hermeneutics; exegesis; meaning; interpretation, etc. 12 In the following paragraphs, the researcher intends to summarise the main argument in order to reach a working definition of hermeneutics. To reach the aim, three controversial terms, hermeneutics- exegesis-meaning, are analysed, before focusing on the contemporary loci of meaning.13

12 Walter C. Kaiser Jr. and Moises Silva, Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics: The Search for Meaning (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009), 1-7; Jeannine K. Brown, Scripture as Communication: Introducing Biblical Hermeneutics (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Pub. Group, 2007) 1-4; Randolph W. Tate, An Integrated Approach to Biblical Interpretation (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008), 1-3. 13 Tate, An Integrated Approach, 2. 6

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The English word hermeneutics was derived from the Greek verb ἑρμηνεύω (cf. John

1:42, 9:7; Heb. 7:2), means to ‘express’, ‘translate’ or ‘interpret’.14 This denotes both a method and a philosophy of interpretation and not limited to textual studies.15

Hermeneutics consists of a reading that moves back and forth: a) between the parts and the whole of the text; b) between its structure and meaning and c) between the text and its contexts.16

Commonly, hermeneutics comprises observation; what is the text saying? Correlation; how does it fit into the reader’s situation? Interpretation; what does it mean? and appropriation; how does or can it be applied to contemporary situations?17

Brown defines hermeneutics as “the analysis of what we do when we seek to understand the Bible, including its appropriation to the contemporary world.”18 Tate, however, sees hermeneutics as “the study of the locus of meaning and the principles of interpretation”.19 Furthermore, Schökel considers hermeneutics as, “the theory of the comprehension and interpretation of literary texts”.20

B. Exegesis

From the definitions espoused by both Tate and Brown, exegesis is an essential part of hermeneutics. Tate views it as “the varied set of activities which a hermeneut performs

14 Joseph Thayer, Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, 2188-2190, Bible Work 6th Edition version; cf. J. D. K. Ekem and S. Kissi, Essentials of Biblical Greek Morphology with an Introduction Syntax (Accra: Sons Life Press, 2010), 170. 15 B.C. Lategan, “Hermeneutics,” ABD III (Doubleday: New York-London, 1992), 149-154. The technical term ἑρμηνεία was introduced into philosophy mainly through the title of Aristotle's famous work Περὶ Ἑρμηνείας. Cf. B. Corley, S. Lemke. And G. Lovejoy, Biblical Hermeneutics. A Comprehensive Introduction to Interpreting Scripture (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1996), 3. 16 Tate, Biblical Interpretation,1. Cf. G. R. Osborne, The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation (InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, 2006). 17 Tate, Biblical Interpretation, 1-2. 18 Brown, Scripture as Communication, 5-7; Id., “Is the Future of Biblical Theology Story-Shaped?” Horizons in Biblical Theology 37 (2015):13-31. 19Tate, Biblical Interpretation, 1. 20 L. Alonso Schökel, A Manual of Hermeneutics (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1998), 4. 7

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upon a text in order to make meaningful inferences.”21 While Kaiser and Silva, suggest it as simply “a fancy way of referring to interpretation.”22 Nevertheless, for Schökel, exegesis is “the exercise of comprehending and interpreting a text”23. Consequently, if hermeneutics can be equated as the total sum of exegesis and interpretation by the reader of the text, exegesis, therefore, is the process of interpreting a text to deduce its meaning. But, what is ‘meaning’ and where can meaning be found?

C. Meaning

Meaning seems to be impossible to explain. Brown asserts that meaning is, “what we are trying to grasp when we interpret.”24 For Tate, “the terms hermeneutics and interpretation are often used interchangeably to refer to the same reality: the process of determining the meaning and significance of a text.”25 Brown sees meaning as an idea or knowledge one tries to grasp, whereas Tate considers meaning as part of the process of interpretation. The researcher agrees with both scholars, implying that meaning is not easily definable.

The contemporary debate about meaning is however focused on ‘where meaning can be found.’ Tate proposes a classification of the different hermeneutical methods/approaches based on where meaning can be located:

1) Author-centred approaches, where meaning is to be found by studying the author and his or her intentions expressed in terms of cultural, political, social and philosophical matrix of the author.26 He argues that hermeneutical attention converges

21 Tate, Biblical Interpretation, 1. 22 Walter C. Kaiser and Moisés Silva, An Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics: The Search for Meaning (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994), 19. 23 L. Alonso Schökel, A Manual of Hermeneutics (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1998), 13. 24 Brown, Theology, 22. 25 Tate, Biblical Interpretation, 2. 26 Ibid., 1. 8

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on the author and the author’s world. Example of methods that focus on the author’s world are the Historical-Critical methods predominantly employed in exegesis until the

‘80s.27

2) Text-centred approaches: Proponents of these approaches argue that the Scripture’s meaning is a property of the text apart from its authors. When the text is completed, it has a life on its own, independent of its author. The writer can no more influence the understanding of the text and determine meaning. The author’s intention is irrelevant to the literary critic, because meaning and value reside within the text of the finished, free-standing, and public work of literature itself. New Criticism and Structuralism are examples of text-centred approach.28

3) Reader-centred approaches: Tate avers that meaning is derived from the world of the reader. Most reader-centred theories hold that without a reader, a text does not communicate. The reader is the person who should make key decisions about what the text says. The reader can, and regularly does, create meaning out of the text they read.29

27 Historical-Critical Method is an academic scientific approach for studying ancient writings and archaeological discoveries. The tools for such study, have been found scares in West Africa, hence, using this approach for study in 21st century can be difficult. For its strengths, the historical knowledge of authors and their age enables readers to engage texts and organize more adequately the resulting experiences. Also, the historical-critical method as a research instrument focuses on the world of the author with the aim of determining particularly in a diachronic manner, the meaning expressed by the biblical authors and their editors. Again, it is a common-sense approach to all communication. Furthermore, it avoids the need of seeking a different and separate divine meaning in difficult texts. This is considered as the only way that we can understand what an author means is by his/her language. The weaknesses to are that, there is an unavailable gap between the original moment in the author’s mind, the cultural specificity of the author’s language and the neglect of the world within the text because of the excessive interest given to the world behind the text. For instance, Wimsatt and Beardsley, in 1976, have remarked that authorial intention is both inaccessible and undesirable for interpretation. Cf. William K. Wimsatt, The Verbal Icon: Studies in the Meaning of Poetry (Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 1989), 59. 28 Tate, Biblical Interpretation, 2-3; Strengths includes: There is notion that, our understanding of the text is enhanced when we look into its history. Also, textual independence is the catalyst for text-centred theories of meaning. Again, meaning and value reside within the text of the finished, free-standing, and public work of literature itself. The weaknesses to text-centred approaches are: The author, and to a great extent the reader, are lifeless, because, there comes a barrier for interaction between them. Nonetheless, the text cannot speak without a reader’s engagement. 29Tate, Biblical Interpretation 4-5; The strengths are: It is seen that, most reader-centred theories hold that without a reader, a text does not communicate. The reader is the person who must make key decisions 9

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Moreover, interpretive communities control readers. Some of the approaches are

Feminist, Liberationist, Disability Hermeneutics and in general many of the African approaches to biblical hermeneutics.30 The researcher locates Pentecostal hermeneutics under the umbrella of reader-centred approaches.

4) Integrated approach: Tate suggests an integrated approach to finding meaning. He argues that, the meaning of a text can be located in “the dialogue between a text and a reader informed by knowledge of the author’s world.”31 This is the direction followed by the present work employing a theoretical framework, Community Bible Study

(CBS) that proposes an integrated approach to African biblical hermeneutics. In the work, a text-centred method, rhetorical analysis, is employed together with a reader- centred approach, Pentecostal hermeneutics.

Jeannine Brown concurs with Tate’s classification but emphasises the communicative value of the Scripture proposing a Communicative model for interpreting the Scripture.

She argues, that “Scripture’s meaning can be understood as a communicative act of the author that has been inscribed in the text and addressed to the intended audience for purposes of engagement”32. Brown situates the author’s text in ‘pole position’ of the communicative act but stresses that background studies in the cultural world of the author and the nature of language should be done on the premise that the context of interpretation is constantly changing.

about what the text means. This also, places emphasis on the significant role played by the reader in the hermeneutic process. It, again, affirms the importance of the reader’s presuppositions such as interests, foresights and pre-understanding in textual interpretation. Its weaknesses are: Reader-centred approaches open the door for the possibility of illegitimate readings and a wide variety of interpretations. Again, the reader can, and routinely does, create meaning out of the text they read. 30 George Ossom-Batsa, “African Interpretation of the Bible in Communicative Perspective,” Ghana Bulletin of Theology 2 (July 2007): 91-104. 31 Tate, Biblical Interpretation, 5. 32 Brown, “Is the Future of Biblical Theology Story-Shaped?” 22-23. 10

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The researcher agrees on Brown’s suggestion and considers interpretation as a

‘communicative event’ between author and reader mediated by the text.33 Therefore, the study of Romans 8 intends to explore the perlocutionary effect of Paul’s teaching of the Spirit on the CoP ordinary readers living in the Ghanaian context.

1.4.2 Pentecostal Hermeneutics

The publication of Dunn PhD Thesis on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit in 1970 started a debate started among Pentecostal scholars about the possibility, distinctiveness, characteristics, method, etc., of Pentecostal hermeneutics.34 It is important, therefore, to pose questions such as is there a Pentecostal hermeneutic? Several Pentecostal authors, including Ervin, Fee, Arrington, and Stronstad, have endeavoured to response to this question.35

Scholars are divided into two main opinions: those who oppose and those who support the possibility of a Pentecostal hermeneutics. For scholars such as Fee and Stronstad

Pentecostal hermeneutic is a problematic statement as argued by Fee:

Calls for a Pentecostal hermeneutic seem to me to be misguided. They would be motivated either by an ideology (as some Marxist and Feminist hermeneutics are) or an epistemology of the Spirit. A Pentecostal ideology is no hermeneutic at all; it is the obliteration of the horizon of the text by the interpreter.36

33 Brown, Scripture as Communication, 134; Cf. Ossom-Batsa, “African Interpretation of the Bible in Communicative Perspective,” 91-104; Id, “Biblical Exegesis in the African Context: A Communicative Perspective.” In Unpacking the sense of the Sacred. A Reader in the Study of Religions, eds. A. O. Atiemo, B. –W. K. Golo, and L.K. Boakye (Banbury, OX: Ayebea Clarke Publishers), 2014, 116-134. 34 James D. G. Dunn, Baptism in the Holy Spirit: A Re-Examination of The New Testament Teaching on the Gift of the Spirit in Relation to Pentecostalism Today, Studies in Biblical Theory, Second Series, 15 (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1970). The thesis was discussed at the University of Cambridge (UK). For the relationship between Dunn’s work and Pentecostals, Cf. Atkinson, Baptism in the Spirit. 35 Howard M. Ervin, Spirit-Baptism: A Biblical Investigation (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1987); Gordon D. Fee, Gospel and Spirit: Issues in New Testament Hermeneutics (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1991); F. L. Arrington, “Hermeneutics, Historical Perspectives on Pentecostals and Charismatics,” in Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, eds. S. Burgess and G. B. McGee (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan), 1; Roger Stronstad, “Pentecostal Hermeneutics? A Review of Gordon D. Fee,” Pneuma 15, no. 1 (January 1, 1993): 215-22; Id., “Trends in Pentecostal Hermeneutics.” Paraclete 22, no. 3 (Spring 1994): 1-12. 36 Gordon D. Fee, Paul, the Spirit and the People of God (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1996). 11

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Israel, Albrecht and McNally make an important observation emphasising that ideology and govern interpretation, as unfortunately happens very often in the history of biblical interpretation.37 He cites as example the feminist author Schussler Fiorenza, who, in his opinion, ‘manipulates’ the Bible to support a feminist agenda. According to Israel,

Schussler Fiorenza’s ‘lens’ is the contemporary oppression of women, which she traces in part to patriarchal-oppressive biblical traditions. Israel admonishes, therefore, against the risk of using the Bible to support a personal or social agenda.38

The charge that Pentecostal hermeneutics is some kind of errant process needs to be addressed. The challenge is accepted by authors like Anderson, Padilla and Archer who uphold the opposite view that indeed there is a distinctive Pentecostal approach to the reading of the Scripture. Padilla, for example, suggests that Pentecostal hermeneutics is organised into a four-parts hermeneutic circle, that from the interpreter’s contemporary reality explores the original intended meaning of the text, through the study of the original language, culture, and history. The hermeneutics cycle includes:

1. The interpreter’s historical situation,

2. The interpreter’s world and life views,

3. Scripture,

37 For example, Carrol wrote the following warning in the context of apartheid, where the Bible was used as ideological support of white supremacy: “I think there is one thing which I learned above all else, that is, the absolute need for a critical reading of the Bible in any culture, where the Bible is deemed to be of sufficient importance as to be imposed on the construction of life and social structures. No ideology drawn from, based on or associated with the Bible should ever be allowed to see the light of day ever again. Until the Bible has been subjected to a severe critical scrutiny and strong allowance made for cultural differences and calculation made of the likely consequences of the imposition of any practical policy based on the Book, its role in social engineering should at best be kept to a minimum. The Bible is an unsafe Book from which to do politics or social engineering in contemporary society. Its roots are in ancient times and among ancient alien creatures…I also learned at a new and deeper level that neither liberatory nor marxisant reading of the bible could ever be adequate as constructions of society for many different reasons,” R. Carrol, “(South) Africa, Bible, Criticism: Rhetoric of a Visit,” in The Bible in Africa: Transactions, Trajectories, and Trends, eds. G. O. West and Musa W. Dube (Leiden: Brill, 2000), 198. 38 Richard D. Israel, Daniel E. Albrecht and Randal G. McNally, “Pentecostals and Hermeneutics: Texts, Rituals and Community,” Pneuma 15, no. 1 (January 1, 1993): 137-161. 12

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4. Theology.39

Among scholars who assert the possibility of Pentecostal hermeneutics, a complex debate started concerning its nature, definition, elements, and contributions to theological reflections. For example, Martin, in his book Pentecostal Hermeneutics, responds on the submission of Arrington explaining how personal experience is one of the main characteristics of Pentecostal hermeneutics:

…the Pentecostal experience of the supernatural not only affirmed the truthfulness of the supernatural components of the biblical story, but it also suggested a broader approach to knowing the truth. The charismata often included an element of divine revelation, and Pentecostals soon realized that the same Holy Spirit who moved upon the prophets to write Holy Scripture (2 Pet. 1:21) could move upon them to reveal the meaning of Scripture as well. For Pentecostals, the role of the Holy Spirit in biblical interpretation goes beyond the reformed concept of illumination.40 Furthermore, he states that “Because Pentecostals possess a unique perception of the nature and function of the Holy Scriptures, they use equally unique approaches to the interpretation of Scriptures.”41

Anderson on his Introduction to Pentecostal Hermeneutics reveals a number of characteristics which Green later summarises into eight points of general agreement:

a) The presence of the Holy Spirit, who not only ‘inspired’ the writer, but ‘inspires’

the readers, guiding them to interpret the text faithfully, to discover the message

of salvation, ‘the gospel,’ hidden in the Sacred pages;

b) The sufficiency and authority of the canonical form of the Bible;

c) The role of the faith community in the process of understanding the Scriptures;

39 C. Rene Padilla, “The Interpreted Word: Reflections on Contextual Hermeneutics,” Themelios (September 1981), 18-23. http://s3.amazonaws.com/tgc-documents/journal-issues/7.1_Padilla.pdf 40 Lee Roy Martin, Pentecostal Hermeneutics; A Reader (Leiden: Boston Press, 2013), 6. 41 Ibid., 39.

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d) The necessity for a ‘confessional’ reading of the text, a theological approach

yearning to find God and his salvific work in the Scriptures and open to believe

that the biblical text is the direct address of God to His people;

e) Regard for the literary and theological multiplicity of the ‘voices’ speaking in

the Scriptures;

f) Awareness of the all-embracing ‘narrative’ of the history of salvation as the

hermeneutical key;

g) The precedence of literary on the critical readings of the biblical text and

h) The relevance of the tradition, the history of effects for the contemporary

interpretative process.42

Against this backdrop, Green proposes to encapsulate the debate on Pentecostal hermeneutics under a triadic paradigm consisting of the Scripture, the Holy Spirit, and the community of faith:

This three-fold framework is explicated in the refined nature in the light of changing contexts and global Pentecostal insights. Pentecostalism is a richly diverse movement with a variety of expressions, and each expression is deserving of its own particular version of Pentecostal hermeneutics. 43 Concerning the ‘specific’ of Pentecostal methodological approach, Anderson asserts that, “All Christians do hermeneutics in one way or the other.”44 In other words, each

Christian tradition has unique concerns that must be addressed in their method of interpretation. These methods are embedded in the hermeneutics, in the way each of

42 Chris E.W. Green, Towards a Pentecostal Theology of the Lord’s Supper: Foretasting the Kingdom (Cleveland, TN: CPT Press, 2012), 182–183. 43 Rickie D. Moore, “Canon and Charisma in the Book of Deuteronomy,” in Pentecostal Hermeneutics: A Reader, ed. Lee Roy Martin (Leiden: Boston Press, 2013), 15-32; John Christopher Thomas, “Women, Pentecostalism and the Bible,” in Pentecostal Hermeneutics, A Reader, ed. Lee Roy Martin (Leiden: Boston Press, 2013), 81-93; Kenneth J. Archer, ed., Pentecostal Hermeneutic for the Twenty-First Century: Spirit, Scripture and Community (T & T Clark International: London, 2004), 212–260. 44 Gordon Anderson, “Why Interpreters Disagree,” Paraclete 24, no. 1 (Winter 1990), 1-10. 14

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those elements is assembled, and the different emphases it may place on one part with respect to others.

Anderson further posts that Pentecostal hermeneutics has been historically analysed and discussed as a phenomenon in terms of definition and articulation. He pinpoints how the emerging Pentecostal hermeneutics could be utilised in unique ways for solving societal problems through the effective interpretation of the Scriptures. He argues that the interpreter clearly owns the advanced process as a common structure and that all interpreters could use this as a new Pentecostal hermeneutic tool to address issues. He contends that this method is both unique and legitimate but not strictly unique to

Pentecostals in its essential outline, focalisation and orientation, as it is employed with similar modalities by other Christian communities.

To sum up, Pentecostals are gradually coming to understand that the constituent elements in their hermeneutical structure is different from others, and that they emphasize the various parts in unique ways. The major content may include: (1) the concerns of traditional, conservative hermeneutics (and its commitment to the hermeneutic and reader-centred approaches) and (2) the role of the Pentecostal reader in the hermeneutic cycle. Pentecostals employ the different literary genres in the Bible, with a declared preference for historical narratives, and they integrate personal experiences, ecclesiastic tradition, faith, tenets, theological biases and other elements in their hermeneutic. The progresses they are making are attained by articulating just how these elements influence them and how they treat them when they interpret the

Bible.

Some concerns are, however, raised by scholars: Pentecostals are limited by the church bias, their approach to textual interpretation seen as prescriptive, methodological and

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sequential, and their traditional engagement which makes it difficult to comprehend the

Pentecostal hermeneutic or concept by the outside world of Pentecostals, making difficult am objective evaluation and inter-denominational exchange45.

The research aims at addressing some of these concerns by exploring the possibility of integrating Pentecostal hermeneutics (reader-centred approach) with Rhetorical analysis (text-centred method) in order to reach an informed understanding of the text that could overcome church bias and be shared with other Christian denominations.

1.4.3 Pentecostal Reading of Romans 8

One of the contending issues related to Romans 8 is the determination of the main theme of the text. For example, John Phillips considers Rom 8:14 the theological climax of the literary unit and indicates in “the sonship of a Christian by the leading of the Holy

Spirit,” the main topic of Paul’s discourse. 46 He explains that the idea of adoption is a

Roman concept in which the adopted person has all the privileges of a born Roman citizen. Hence, by implication, those who are adopted benefit from the guidance, leading and influence of the Holy Spirit in every endeavour. His view suggests conversion to the Christian faith or being joined to the family of God where the activities of the Holy Spirit is paramount and makes one “a child of God.”47

Bruce opposes Philipps’ analysis and affirms that Paul contrasts the old covenant based on the law with the freedom that comes with the new covenant, where the reception of the Holy Spirit enables one to become a child of God.48

45 Rudolph Bultmann, “Is Exegesis Without Presuppositions Possible?” The Hermeneutics Reader: Texts of the German Tradition from the Enlightenment to the Present, ed. Kurt Mueller-Vollmer (New York: Continuum, 1990), 242-243. 46 John Phillips, Exploring Romans (Chicago: Moody Press, 1981), 127-9. 47 Ibid., 127 48 F. F. Bruce, The Epistle of Paul to the Romans (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1963), 165. 16

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Kruse argues that Paul emphasises the constant influence of the Holy Spirit in the thought and feelings of Christians and that sons/children refer to either or all of (i) character or nature (ii) peculiar objects in human life (iii) peculiar title that places one at an advantage. He adds that it is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that raises one’s status not the working of miracles and awarding of titles.49 The indwelling of the Holy

Spirit, therefore, generates a ‘moral’ life and not just an ascetic lifestyle.50

Regarding the effect of the life in the Spirit, Käsemann and Dunn maintain that the status of being led by the Spirit has charismatic connotations and points to an endowment with the spiritual gifts.51

Against this backdrop, the study seeks to investigate Paul’s teaching on the subject of the Spirit of God and the perlocutionary effect of the syntagm ‘walking in the Spirit’ for the original and contemporary CoP readers.

This has a peculiar value in the CoP context where anyone who portrays himself as inherently spiritual wins the admiration of church members. The question that arises then is, “Are these persons being led by the Spirit?” (Rom. 8:14). In the researcher’s opinion, what is lacking is often the biblical and hermeneutical structure in which the phenomenon should be investigated and understood.

For this reason, the work interrogates biblical and theological frameworks that seem absent in the interpretation of the text by Pentecostals living in Ghana.

49 Colin G. Kruse, Paul’s Letter to the Romans. The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI Cambridge: Eerdmans; Nottingham: Apollos, 2012), 22-27. 50 Cf. John C. Peckham, “The Concept of Divine Love in the Context of the God-World Relationship,” (2012). Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University; Dissertations. 125. https://digital- commons.andrrews.edu/dissertations/125Dissertations). 51 Ernest Käsemann, Commentary on Romans (grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 1980), 176-224; James G. Dunn, Romans 1-8. World Biblical Commentary, 38 (Dallas, TX: Word Incorporated Inc., 1988), 422. 17

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1.5 Contextual Bible Study Framework

The research adopted the Contextual Bible Study (CBS) model as a theoretical framework. The approach was introduced by Gerald West (South Africa)52 and was later popularised into the Ghanaian context by Eric Anum.53

The method involves community-based (‘ordinary readers’) reading of the text, following four steps:

1. Reading in front of the text: understanding the original the original context of

the selected pericope;

2. The critical consciousness of the text: critical analysis;

3. Influence: appropriation of the text by a specific community of faith; and

4. Action plan: how the appropriation of the text affects the community it engages

bringing transformation.54

The Theoretical Framework guided the organization of the research: chapter three dealt with the reading of the text in its original context (steps 1-2); chapter four with the

‘ordinary readers’ appropriation of the text for the transformation of their context (steps

3-4). Furthermore, in order to understand the hermeneutical approach of CoP readers, chapter two described the debate about Pentecostal Hermeneutics.

1.6 Methodology

The research is organised into three steps:

52 Gerald, West, Biblical Hermeneutics in Africa, Ujamaa Centre School of Religion and Theology University of KwaZulu-Natal (Parratt, London: SPCK 2008), 186. 53 Eric Nii B. Anum, “Exploring Religious and Ethnic Boundaries: A Contextual Bible Study of Matthew 5:13-20.” Journal of African Biblical Studies 2 (2009): 1-57; Eric Nii B. Anum and Ebenezer Quaye, Intercultural Reading of John 10:1-21, Intercultural Biblical Studies Hermeneutics Series, 4 (Amsterdam: VU University Amsterdam, 2016). 54 Gerald O. West, Contextual Bible Study (Pietermaritzburg: Cluster Publications, 1993), 7. 18

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1. Exegesis: to understand the original context of the selected pericope, a critical analysis of Romans 8 is proposed employing the Rhetorical Critical method. After determining the rhetorical situation, problem and structure of chapter 8, a detailed analysis of the literary unit is proposed in order to understand how Paul articulates the teaching of the Spirit and the perlocutionary effect on the original readers;

2. Interpretation: to explore the appropriation of the text by a specific community of faith (CoP), and how the appropriation of the text affects the community it engages bringing transformation, three CBS were conducted. Three groups were selected: the

‘literate’ from the Kasoa English Assembly; the ‘semi-literate’ from the Amanfro

Assembly and the ‘theological students’ from Pentecost University College (PUC); and

3. Engagement: the rhetorical analysis of the text and the ‘ordinary readers’ interpretation are engaged to verify the modality of an African Pentecostal hermeneutics, able to respect the original context of the biblical text and the context of the contemporary reading community.

1.7 Organization of the Study

The study is organised into five chapters. Chapter One covers the introductory issues: background to the study, statement of problem, research questions, review of related literature, theoretical framework, methodology and organization of the study. Chapter

Two deals with the analysis of possibility, method and main characteristic of

Pentecostal Hermeneutics. Chapter Three presents the Rhetorical analysis of Romans

8. Chapter four discussed the CBS products. Chapter five concludes the study by presenting the summary, conclusions and recommendations.

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CHAPTER TWO

PENTECOSTAL HERMENEUTICS

2.1 Introduction

Every Christian tradition has distinctive modalities of reading and interpreting the

Bible. This specific way of biblical interpretation results in “sense-making with existential consequences,”55 leading to diverse theologies and pastoral praxes. This chapter investigates the distinctiveness of Pentecostal hermeneutics. First, it offers a short overview of the history of Pentecostalism. Second, it delves into the historical overview of Pentecostal hermeneutics. Finally, what entails Pentecostal hermeneutics would be considered, with special emphasis on the possibility, methods and main characteristics.

2.2 History of Pentecostalism

The term Pentecostal is connected to a Greek word πεντηκοστή, literally the fiftieth day, is the name given in the LXX to the Shavuot, the second of the three great Jewish festivals celebrated at Jerusalem yearly, the seventh week after the Passover, in grateful recognition of the completed harvest (Exo. 23:16; Lev. 23:15f; Deut. 16:9); however, in the Hellenistic period, it was transformed in the celebration of the gift of the Law, the feast of the Covenant.

In the New Testament, the term is linked to the experience of the outpouring of the

Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus: “all were filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance.” (Acts 2:4)56

55 B. Lateran, “New Testament hermeneutics (Part 1): Defining Moments in the Development of Biblical Hermeneutics” in Focusing on the Message: New Testament Hermeneutics, Exegesis and Methods, ed. A. Du Toit (Pretoria: Protea, 2009), 13-16. 56 Walter Hollenweger, Pentecostalism: Origins and Developments Worldwide (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1997), 326 -336. 20

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The experience of being ‘filled’ or ‘baptised’ with the Holy Spirit is considered an identity mark for Pentecostal Christians worldwide,57 even if there is a great variety within global Pentecostalism. In fact, Pentecostals do not generally consist of a uniform or homogenous group. Therefore, the classification of Pentecostalism is quite challenging, and the term “Pentecostalism” cannot be narrowly defined.58

Pentecostalism is considered the fastest growing movement within contemporary

Christianity with about 520 million adherents worldwide.59 They constitute 27% of total

Christians in the world and are predominantly deemed a Third World phenomenon.

It is a trans-denominational movement60 that has had a great impact on African

Christianity: for this reason, scholars often speak of ‘pentecostalisation’ of African

Christianity. For example, Asamoah-Gyedu states: “The explosion and growth of the

Pentecostal movement is the single and most important development that has occurred within Christianity in sub-Saharan Africa since the turn of the twentieth century”61.

Many studies have been conducted on the phenomenon: however, its origin is still a

‘bone of contention’ among scholars. It is established that the phenomenon originated from different geographical areas and it is attributed by scholars to different individuals.

57 Emmanuel K. Larbi, Pentecostalism: The Eddies of Ghanaian Christianity (2003), 69-74; 99-294. 58 Cf. J. Pobee and G. Ositelu II, African Initiatives in Christianity: The Growth Gifts and Diversities of Indigenous African Churches: A Challenge to the Ecumenical Movement, World Council of Churches Publications, Geneva 1998. Some scholars avoid the issue of classification all together and refer to the various groupings as “Pentecostal type” movements: see, A. Anderson, “Diversity in the Definition of ‘Pentecostal Charismatic’ and its Ecumenical Implications,” Mission Studies: Journal of the International Association for Mission Studies 19 (2002), 2, 40-55. 59 Opoku Onyinah, “The movement of the Spirit around the world in Pentecostalism.” Transformation, 30, no. 4, Special issue: The Global Christian Forum: Life Together in Jesus Christ, Empowered by the Holy Spirit (2013), 273-286. Cf. David B. Barrett, “Statistics Global,” Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movement (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1988), 342. 60 C.N. Omenyo, Pentecost Outside Pentecostalism: A Study of the Development of Charismatic Renewal in the Mainline Churches in Ghana (Zoetermeer: Boekcentrum Publishing House, 2002), 7. 61 J.K. Asamoah-Gyadu, “I Will Put My Breath in You, and You Will Come to Life’: Charismatic Renewal in Ghanaian Mainline Churches and its Implications for African ‘Diasporean’ Christianity,” in Christianity in Africa and the African Diaspora: The Appropriation of a Scattered Heritage, eds., A. Adogame – R. Gerloff – K. Hock (London: Continuum International, 2008), 193. 21

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The following section critically analyses three hypotheses of the origin of

Pentecostalism: they are the Illinois-Chicago, Topeka Kansas and the California accounts, respectively.

North American Pentecostalism is connected to John Alexander Dowie, an Australian who had set up ‘Zion City’ and a ‘theocracy’ near Chicago, Illinois. He founded the

Christian Catholic Apostolic Healing. Dowie continually stresses on holiness which had a strong social dimension, modelled by the creation of the city of Zion. He taught about ‘realised eschatology,’ and became known as ‘Elijah the Restorer” and the First

Apostle.

John Alexander Dowie’s initiative attracted Charles Parham and others to also start radical and revivalist movement which gave birth to Pentecostalism. John Dowie, though, did not stress on the Holy Spirit involvement in his ministry, he influenced others to start training in theological institutions and activities connecting to the Holy

Spirit (prayers, tongues speaking, preaching).62 His main impact on Pentecostalism, however, was the formative influence he had upon Charles Fox Parham, who imbibed many of his teachings.

In 1900, Charles Fox Parham, a former Methodist minister, opened Bethel Bible

College in Topeka, Kansas and enrolled about forty students in short-term courses, where the only textbook was the Bible. Before leaving on a preaching trip, Parham gave the students the assignment to discover “some certain common evidence” of the

62 John Alexander Dowie, Pentecostalism: Origins and Development Worldwide, (Massachusetts Hendrickson Publishers, 1997). 22

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baptism in the Holy Spirit.63 They reached the conclusion that the biblical evidence of

Spirit baptism was speaking in tongues, which they informed Parham on his arrival.

The next day, 31st December 1900, was dedicated for prayer. An “all-night service” was organised among great anticipation. The community waited and prayed until the next evening, 1st January at 11pm, when one of the students, Agnes Ozman, asked pastor Parham to lay hands on her to receive the gift of the Spirit. She started to speak in tongues. In the next three days others, including Parham, received the gift of glossolalia. Their experience, however, was regarded with suspicion, until 1903, when

Parham organized a ‘Holiness missions’ in Missouri and Kansas. Many participants received healings and spoke in tongues.

By 1905, the movement, known as the “Apostolic Faith,” had a membership of a thousand members who had experienced the baptism in the Spirit.64 Parham formulated the “evidential tongues” doctrine that became the hallmark of North American Classical

Pentecostalism. However, Parham’s theology comprises the belief in tongues as

‘authentic languages’ granted by the Spirit to the missionaries of the Gospel. These

‘other tongues’ (λαλεῖν ἑτέραις γλώσσαις; Acts 2:4) signalled the coming of ‘the second

Pentecost’ that would usher humanity in the eschatological era, characterized by the rapid evangelization world.65

63 “Some common evidence”. This implies, in the Pentecostal community how believing Christians are considered to have baptism in the Holy Spirit as agreed by other Pentecostal Christians. Normally, the classical Pentecostals consider this evidence of the presence of the Spirit by having the ability to speak in tongues. See, Allan Anderson, An Introduction, 233-236. 64“Apostolic Faith” is the first name given to the Christian groups among the protestant evangelicals who involved themselves in the activities involving the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the 20th century. They were the Pentecostal community group that did not encourage physical / orthodox medical treatment to their bodies since the presence of the Holy Spirit was the best alternative for healing and treatment of sickness. Most of the classical Pentecostals trace their origin to this group. For example, Assemblies of God, the Apostolic Church U.K and the like. See: Anderson, An Introduction, 234. 65 Allan Anderson, “The Azusa Street Revival and the Emergence of Pentecostal Missions in the Early Twentieth Century,” Transformation 23, no. 2 (April 2006): 107–18. 23

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Parham started preaching in Texas and founded a Bible school in Houston. William J.

Seymour had the opportunity to listen to Parham’s lectures and he became convinced of these views. Seymour later became a pastor of a small black Holiness Church in Los

Angeles in 1906, he preached various sermons on tongues speaking which resulted in the closing of his church. Therefore, members were compelled to meet him at their various houses for prayer sessions. On one occasion, a Baptist pastor who was hosting the meeting requested Seymour to lay hands on him. He fell to the floor as if unconscious and began speaking in tongues. Seven others, including Seymour himself, underwent a similar experience. As consequence, many people congregated in that house and, for three days and nights, the house was filled with people praying and rejoicing continuously and loudly. Due to the increase in number, the community started gathering in Azusa Street, in a former storage, where the Apostolic Faith

Mission was born.66

Azusa Street was the heart of Pentecostalism for the next three years. Curious and believers travelled there from all America to observe the phenomenon and/or to receive baptism in the Spirit. Also, the hostile press reports helped to publicise the revival.

Headlines blared “Whites and Blacks Mix in a Religious Frenzy” and a local white

Baptist pastor said that Azusa Street was a “disgusting amalgamation of African voodoo superstition and Caucasian insanity”67

Parham came to ‘control’ this revival and was disgusted, particularly by the interracial fellowship. He was rejected as leader, was never reconciled with Seymour and went into obscurity and eventual disgrace. The leadership of the movement had now passed to Seymour and had taken on international dimensions. Later, Seymour rejected the

66 Mittelstadt, Reading Luke-Acts in the Pentecostal Tradition, 22. 67 Larbi, Pentecostalism, 68. 24

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‘initial evidence’ doctrine. However, his doctrine was not recognised by white

Pentecostals.

Because of the movement’s emphasis on mission and evangelism, Pentecostal missionaries were sent all over the world, reaching over 25 nations in only two years.

As an outcome of their work, twenty-six of contemporary Pentecostal denominations, including the largest, the Assemblies of God, retraced their origin to Azusa Street.68

This diversity and complexity of contemporary Pentecostalism stem from its diverse origins and the historical time in which the movement began, as Barrett explains:

The cradle of Pentecostalism occurred during the social chaos and revivalistic vigour in the late nineteenth century in North America. Actually, it was during the volatile first decade of the twentieth century of the United States that the Pentecostal movement was birthed. Barrett stated that, presently, Pentecostalism exist as a highly Complex, ‘Theologically’ and Multi-cultural organization that has literally covered the earth.69 Early Pentecostalism contains Trinitarian and Oneness (Jesus only) groups, as well as

Wesleyan Holiness and Finished work groups.70 Kenneth J. Archer recognises it as a defused group of restorational revivalistic movement, held together by a common doctrinal commitment to the ‘Full Gospel’ message and a passionate emphasis upon a static religious experience associated with the Spirit baptism.71

Therefore, “there was no one direct line of development for all of Pentecostalism nor was there any one historical pattern for all groups.”72 Yet, it is this diversity along with

68 Anderson, An Introduction, 236. 69 P. Barnett, Paul Missionary of Jesus (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2008); See, Barrett, “Annual Statistical Table on Global Mission,” 21:1. 70 R. A. Riss, “Finished Work Controversy,” DPCM, 306-309; Archer, Pentecostal Hermeneutic for the Twenty-first Century, 10 71 Archer, A Pentecostal Hermeneutics for the Twenty-First Century, 11. 72 H.N. Kenyon, “An Analysis of Racial Separation within the early Pentecostal Movement” (MA thesis, Baylor University, Texas, 1979), 9. 25

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Pentecostalism’s ability to adapt without losing its essential beliefs and practices that has aided its growth.73

2.2.1 The ‘Black’ Origin of Pentecostalism

To understand the contemporary impact of Pentecostalism in Africa, it is important to state that the movement developed from a predominantly black church with black leadership, rooted as it was in the African American culture of the 19th Century. Many of the early manifestations of Pentecostalism were found in the religious expressions of the slaves and were themselves a reflection of the African religious culture from which they had been abducted.

As Robeck points out, although Parham had significance for early Pentecostalism, it was Seymour and Azusa Street “which has played a more significant role in Pentecostal and Charismatic self-definition.”74 Seymour was deeply affected by black slave spirituality,75 as black Pentecostal Leonard Lovett asserts: “Black Pentecostalism emerged out of the context of the brokenness of black existence and that their holistic view of religion had its roots in African religion”.76

Many scholars reiterate this opinion. For example, Hollenweger considers the main features of this African American spirituality as follows: a narrative theology, witness faith, an oral liturgy, the maximum participation of the whole community in worship and service, the inclusion of visions and dreams into public worship, and an understanding of the relationship between the body and the mind manifested by healing

73 David A. Reed, ‘Origins and Development of the Oneness Pentecostalism in the United States’ (PhD dissertation, Boston University 1978). J.L. Hall, ‘A Oneness Pentecostal Looks at Initial Evidence’, in Gray B. McGee (ed.), Initial Evidence: Historical and Biblical Perspective on the Pentecostal Doctrine of Spirit Baptism (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1991), 168-88. 74 Cecil M. Robeck, “Pentecostal Origins from a Global Perspective” in All Together in One Place, eds., HD. Hunter, & PD. Hocken (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1993). 75 Anderson, An Introduction, 316. 76 Sylvester A. Johnson, African Americans and Religion. (New York: Oxford Research, Sep 2015). 26

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through prayer.77 Rhythmic hand clapping, the antiphonal participation of the congregation in the sermon, the immediacy of God in the services and baptism by immersion (all common Pentecostal practices) are “survivors of Africanism.”78

Hollenweger maintains that “it all depends on what we consider to be the essence of

Pentecostalism” in the debate about origins. Either the essence of Pentecostalism lies in a particular doctrine of a particular experience (speaking in tongues) or else it lies in its oral missionary nature and its ability to break down barriers.”79

Understanding the roots of Pentecostalism helps to discover its significance. This was a revolutionary movement where the “dispossessed” could find equality regardless of race, gender or class. But as Anderson reveals about North American Pentecostalism, this movement “born of radical social discontent” in its subsequent history “expended its revolutionary impulses in veiled, ineffectual, displaced attacks that amounted to withdrawal from the social struggle.”80

2.2.2 Pentecostalism in Ghana: Classification

In Ghana, the ‘flavour’ of Pentecostalism and its movements is experienced in different forms within the various Christian groups. However, the distinctive nature of the classical Pentecostal movement sets them apart. For example, the importance attributed to the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, majoring on the narratives (biblical and historical stories), witnessing factor and the like for the

77 Hollenweger, Pentecostalism: Origins and Development Worldwide, 134. 78 Ibid. 79 Harvey Cox, Fire from Heaven: The Rise of Pentecostal Spirituality and the Reshaping of Religion in the Twenty-first Century (London: Cassell publishing Company, 1996). 80 Robert M. Anderson, Vision of the Disinherited: The Making of American Pentecostalism (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1979). 27

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interpretation of the text cannot be over-emphasised within the Pentecostal movements and their community.81

Nonetheless, the following types of Christian bodies, as identified by Anderson in South

Africa,82 can also be found in the Ghanaian context:

a) Classical Pentecostals — These are churches founded about the beginning of

the 20th century, and that generally subscribe to the ‘initial evidence’ theory

that ‘speaking in tongues’ is the evidence of the ‘baptism in the Spirit’. An

example is the Apostolic Church of Ghana or the Assemblies of God, which can

also be referred to as Pentecostal mission church.

b) Independent Pentecostal Churches — These are churches with exclusively

black leadership like the Church of Pentecost (CoP).

c) Neo-Pentecostals or the Charismatic movement: This sprang up in the country

in the late 20th century, like the Action Faith Ministries and the International

Central Gospel Church.

d) Trans-denominational Fellowships like the Full Gospel Business Men’s

Fellowship and Women’s Aglow, Scripture Union and Fellowship groups in the

secondary and tertiary institutions; prayer groups and charismatic renewals

within the traditional churches like the Methodist Prayer Groups and the Roman

Catholic Charismatics Renewal.83

Kenneth J. Archer argues that features like Scripture and community of faith are essential features of the Pentecostal movement, but the most relevant is the presence

81 Scott A. Ellington, “History, Story, and Testimony: Locating Truth in a Pentecostal Hermeneutic,” Pneuma 23, no. 1 (2001): 245-263. See also; Willem J. Schoeman, “South African religious demography: The 2013 General Household Survey,” HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies 73, no. 2 (2017); DOI: 10.4102/hts.v73i2.3837. 82 Anderson, An Introduction, 236. 83 Ibid., 19-36. 28

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and the involvement of the Holy Spirit in the life of the individual and the community.84

This is not to suggest that the scriptural components and the community of faith influence should be ignored, but the Holy Spirit is the spiritual factor who links the other two to become functional to the Pentecostal movement, and a determining factor in the hermeneutical process.

2.3 Hermeneutics

Hermeneutics is derived from the Greek verb ἑρμηνεύω, which means to ‘express’,

‘translate’ or ‘interpret.’ It is regarded as a method and a philosophy of interpretation which is not limited to textual studies. As Brown as summarises, “Hermeneutics is the analysis of what we do when we seek to understand the Bible, including its appropriation to the contemporary world.”85

It consists of a reading that moves back and forth; between the parts and the whole of the text, between its structure and meaning and between the text and its context. The processes involve perceived structures employed for observations, understanding, and appropriations for the meaningful results.

As it is generally acknowledged by scholars, the cultural and ecclesiastic identities influence the way an individual or a community interprets a text. In fact, making and explaining of meanings are inherently communal because readers have different lenses to view a text, read for understanding and liturgical usage.86

As submitted by Anderson, all Christians do hermeneutics in one way or the other, but the method employed might differ.87 Certain indispensable concerns should be

84 Barrett, Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movement, 810-30. 85 Brown, Biblical Interpretation, 24. 86 Anderson, An Introduction, 236. 87 Gordon L. Anderson, ‘Why Interpretation Differs’ vol. 24, Pentecostal Hermeneutic (2009), 1. 29

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addressed in every method of interpretation. For example, as Pentecostals engage a text or passage from the Bible, certain pre-suppositional assumptions are employed by

Pentecostal readers for interpretation before, during and after engagements with the text.

Pentecostals have often been accused of a fundamentalist interpretation of the

Scripture,88 a modality of reading the Bible considered by Carroll as “a ruination of

Bible-reading because it traps the Bible in retarded reading schemes, domesticates the text and renders it subservient to ecclesio-theological schemes which are profoundly counter-biblical”.89

According to Fick, it is an approach that ignored what the Bible is:

Only a fundamentalism which is blind to the historical origins and the specific kerygma of the many parts of the Bible can claim that there is no difference in accentuation, no reference to and dependence on various historical contexts and cultural patterns, no shifts of emphasis, no difference in importance, no tension between various theologies in the Bible. Those who are involved in the discussion about the inerrancy of the Bible - on either side: those defending as well as those attacking - can continue only as long as they ignore the character of the Bible as a multi-layered composition, as a multi-voiced concert of many instruments to the glory

of God. It takes some effort, it seems to me, to overlook the fact that fundamentalism starts by taking the Bible for what it does not want to be taken.90 If this “popularistic pre-critical Bible reading approach”91 to biblical interpretation is present in many ‘Pentecostal’ communities, it is, however, important to recognise that in the last decade an important debate has been going on among Pentecostals about

88 “Fundamentalist interpretation starts from the principle that the Bible, being the word of God, inspired and free from error, should be read and interpreted literally in all its details. But by "literal interpretation" it understands a naively literalist interpretation, one, that is to say, which excludes every effort at understanding the Bible that takes account of its historical origins and development. It is opposed, therefore, to the use of the historical-critical method, as indeed to the use of any other scientific method for the interpretation of Scripture” (Pontifical Biblical Commission, Interpretation of the Bible in the Church, II, F, http://www.catholic-resources.org/ChurchDocs/PBC_Interp1.htm). 89 R.P. Carroll, “The Spectre at the Feast: Fundamentalism and Biblical Hermeneutics (Part I),” Modern Believing 44, no. 2 (April 2003), 5-13. 90 U. Fick, “Future Bible Translation and the Future of the Church,” in P. C. Stine (ed.), Bible Translation and the Spread of the Church: The Last 200 Tears, Studies in Christian Mission 2 (Leiden: Brill, 1990), 145-54 (147). 91 Archer, A Pentecostal Hermeneutic, 46. 30

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biblical hermeneutics, particularly about the possibility and methods of a Pentecostal hermeneutics.

2.3.1 The Starting of the Debate on Pentecostal Hermeneutics

Since the Pentecostal movement did not commence on the basis of a formulated confession distinct from other groups in Christianity, its earlier teachers and scholars have often presented their arguments employing the theological categories of non-

Pentecostal. Often time, these categories have been 'borrowed' from the groups closest to them or most vehemently opposed to them. Probably for these reasons, the relationship between the Pentecostal movement and other Christian communities has not always been harmonious.92 One of the lively debates to emerge among them since the interest in Pentecostal distinctiveness in the 1980's has been the question of

Pentecostal Hermeneutics.93

The issue of Pentecostal hermeneutics had not been brought into scientific scrutiny until

1970, when James Dunn’s PhD thesis was published.94 The thesis raises issues about the fact that Pentecostals have limited hermeneutics because they major their stands on

Luke-Acts accounts. Furthermore, they were advancing the evangelical theology and doctrines on eschatology and pneumatology. James Dunn, describes the Pentecostals as a group of Christians that ‘survive’ its faith with Lucan and Acts of Apostles’ narratives, thereby neglecting the pneumatology of John and especially from the letter to

Romans.95

92 For instance, Hollenweger makes his own debt to non-Pentecostal theology explicit. W.J. Hollenweger, Pentecostalism: Origins and Development Worldwide, 23. 93 Gordon L. Anderson, “Why Interpretation Differs,” 8. 94 Cf. the extensive preface written by Dunn in the forty-anniversary edition of the book. James D. G. Dunn, Baptism in the Holy Spirit: A Re-examination of the new Testament Teaching on the Gift of the Spirit in relation to Pentecostalism Today (London: SCM Press, 2010): vii-xviii. 95 James Dunn, Jesus and the Spirit: A Study of the Religious and Charismatic Experience of Jesus and the First Christians as Reflected in the New Testament (London: SCM Press, 1975), 65. 31

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This brought about the reactions of some Pentecostal scholars like Gordon Fee, D. A.

Carson, Peter Hocken, MacArthur, Dayton, Deere and the like. Gordon Fee asserts that

Pentecostals do not employ a ‘developed hermeneutics’ but a ‘pragmatic’ approach to the reading of the Scripture:

…their attitude towards Scripture regularly has included a general disregard for scientific exegesis and carefully thought-out hermeneutics. In fact, hermeneutics has simply not been a Pentecostal thing. Scripture is the Word of God and is to be obeyed. In place of scientific hermeneutics there developed a kind of pragmatic hermeneutics – obey what should be taken literally; spiritualize, allegorize, or devotionalize the rest.96 According to Carson, the reason for the foregoing is that Pentecostals place personal experience before/above the Scripture. He points out that

…experience, it is argued, is allowed to carry too much weight in interpretation, and Scripture is then understood in the light of experience, rather than the other way round. Pentecostals experience has preceded their hermeneutics. In a sense, the Pentecostal tends to exegete his or her experience.97 Hocken reiterates the concept and adds:

While Pentecostals undoubtedly did seek to understand the objective data of the New Testament, especially Acts and 1 Corinthians, inevitably perhaps they read back into the Scriptures contemporary patterns of Evangelical and Holiness experience … Pentecostal use of the term ‘baptism in the Spirit’ was … an interpretation of contemporary experience in the light of the Scriptures rather than exegesis of the Scriptures illuminated by present circumstances.98 Furthermore, Pentecostals’ appeal to the Spirit insulates their interpretations from correction. MacArthur states that they “misinterpret Scripture as they simply open their

Bibles and ‘let the Holy Spirit tell them what it means.’ That attitude has led many into error…”99

MacArthur further explains that the appeal to the Spirit in Pentecostal circles is manifested in common statements such as “Last night, I had a revelation from the Holy

96 Gordon Fee, Gospel and Spirit (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1991), 85-86. 97 D. A. Carson, Showing the Spirit (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1987), 12. 98 Peter Hocken, The Glory and the Shame (Guildford: Eagle, 1994), 46. 99 John F. MacArthur, Jr., Charismatic Chaos (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992), 96. 32

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Spirit about what this passage means…” The spirit, or heart, is then contraposed to the mind: “Don’t try to reason with your head … just accept it in your heart!”100

The final criticism is that Pentecostals teach doctrine from Historical books, ignoring didactic works; this relates to the well-known Pentecostal preference for Luke-Acts as a biblical source for its more distinctive doctrines of the Spirit. Dayton elaborates on this observation, referring to

. . . a distinct hermeneutic, a distinctively Pentecostal manner of appropriating the Scriptures. In contrast to magisterial Protestantism, which tends to read the New Testament through Pauline eyes, Pentecostalism reads the rest of the New Testament through Lukan eyes, especially with the lenses provided by the book of Acts.101 Deere, equally, acknowledges the problem in inviting Pentecostals to widen their perspective linking it to the doctrine from the epistle of Paul.102

2.3.2 Possibility of Pentecostal Hermeneutics

The above criticisms solicited Pentecostal scholars to start an internal debate about to two main issues: possibility and characteristics of Pentecostal hermeneutics. Scholars such as Israel, Albrecht and McNally,103 Roger Stronstad104 and their colleagues in an article entitled Bringing Pentecostals in a round Table Discussions hold the view that there it is NOT possible to speak of Pentecostal hermeneutics, because there is nothing like Pentecostal hermeneutics and there cannot be a Pentecostal hermeneutics.105

The main reason is that when Pentecostals employ a ‘scientific approach’ to hermeneutics, they follow the different methods/approaches generally used in biblical

100 MacArthur, Charismatic Chaos, 97. 101 Donald W. Dayton, Theological Roots of Pentecostalism (Peabody: Hendrickson), 23. Cf. Walter Hollenweger, The Pentecostals (London: SCM, 1972), 336. 102 “Above all, we cannot draw doctrine from the book of Acts – or so the argument goes. Doctrine for the church is to be drawn from the epistles of Paul.” Jack Deere, Surprised by the Power of the Spirit (Eastbourne: Kingsway, 1994), 111. 103 Israel, Albrecht and McNally, “Pentecostals and Hermeneutics,” 137-161 104 Roger, Stronstad, “Pentecostal Experience and Hermeneutics,” Paraclete 26 (1992), 39. 105 Ellington, “Locating Pentecostals,” 226-235. 33

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interpretation. In their opinion, those who claim to be involved in Pentecostal hermeneutics might be like people who follow an ideology, a denominational bias or express an assumption just like the feminist, Marxist and liberationist theologies.106

On the contrary, another group of scholars, including Anderson and Mittelstadt came out with the counteracting argument that, it is possible to speak of Pentecostal hermeneutics.107 Anderson, while acknowledging that biases are inevitable and there is no ‘presuppositionless’ hermeneutics, maintains that there is an identifiable, unique and authentic Pentecostal hermeneutics. In his opinion, Pentecostals combine “different

(but legitimate) methodological, personal, historical, and theological presuppositions” in interpretation.108

2.3.3 What Hermeneutics Entails or Comprises

Starting from the conviction that it is legitimate to speak of Pentecostal hermeneutics, scholars such as Lee Roy Martin, Grant Wacker, Scott Ellington and Green reflect on what Pentecostal hermeneutics entails, and on its distinctive elements.109

According to Grant Wacker, “Pentecostalism offered invincible conviction that the supernatural claims of the gospel are really true, not the old-fashioned gospel of the

19th century, but the overwhelming, wonder working gospel of the first century”.110 In addition, the Pentecostals’ experience misrepresented their epistemology, giving them

“existential awareness of the miraculous in the Biblical worldview.”111 Those against

106 Gordon L. Anderson, “Why Interpretation,” 2. 107 Ibid, 4; Mittelstadt, Reading Luke-Acts in the Pentecostal Tradition, 73-78. 108 Mittelstadt, Reading Luke-Acts in the Pentecostal Tradition, 2. 109 Ellington, “Locating Pentecostals,” 230. 110 Archer, A Pentecostal Hermeneutic, 95. See Grant Wacker, “The Functions of Faith in Primitive Pentecostalism,” Harvard Theological Review 77, no. 3-4 (1984), 353-375. 111 H.M. Ervin, “Hermeneutics: A Pentecostal Option,” Pneuma 3 (1981), 22. On the role of experience in Pentecostal hermeneutics, see Timothy B. Cargal, “Beyond the Fundamentalist-Modernist Controversy: Pentecostals and Hermeneutics in Post-Modern Age,” Pneuma 15, no. 2 (1993): 187; and Roger Stronstad, “Pentecostal Experience and Hermeneutics,” Paraclete 26 (1992), 14-30. 34

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Pentecostal hermeneutics have the notion that Pentecostals are fond of advancing the interpretation of the text and the working of the Spirit.

Additionally, the Pentecostal knowledge of the supernatural does not only confirm the frankness of the supernatural components of the biblical story, but it also endorses a broader approach to knowing the truth. The charismata often include an element of divine revelation, and Pentecostals soon realised that the same Holy Spirit who moved upon the prophets to write the Holy Scripture (cf. 2 Pet. 1:21; 2 Tim 3: 16-17) could move upon them to reveal the meaning of the same Scripture. From the above assertion, it is clear that for Pentecostals, the role of the Holy Spirit in biblical interpretation goes beyond the reformed concept of ‘illumination.’112

Cargal adds that “(Pentecostalism’s) emphasis on the role of the Spirit in interpreting/appropriating the multiple meanings of the biblical texts is an important contribution as the Western church seeks to reclaim its sense of mysticism and the immanence of the transcendent which was diminished by rationalism.”113

2.3.4 Characteristics of Pentecostal Hermeneutics

Pentecostals viewed the Bible as a single unified narrative of God’s redemptive plan, whose central message may be summarised in the Five-fold Gospel. They viewed the

Bible as a unified narrative leads the Pentecostals to utilize intertextuality as “a justifying mark of a faithful reading.”114 Thus, their Bible interpretative approach

112 John Christopher Thomas, ‘Women, Pentecostalism and the Bible: An Experiment in Pentecostal Hermeneutics’, Journal of Pentecostal Theology 5 (1994), 49, 55; French L. Arrington, “Hermeneutics,” in Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, eds. Stanley M. Burgess and Gary B. McGee (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1988), 382. 113 Lee Roy Martin “Introduction to Pentecostal Biblical Hermeneutics,” in Pentecostal Hermeneutics, 1-9. 114 C. E. W. Green, “‘Treasures Old and New:’ Reading the Old Testament with Early Pentecostal Mothers and Fathers” (41st Annual Meeting of the Society for Pentecostal Studies, Virginia Beach, VA, 29-30 – 3.04, 2012), 15 35

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consists an a ‘Canonical reading,’ tracing Pentecostal themes from Genesis to

Revelation. Moreover, their appreciation of the narrative quality of Scripture entails that the reading become part of the story, enter the world of the Bible, and the world of the Bible shapes the reader’s world bringing transformation.

Their perception of the Bible as a ‘lived story’ leads to a theological approach that emphasises the exemplary nature of the biblical narrative. In other words, biblical stories, and the book of Acts in particular, becomes the ideal model for the true

Church.115

They believed that the work of the Holy Spirit is to restore the last-days Church to its primitive capacity, and that the activity of the Holy Spirit (including biblical interpretation) takes place within the context of the Church… Most often, the setting for biblical interpretation was the act of preaching, while the congregation would respond with vocal and physical signs of affirmation. The eschatological expectations of the early Pentecostals compelled them to an urgent pursuit of world evangelization. Pentecostals believed the end to be near—it was the ‘evening light’ (Zech. 14:6–7), and the ‘night is coming when no one can work’ (Jn. 9:4).116 For Pentecostals, the biblical story has its beginning, centre, and goal in Jesus Christ.

Herholdt argues that “Christ is the picture that serves to bring the pieces of the puzzle together into a coherent whole.” This means that the Old Testament is read

Christologically—sometimes through the lenses of allegory or typology.117

Wacker, Ervin and Cargal do a further element which cannot be ignored: the active role and involvement of Holy Spirit. As a matter of fact,

a) Revelation from the Spirit guides the interpretation of the Text;

b) The presence of the Spirit urges for the application of the text in the life of the

reader as experience and testimony for the Pentecostals.

115 Martin, Pentecostal Hermeneutics, 186 116 Gordon L. Anderson, ‘Why Interpretation’, Pentecostal Hermeneutic, 2-9. 117 Herholdt, “Pentecostal and Charismatic Hermeneutics,” 429; Martin, Pentecostal Hermeneutics,7.

36

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The centrality of the Holy Spirit, his involvement and active role in the individual and community life is inseparable from Pentecostal hermeneutics.

The role of the Spirit in aiding the interpretation of the text cannot be overemphasised.

For example, Cargal upholds that “(Pentecostalism’s) emphasis upon the role of the

Spirit in interpreting/appropriating the multiple meanings of the biblical texts is an important contribution as the Western church seeks to reclaim its sense of mysticism and the immanence of the transcendent which was diminished by rationalism.”118

Again, the Spirit provides an edge or urge for application of the text for experiences as testimonies for the Pentecostals.

Consequently, central, according to Martin, is ‘the Pentecostals testimonies’ to current experiences of the supernatural in the form of healings, miracles, and the charismata portrayed in the New Testament writings. For this reason, he agrees with Wacker when he states: “Pentecostalism offered invincible conviction that the supernatural claims of the gospel are really true, not the old-fashioned gospel of the 19th century, but the overwhelming gospel of the first century.”119

Martin describes how Pentecostals understand the biblical text and its interpretation.

He asserts that contemporary Pentecostal scholars need to follow the footsteps of the early Pentecostals who attempted to discern the implications of the Spirit baptism and the Five-fold Gospel for biblical interpretation:

Our goal should be to produce a Pentecostal hermeneutic that is faithful to our theology and ethos and appropriate for our present context. The contributors to this volume have attempted precisely this kind of constructive approach.120

118 Martin, Pentecostal Hermeneutics,7. 119 Grant, Wacker, “Functions of Faith in Primitive Pentecostalism,” Harvard Theological Review 77 (1984), 353–75. 120 Martin, “Introduction to Pentecostal Biblical Hermeneutics,” 9. 37

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Ellington sums up the present consensus in terms of five distinctive accents in the

Pentecostal reading of Scripture:

a) It is more narrative rather than propositional.

b) It is dynamic, rather than static.

c) It is experience-based.

d) It seeks encounter more than understanding.

e) It is pragmatic, emphasizing transformation and application.121

Green expands Ellington’s ‘list’ from five to eight characteristics.

First is the work of the Spirit in making faithful interpretation possible, inspiring the readers to make “gospel sense” of the texts. 122 This view states that, the Spirit that aids the reader and believer of the text has come and so is available ‘to fish out’ the good news aspect of the text to bear, for the benefit of self-experiential, healing, witnessing and evangelism.

Second is the authority and sufficiency of the Scriptures’ final, canonical form. Thus,

Pentecostals consider the text of the Scripture or the biblical story, as the word of God and accept it as the final authority in the life of the community of faith and the map to follow towards moral uprightness.

Third, there is the need for ‘confessional theological readings’ concerned primarily with how the Scriptures work as God’s address to God’s people here and now. It is important to state that Pentecostals consider the open confession of Christ as the Lord and Saviour

121 Scott, “Locating Pentecostals,” 172; cf. Marius D. Herholdt, “Pentecostal and Charismatic Hermeneutics,” in Initiation into Theology: The Rich Variety of Theology and Hermeneutics, eds. Adrio Konig and S.S. Maimela (Pretoria: Van Schaik, 1998), 422. 122 “Gospel Sense” refers to the Pentecostal’s view to connect a text read to a movement towards evangelism and the doctrine of salvation 38

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as crucial for salvation and often they employ public confession of faith in Christ and testimonies for evangelism.

Fourth is the role of the worshipping community in the process of interpreting the

Scriptures. The Pentecostals believe that the presence of the Holy Spirit affects not only the worship community but also the social environment in which the community lives and worships.

Fifth is the respect for the irreducible diversity of theological and literary ‘voices’ in the Scriptures, from which derives the importance of what is considered as the different literary genres present in the Scripture.

The sixth point regards the preference for the ‘narrative’ genre. Pentecostals consider the biblical stories as a hermeneutical key not only to the reading of the Scripture, but also to the practical living because they allow a direct engagement with the text. The priority of narrative (literary) readings of a text over against historical critical readings marks the seventh characteristic.

The eighth is the significance of the history of effects for the contemporary interpretative process.123 The researcher holds the assertion that, Pentecostals trust in following a historical channel of interpretation of a text and would quickly confront against any fallacious interpretation that may find its ways into their community or worship.

As Green states, the current debates regarding Pentecostal interpretation can be summarized under a triadic paradigm consisting the Scripture, the Holy Spirit, and the

123 Chris E.W. Green, toward a Pentecostal Theology of the Lord’s Supper: Foretasting the Kingdom (Cleveland, TN: CPT Press, 2012), 182–83. 39

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community of faith.124 This threefold framework is explicated in the refined nature in light of changing contexts and global Pentecostal insights.

2.5 Conclusion

The analysis presented in this chapter has demonstrated that every Christian denomination has a distinctive way of interpreting the same Bible. The multiple approaches to biblical interpretation are probably the main cause of the variety of theologies that characterised contemporary Christianity.

The chapter has investigated the origin, the debate and the contemporary developments of Pentecostal hermeneutics against the background of the history of Pentecostalism.

Unfortunately, the African continent has not been part of this debate and Pentecostal churches have not elaborated on or elaborately dwelt on an African-Pentecostal hermeneutics. The researcher thinks that it is imperative that the CoP, the fastest growing Pentecostal Church in Ghana, starts to reflect on how to interpret the Scripture employing approaches able to reflect her tradition and beliefs and able to avoid a popular-fundamentalist approach still present in many communities.

Furthermore, the researcher agrees on the possibility of Pentecostal hermeneutics and thinks that it is arguably unique, because it incorporates different but legitimate methodological, personal, historical, and theological presuppositions in its interpretative work. For this reason, in the following chapter, a rhetorical analysis of

Romans 8, one of the texts frequently quoted in the preaching and teaching of the CoP is proposed, before exploring how ‘ordinary readers’ of CoP interpret and appropriate the text.

124Archer, A Pentecostal Hermeneutic, 212–60. See also Rickie D. Moore, ‘Canon and Charisma in the Book of Deuteronomy’, Journal of Pentecostal Theology 1 (1992), 75, n. 1; Land, Pentecostal Spirituality, 28–34; Thomas, “Women, Pentecostalism and the Bible,” 49–56; 40

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CHAPTER THREE

RHETORICAL ANALYSIS OF ROMANS 8:1-39

3.1 Introduction

The previous chapter examined the characteristics of Pentecostal hermeneutics, the specific modality of biblical interpretation which makes Pentecostals’ approach to the reading and appropriation of the Scripture different from other Christian denominations.

Following the rhetorical methods proposed by Kennedy,125 the present chapter focuses on the exegetical analysis of Romans 8. First of all, it presents the rhetorical situation of the letter to the Romans. Secondly, it examines at the rhetorical problem that necessitated the writing of the letter and how it is manifested in the structure of the epistle. Thirdly, the chapter delves into the exegetical analysis of the text to deduce the theology of the Spirit proposed by Paul in Romans 8.

3.2 Rhetorical Situation of the Letter to the Romans

The epistle of Paul to the Romans is the longest New Testament letter, as its position in the canon testifies.126 It has influenced many prominent scholars and personalities.

According to Powell, St. Augustine was converted to Christianity in 386 CE after reading Rom. 13:13-14 a text that gave him the confidence to overcome life situations.

After reading Rom. 1:17, Martin Luther felt that he had been “reborn into paradise” and so he referred to the passage as “a gate to heaven.” 127

125 George A. Kennedy, New Testament Interpretation through Rhetorical Criticism (Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1984). 126 Dennis C. Dulling, The New Testament: History, Literature, and Social Context 4th Edition (Wadsworth, Canada: Wadsworth Publishers. 2003), 230. 127 Mark Allan Powell, Introducing New Testament, A Historical, Literal, and Theological Survey (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2009), 255. 41

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However, even if the message of the letter is still relevant on the faith and praxis of

Christian communities all over the world, readers cannot fully understand its meaning without taking into consideration its rhetorical situation, the socio-economic and religio-political situation of the concrete community addressed by Paul.

At the time of Jesus and Paul, Rome was a political super-power. With the Second (218 to 201 BCE) and Third (149-146 BCE) Punic war, Rome expanded her control on the

Hellenistic Empire on all Mediterranean Sea.128 In 63 BCE under the rule of Pompous-

Pompey also Judea became part of the Syrian province of Rome.129

Scholars disagree about the origin of Christian community in Rome. Drawing from

Irenaeus, Bruce suggests that the tradition holds that apostles Peter and Paul were ‘joint- founders’ of the Roman Church. However, other sources suggest that Christianity was established in Rome before the visit of Peter and Paul, and their martyrdom during the persecution of Nero.130

For example, Kummel posits that Christianity could have been introduced in Rome not by apostolic leaders of the church but by the Jewish Christians living in the Diaspora.131

Through their testimonies, Christianity “spread and flourished” in Rome.132 In fact, at the time of the writing of the epistle, the Christian community was well-established in the city of Rome (Rom. 1:8; 16).

128 F. F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990), 22. 129 Hans Liesmann, A History of the Early Church (New York: The World Publishing Company, 1961), 17-19. 130 Bruce, Paul Apostle of Heart, 379. 131 Kümmels, Introduction to New Testament, 308 - 309. 132 Jonathan Hill, Zondervan Handbook to the History of Christianity (Oxford, England: Zondervan, 2006), 44. 42

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Robert Jewett holds that there were Christian communities in Transtevere, along the

Appian Way at Porta Capena (predominantly inhabited by immigrants), Marshfield and the Aventine in the first century.133

From Paul’s letter, it can be deduced that the community had two components: Jewish and Gentile, often in conflict among themselves. Fitzmyer argues that, the Jewish component can be a result of the numerous Jews living in Rome in the first century till the edict of Claudius (54 CE). Probably, they returned to Rome after the death of

Claudius.134

Regarding the Gentile component, scholars assume that many of them were former hostage of war or slaves who became Roman citizens after their emancipation.135 In fact, Jewett asserts that between 2 to 3 million of the 7.5 million population of Rome in the first century were slaves.136

Obviously, the combination of different ethnical groups could bring conflicts and different or even distorted doctrines in the just started church in Rome. Possibly, the

Jews component could assume that the Christian faith was a continuation of Judaism, while the Gentiles could interpret their new faith through the lens of their Hellenistic culture and mysteric beliefs. To this complex reality, Paul addressed his letter.

3.3 Rhetorical Problem

Paul’s correspondence is usually directed to churches, such as Thessalonica, Corinth,

Philippi, etc., evangelized by him and his collaborators, to answer questions, to solve

133 Robert Jewett, Exploring Romans: A Commentary (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2007), 62-63. 134 Joseph A. Fitzmyer, Romans, A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary (New York: Broadway Publishers, 1992), 830. 135 Jewett, Exploring Romans, 55. 136 Ibid., 51-52. 43

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problems, and also as a way of demonstrating his abiding presence even when he was physically absent.

However, the Roman epistle is a ‘unique case,’ because the community was not founded by him, did not know him and did not consider him an authoritative figure. Paul wrote because he needed the help of the Romans in his missionary enterprise. Unfortunately, many conflicting voices about Paul and his preaching were circulating among the

Christian communities, albeit, not always favourable. Paul wrote to introduce himself and his message to clear any doubts about his apostolate and person in order to elicit the help of the community for the next missionary journey that he was planning towards

Spain and possibly North Africa.137

Paul’s intent is to defend himself form the accusation of preaching a ‘distorted gospel.’138 and to request for the acceptance of himself and his gospel.139

According to Manson,140 Jewett,141 and Magda,142

…confusion emerged about the occasion of Paul’s writing: so it was considered that the letter to Romans was actually sent to Ephesus; or that it was an apology geared towards Jerusalem and not Rome, or that it was a general epistle for a general Christian audience.143

137 Achtemeier, Green and Meye agree with majority of scholars that the Apostle Paul was not the founder of the Roman Christian community and never visited them prior to the writing of the letter. Apostle Paul communicated to defend himself against doubt and suspicion that people seemed to have on his personality, preaching and ministry as a whole. Cf. Paul J. Achtemeier, Joel B. Green and Marianne Meye, Introducing the New Testament, Its Literature and Theology (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishers, 2001), 299. 138 Johannes Munck, Paul and the Salvation of Mankind (Richmond, John Knox Press, 1960), 187; cf. N.T. Wright, “Romans,” Acts-First Corinthians, New Interpreter’s Bible, 10 (Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 2002), 761. 139 J. Jerrell, “The Letter to Jerusalem,” in The Romans Debate, eds. Karl P. Donfried and Thomas W. Manson (Minneapolis: Augsburg Pub. House, 1977), 53-64, 67. 127 T. Manson, “St. Paul's Letter to the Romans and Others,” Bulletin of the John Rylands Library 31, no. 2 (1948): 224-240. 141 Robert Jewett, Romans: A Commentary, Hermeneia: A Critical & Historical Commentary on the Bible (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2007). 142 Ksenija Magda, “The Role of the Holy Spirit in Rom 8,” KAIROS - Evangelical Journal of Theology 1, no. 2 (2007), 185-206. 143 Magda, “The Role of the Holy Spirit in Rom 8,” 187. 44

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Against this backdrop, readers can comprehend why the letter to Romans is a unique case in the Pauline Literature. Usually, epistles address existential issues of the receptors, comfort, stimulate, and then reproach a well-knowns community. In the epistle to the Romans, it is clear that Paul did not receive neither written nor verbal report from the community but took the initiative to write to an unknown community introduce himself and his ‘gospel.’ While the authentic Pauline letters are often emotional and follow amore discursive patter, the letter to Romans lack personal feelings; it is more ‘doctrinal’ than ‘experiential,’ and it is well-organized.

3.4 The Rhetorical Structure of Romans 8

The epistle is divided into three main parts:

a) 1:1-15 — Introduction which also included salutation;

b) 1:16 to 15:32 — It comprises the main body of the epistle. It deals with

significant theological themes such as Paul and his gospel, the righteousness of

God; justification by faith; universality of God’s salvific plan; the relationship

between God and Israel; pastoral issues; just to mention a few.

c) 16:1-27 — Conclusion and final doxology.

The selected text, chapter 8, falls within the main body of the epistle.

There are several approaches to the organization of the chapter proposed by scholars.

Those presented by Dunn,144 Keener145 and Morris146 are discussed, because they are representative of the scholarly debate.

144 James D. G. Dunn, Romans 1-8, World Biblical Commentary, Vol. 38 (Dallas, Texas: Word Incorporated Inc., 1988), 422. 145 Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary on New Testament (Leicester, England: Inter Varsity Press, 2014) 422 -69. 146 Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1988), 299. 45

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A comparative analysis reveals that the overall structure of the chapter highlights the teaching of the Holy Spirit which remains its thematic focus as well. To begin with,

Dunn divides the text into two thematic sections but uses syntactic and semantic criteria to justify his structure:147

I. The Eschatological tension and the fulfilment of God’s Purpose through the

Spirit (8:1-30).

II. The Triumph of God – His Faithfulness and the Assurance of Faith (8:31 -39).

Dunn further organizes the first section into three sub-sections, to emphasize specific teaching on the Spirit:

a) The Spirit of Life (8:1-11);

b) The Spirit of Sonship (8:12-17);

c) The Spirit as first Fruit (8:18-30).

Keener did not divide the chapter into subheadings. He considers the chapter as a complex projection of God’s love that comes to humanity through His Spirit. Hence, the certainty expressed by Paul that nothing can separate the believer from the unspeakable love of God.148

Finally, Leon Morris structured his work into six sections: 149

I. The opposition of flesh and Spirit (Rom 8:1-11);

II. The family of God (Rom 8:12-17);

III. The glorious future (Rom 8:18-25);

IV. The Spirit’s intercession (Rom 8:26-27);

147 Dunn, Romans 1-8, 422-430. 148 Keener, Romans, 422 -69. 149 Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, 299. 46

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V. The purpose of God (Rom 8:28-30);

VI. The Christian’s triumph song (Rom 8:31-39).

Morris emphasized the eschatological direction of the chapter and the human responsibility to operate a choice between flesh and Spirit, in order to be guides by the

Spirit to the eternal salvation.

Comparing the two organizations, the researcher opted to follow Dunn’s proposal, because it expressed better the chapter’s focus on the Spirit, His identity and salvific role (Rom. 8: 1-11).150 Therefore, the following pages present an exegetical study of the text following Dunn’s structure.

3.5 Exegetical Analysis

The Greek term πνεῦμα — meaning ‘wind’, ‘breath’ or ‘inner life’151 — appears 37 times in the letter to the Romans, 21 times in the chapter 8. The massive presence of the term confirms the scholarly definition of Romans as the ‘gospel of the Spirit.’

Some scholars hold that Paul’s strong perception on the presence and action of the Spirit in the community of Jesus unifies the different themes present in the letter. The teaching on the Spirit is also able to overcome the division present in the community between

Jewish and Gentiles reflected in the pastoral approach of Paul. The apostle wants to persuade his readers (Jews and Gentiles) to embrace a new concept of salvation, based on the active presence of the Spirit in their life and in the life of the community. The active involvement of the Spirit is able to heal any division and to transform Jewish and

150 Dunn, Romans, 413. 151 William D. Mounce, Basic of Biblical Greek Grammar (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003), 434. 47

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Gentiles into adopted children of God, walking towards the eschatological revelation of the power of God.152

It is possible that Paul reframes the same concept presented by John 3:1-5 in the dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus: “Unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” Paul, therefore, poses that the believer in Jesus needs to encounter the Holy Spirit, since it is key to revelation, re-generation and an identity mark, the seal unto sonship.

3.5.1 The Spirit of Life (8:1-11)

Οὐδὲν ἄρα νῦν κατάκριμα τοῖς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, V. 1 begins with the phrase, “For there is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”. This implies that the verse is concluding a discussion which preceded this very chapter. In fact, the verse connects to Romans 6—7, where two ‘diversions’ from God’s plan are presents: chapter 6 – sin, and chapter 7 – legalism. Neither are satisfying; both bring great insecurity. Against this backdrop, chapter 8 can be read as

God’s assurance that the journey Christians are undertaking is towards salvation.

Some scholars see a contraposition between chapter 7 and 8: Romans 7 is about failure and Romans 8 is about victory: the possibility of moving from failure to victory is given by the work of the Holy Spirit.

Dunn titles the first section “The Spirit of Life” (8:1-11). He underlines the transition between 7:25 and 8:1, where the “Spirit of life” becomes a key and/or answer to the discussion that closes chapter 7. He poses that “Paul most likely intended a pause

152 Gordon D. Fee, Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1996), 24.

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between 7:25 and 8:1, for an indication of flow of thought linking his ideas to the reading of the letter to the Roman congregation.” 153

Leon Morris, on the other hand, engages the same section with a title “The Opposition of Flesh and Spirit.”154 He considered the literal and grammatical function of the words as signal to guide the comprehension of the chapter. Morris sees Paul’s uses of the word law to mean ‘principle’ or ‘rule.’ It implies a force that controls the minds and morals of believers to respond to the desire of the flesh, leading eventually to eschatological death. This principle or rule controls a person, creating fear of condemnation whenever taken into account one’s conduct.155 According to Morris, this principle or rule which oppresses a person could be controlled by a divine invisible force that dwells within the believer to free him/her from the oppressions of the law of flesh. He, therefore, sees the coming of the Spirit as a force against the slavery of the flesh and agrees with Dunn to term “life-given Spirit,” what Paul calls “the Law of the Spirit” (8:2-4). 156

Morris referred to Maison’s submission on Paul’s teaching saying, “Moses’ Law has right but not might; sin’s law has might but not right. The Law of the Spirit has both

Right and Might.”157 Morris considered the Spirit as a divine force which abides permanently in the heart of the believer from the day of conversion. As a divine force it ignites power to inform, elect, direct, control and more to the life of the believer.158

Keener engages the same section (8:1-11) from the Old Testament perspective on

“flesh.” The Old Testament believers understand that, “flesh could designate any mortal creature but especially designated human beings.” According to him, flesh signified

153 He raises an awakening hypothesis, he termed as “eschatological tension.” Dunn, Romans 1-8, 413. 154 Morris, The Epistle, 299. 155 Ibid., 300-301. 156 Ibid., 299. 157 Ibid., 301. 158 Ibid., 302. 49

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“weakness and mortality,”159 particularly when compared with God and his Spirit. In the New testament, however, this implication of weakness (flesh) is used to designate moral weakness, and could involve “human susceptibility to sin,” or “self- centeredness,”160 as opposed to “God-centeredness.”161

Therefore, it can be deduced that a life lived by the flesh is that which is dependent on frail human effort and resources, a selfish life, which is in contrast to that led by God’s

Spirit. It is true that “flesh” could mean our bodily existence, but human strength is yet mortal and unable to firmly stand to defeat sin. Thus, the human flesh, which is subjected to the law, could not achieve conformity with the will of God expected by the law. Hence, the fear of condemnation which creates an eschatological tension on the believer that needs to be addressed.

According to Dunn, the presence of the Spirit through Christ paved way for the believer not to be condemned. Henceforth, the statement: “No condemnation” (8:1) employed by Paul intentionally to evokes “the ‘once-for-all’ of the eschatological indicative, the opening of the new era brought about by Christ.”162

Dunn implies that the ‘lowering’ of the law is what necessitated the presence of the

Spirit of Life. From Paul’s perspective, the law of the Old Testament was weak in that it could not save the believers and that a new law, of the Spirit, which is more potent, was necessary. It is clear that the flesh does not imply evil, but that people who are not ruled by the Spirit live life by their own, instead of by God’s power and grace.163

3 Τὸ γὰρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διὰ τῆς σαρκός, ὁ θεὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ υἱὸν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκὸς ἁμαρτίας καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινεν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν

159 Craig Keener, Romans, New Covenant Commentary (Cambridge: Lutterworth Press, 2009), 439-440. 160 Keener, Romans, 414-415. 161 Ibid., 415. 162 Dunn, Romans, 415. 163 Ibid., 439. 50

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ἐν τῇ σαρκί 4 ἵνα τὸ δικαίωμα τοῦ νόμου πληρωθῇ ἐν ἡμῖν τοῖς μὴ κατὰ σάρκα περιπατοῦσιν ἀλλὰ κατὰ πνεῦμα.

What the Law could not do because of the weakness of human nature, God did, sending his own Son in the same human nature as any sinner to be a sacrifice for sin, and condemning sin in that human nature, so that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (8:3-4). V. 3 categorically states that the law could not save because it was powerless. Paul continues (8:4) stating that the believer who has put his trust in Christ and received a new life, begins to live out the law, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in those who lives according to the Spirit.

The articulation of the discourse seems complex, but the meaning is simple: one looks at the law and receives condemnation; but when a believer looks at Christ s/he receives forgiveness and new life. Thus, the law is not the grounds of salvation; it is the grounds of condemnation. But once a believer has been saved, the law becomes the fruit of salvation. In other terms, the law does not introduce an individual into the Kingdom, but it can point to a Saviour. When disciples put the trust in Jesus Christ, they receive new life.

To sum up, the message of Paul in these introductory verses is that the law cannot save and the law cannot secure salvation; but God has sent His Son to save, and His Spirit to give humanity the assurance of salvation. Both of them are received only by faith, by those who believe in Jesus and adhere to his community.164

5 οἱ γὰρ κατὰ σάρκα ὄντες τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς φρονοῦσιν, οἱ δὲ κατὰ πνεῦμα τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος. 6 τὸ γὰρ φρόνημα τῆς σαρκὸς θάνατος, τὸ δὲ φρόνημα τοῦ πνεύματος ζωὴ καὶ εἰρήνη· 7 διότι τὸ φρόνημα τῆς σαρκὸς ἔχθρα εἰς θεόν, τῷ γὰρ νόμῳ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐχ ὑποτάσσεται, οὐδὲ γὰρ δύναται· 8 οἱ δὲ ἐν σαρκὶ ὄντες θεῷ ἀρέσαι οὐ δύνανται.

For those who live according to the flesh have their outlook shaped by the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the things of the Spirit. For the outlook of the flesh is death, but the outlook of the Spirit is life and peace, because the outlook of the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not

164 Dunn, Romans, 439. 51

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submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God (8:5-8). Scholars have different interpretation of verses 5-8: some have considered to portray two types of Christians – those who live according to the sinful nature (8:5) and those who live by the Spirit. Some preachers even ‘scare’ their congregations explaining the two types of Christians as ordinary/hopeless Christians and super-successful Christians.

However, the text does not seek to suggest that the presence of the Holy Spirit is given to specific people for enablement; rather, it is given to everybody in spite of the status, the race and/or geographical location (cf. John 1:12).

Dunn agrees with Keener that Hellenistic philosophers divided humans into

‘knowledgeable’ people and ‘foolish’ people.165 In the Epistle to the Romans, Paul also divided humans into two groups: those who are born of the Spirit of God, believers; and those who live according to the passion of their own flesh, self-centred people. In

Paul’s presentation, the difference between the believers and those who are self-centred and live according to their own desire and devices is the presence/absence of the Spirit of Life. The Spirit of God, therefore, brings significant difference to the believers’ existence, bringing God’s grace, life and power to the believer.166

Therefore, vv. 5-8 portray the description of the non-believer and the Christian. The distinction is not ethnographic but based on a personal choice, on the acceptance or refusal of Christ. The ‘pagan’ is a person who lives according to his/her sinful nature.

The pagan may be a very lovely person; the most delightful neighbour and/or the most delightful relative. But the fact of the matter is that, such people have no real interest in

Christ, they do not have the Spirit of God within. They may think nicely, but they think

165 Jewish wisdom literature and the Dead scrolls also divided human beings into righteous and wicked: Keener, Romans, 440. 166 Dunn, Romans, 415. 52

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naturally. The v. 6 also specifies that “they have no hope”. They are moving toward

‘death,’ which apostle Paul refers to as spiritual death, because they refuse God and are unable to please God.167

But if a person has a real trust in Christ, the Spirit of God dwells within. Such a person thinks about what the Spirit wants and discerns His presence in every event and person.

This person has already begun ‘to taste’ eternal life and peace. So, vv. 5-8 have the double function to reassure and to warn: there is a shift which takes place from death to life, from non-faith to faith, and it is a gift. When a person does not belong to Christ, s/he may have difficulty responding to God. Christianity brings a ‘new heart’ where one can no longer stop thinking, again and again, about Christ and His death.

Morris agrees with Dunn in interpreting the verses as a request that every members of the community, Jewish or Gentile, must have ‘the Spirit of Life;’ hence the claim to be a follower of Christ becomes fallacious.168 To sum up, the presence of the Holy Spirit in the believers’ life compel them to rethink their priorities.

10 εἰ δὲ Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν, τὸ μὲν σῶμα νεκρὸν διὰ ἁμαρτίαν τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα ζωὴ διὰ δικαιοσύνην.

But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is your life because of righteousness (8:10) V. 10 introduces a dichotomy between the body, that may be going towards decay and the Spirit. And because the Spirit is alive, in the eschatological life even the body will be resurrected. The condition is righteousness, conformity to the life of Christ, to the life of the Son, as Paul will expose in the coming section.169

167 Dunn, Romans, 415. 168 Morris, The Epistle, 307-309. 169 Ibid., 309. 53

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At the end of the analysis the first sub-section, the researcher wants to address the scholarly concern about the contraposition of chapter 7 and 8. He holds the view that both in chapters 7 and 8, there are victories, failures and disappointments. Therefore, it is impossible to portray 7 as dark and 8 as light.

Furthermore, Pentecostals are often looking for a ‘secret way’ to a superior Christianity, whereas what Paul repeatedly teaches is that to be a Christian is to be ‘on a costly road,’ a challenging path but a very secure one. Against this backdrop, the common impression of moving into a superior Christianity for the ‘possession’ of spiritual charisms, such speaking in tongue or prophesizing, becomes difficult to support. In fact, the message of Rom 8:1-11, and of the New Testament, is that the road of following

Christ is a road of discipleship, that involves costly choices and suffering, but it will certainly conduct to glory.

3.5.2 The Spirit of Sonship (8:12-17)

The second section (8:12-17), titled ‘The Spirit of Sonship,’ is important in the rhetorical design of the chapter, because two distinct roles of Holy Spirit are presented.

First, Paul elaborates on the divine agency of the Spirit (vv. 12-13); secondly on his role as identity marker (vv. 14-17).

12 Ἄρα οὖν, ἀδελφοί, ὀφειλέται ἐσμὲν οὐ τῇ σαρκὶ τοῦ κατὰ σάρκα ζῆν, 13 εἰ γὰρ κατὰ σάρκα ζῆτε, μέλλετε ἀποθνῄσκειν· εἰ δὲ πνεύματι τὰς πράξεις τοῦ σώματος θανατοῦτε, ζήσεσθε.

So then, brothers and sisters, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh (for if you live according to the flesh, you will die), but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live (8:12-13) Concerning the first aspect, the agency of the Spirit is manifested in the gift of eternal life. Elaborating on vv. 12-13, Keener states that those who live according to the ‘flesh’ will die, but those who live guided by God’s Spirit will live because “the eschatological

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Spirit avails to raise them up from death.”170 In Keener’s view, Paul anchored his teaching in the Jewish understanding of the Spirit elaborated by the post-exilic prophets

(cf. Ezek. 36:27, 37). As occurred in the past, those who bear the Spirit of God would be resurrected by Him following the footsteps of Jesus.171 The logical consequence presented by Paul is the demand that Christians are to be dependent only to the Spirit, not the flesh.

Using the inclusive appeal “my brothers,” Paul emphasizes the relationship with the community. He does not isolate himself from them, but rather invite all to live a life worthy of their new status. Their belonging to the Spirit is what reveals their true identity as members of God’s family.172 On this backdrop, from 8:14 Paul focuses on the role of the Spirit as identity makers.

14 ὅσοι γὰρ πνεύματι θεοῦ ἄγονται, οὗτοι υἱοὶ θεοῦ εἰσιν. 15 οὐ γὰρ ἐλάβετε πνεῦμα δουλείας πάλιν εἰς φόβον ἀλλὰ ἐλάβετε πνεῦμα υἱοθεσίας ἐν ᾧ κράζομεν· αββα ὁ πατήρ. 16 αὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦμα συμμαρτυρεῖ τῷ πνεύματι ἡμῶν ὅτι ἐσμὲν τέκνα θεοῦ. 17 εἰ δὲ τέκνα, καὶ κληρονόμοι· κληρονόμοι μὲν θεοῦ, συγκληρονόμοι δὲ Χριστοῦ, εἴπερ συμπάσχομεν ἵνα καὶ συνδοξασθῶμεν.

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself bears witness to our spirit that we are God's children. And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ)– if indeed we suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him (8:14-17). Dunn agrees with Keener that the Spirit of life, that calls Christians to sonship, is the witness that God has identified. Though, the temptation of the flesh challenges believers, the Christian adoption is secured due to presence of the Spirit.173

Morris, on the basis of God choice of the people of Israel, reads the presence of the

Spirit with the biblical category of election. The Spirit does not only mark the believer

170 Keener, Romans, 440. 171 Ibid. 172 Morris, The Epistle, 312. 173 Dunn, Romans, 446. 55

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but also elects them into God’s family. The election, however, does not eliminate personal responsibility: Christians need to make the choice to live a life that affirms and testifies their belonging to God’s family. Morris poses that what brings the believer into the family of God is the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the Holy Spirit energises Christians with the desire to serve and to fulfil the call.174

Keener argues that v. 14 connects to the Old Testament account, which often remarked that God led Israel through the wilderness (Exod. 15:13; Deut. 3:2; Psalm 77:20; Jer.

2:6, 17; Amos 2:10) and promised a new movement led by the Spirit and able to affect morality and fulfil eschatological expectations (Isa 48:20-21; Jer. 23:7-8). God called

Israel his “sons” or “children,” whom he rescued from Egypt (Exod. 4:22; Deut. 14:1;

32:5).175 God’s leading was occasionally accompanied by the experience of his Spirit, employing a language that the scholar defines as both devotional and historical.176

Dunn and Morris share with Keener the opinion that Christians’ adoption into Sonship is of divine and not of anthropologic origin (cf. John 1:13). According to Keener, v. 15 portrays the Spirit as an inspirational figure, on the typology of the Exodus account, which Paul used to teach his audience. As God’s glory led the people of Israel forward towards freedom and not backward toward slavery, so the Spirit guides the adopted children of God, Jewish and Gentile, towards salvation. Therefore, the believers, just as the ancient people of Israel, experience their close relationship with God, and receive the boldness to call Him “Abba,” Father.177

Concerning vv. 16-17, Morris and Dunn behold the Spirit as the ‘Witness and Director,’ who testifies about Christians before God. They point out that the sonship of Christians

174 Morris, The Epistle, 311. 175 Keener, Romans, 441. 176 Ibid, 440. 177 Keener, Romans, 440. 56

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is connected to the Old Testament’s understanding of a prince being paid to rescue from slavery and to acquire the right to possess an inheritance. Paul, therefore, unfolded some of the implications of being a member of this family where the inheritance is not tangible or physical.178 Paul implies that the concept of heirs or co-heirship expresses sharing the life of Christ comprised his suffering on earth, to be worthy to be glorified with Him.179 As the Master suffered, so should his followers; as the master was glorified, in the same way, the followers who suffered with him will be glorified with him through the witnesses of the Spirit of life.180

Now the proof of such long-term security is that the Spirit dwells within to give the believer a whole new life. This implies that, the work of the Spirit is to direct a believer away from the downward path and to prompt the believer to the upward path. It’s a wonderful work of the Holy Spirit, and He does not do it without the believer.

The Holy Spirit enables a believer and prompts him or her to execute words and deeds which are Christ-like. Words and deeds do matter, and believers have to execute the words and the deeds that are right – put them to death wrong deeds. And believers have, at the same time to start, by His help, calling on Him for the grace and the help that believers need to live His way.

One of the great proofs of rebirth or renewal is found in 8:15: calling God, Father.

3.5.3 The Spirit as first Fruit (8:18-30)

The third section of the structure is titled The Spirit as first Fruit (8:18-30). Keener divided the section into two sub-parts:

178 Because after all, God does not die in order to pave way for his sons to possess his inheritance, as suggested by Hall. F. J. A. Hall, The First Epistle to Saint Peter (London, 1898), 35. 179 Morris, The Epistle, 317. 180 Ibid, 318. 57

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1. vv. 18-27: ‘Birth Pangs of a New World;’

2. vv. 28 – 30: ‘God’s Eternal Purpose.’

The different ‘headings’ signal to the readers that the section is complex and deals with a variety of theological themes. Both scholars, however, employ the Jewish religio- cultural perspective to explore the concept of ‘first fruits’ of the Holy Spirit (v. 23).

18 Λογίζομαι γὰρ ὅτι οὐκ ἄξια τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι εἰς ἡμᾶς. 19 ἡ γὰρ ἀποκαραδοκία τῆς κτίσεως τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν τῶν υἱῶν τοῦ θεοῦ ἀπεκδέχεται. 20 τῇ γὰρ ματαιότητι ἡ κτίσις ὑπετάγη, οὐχ ἑκοῦσα ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸν ὑποτάξαντα, ἐφ᾽ ἑλπίδι 21 ὅτι καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ κτίσις ἐλευθερωθήσεται ἀπὸ τῆς δουλείας τῆς φθορᾶς εἰς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τῆς δόξης τῶν τέκνων τοῦ θεοῦ. 22 οἴδαμεν γὰρ ὅτι πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις συστενάζει καὶ συνωδίνει ἄχρι τοῦ νῦν· 23 οὐ μόνον δέ, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὶ τὴν ἀπαρχὴν τοῦ πνεύματος ἔχοντες, ἡμεῖς καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς στενάζομεν υἱοθεσίαν ἀπεκδεχόμενοι, τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν τοῦ σώματος ἡμῶν. 24 τῇ γὰρ ἐλπίδι ἐσώθημεν· ἐλπὶς δὲ βλεπομένη οὐκ ἔστιν ἐλπίς· ὃ γὰρ βλέπει τίς ἐλπίζει; 25 εἰ δὲ ὃ οὐ βλέπομεν ἐλπίζομεν, δι᾽ ὑπομονῆς ἀπεκδεχόμεθα. 26 Ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα συναντιλαμβάνεται τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ ἡμῶν· τὸ γὰρ τί προσευξώμεθα καθὸ δεῖ οὐκ οἴδαμεν, ἀλλὰ αὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦμα ὑπερεντυγχάνει στεναγμοῖς ἀλαλήτοις· 27 ὁ δὲ ἐραυνῶν τὰς καρδίας οἶδεν τί τὸ φρόνημα τοῦ πνεύματος, ὅτι κατὰ θεὸν ἐντυγχάνει ὑπὲρ ἁγίων.

For I consider that our present sufferings cannot even be compared to the glory that will be revealed to us. For the creation eagerly waits for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility– not willingly but because of God who subjected it– in hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of God's children. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now. Not only this, but we ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with endurance. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes on behalf of the saints according to God's will (8:18-27). Jewish apocalyptic movements contrasted the contemporary days with the future, when

God will show his power unopposed. Paul shares the vision of his contemporaries that the righteous would be greatly rewarded for any sufferings in the present ‘evil’ world.181

181 Dunn, Romans, 496. See also, Keener, Romans, 439. 58

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Morris adds that Christian suffering is the path to tread from blessing unto glory. He sees the precarious existence of the Christians as what lead them to appreciate the future glory, often acquired through the supreme gift of life, the martyrdom.182 According to

Morris, Paul encouraged the believers to consider suffering, even until martyrdom, social stigma and ostracism, as a way to share the suffering of Christ, to walk in His footprint, to follow Him: for Paul, the sufferance in Christ is full of joy, for the glory that awaits God’s people (cf. 2 Cor. 4:17).183 Although, this glory is not seen in physical or materialistic sense, Paul presents it as a reality and a certainty.

Reading vv. 19-21 against the Old Testament’s background, Keener suggests that

Jewish commonly perceived that the entire world would be renewed at the end-time (cf.

Isa. 65:17-18). From a rhetorical perspective, it is notable the repetition of words with a similar sound in the two verses is notable: ἀποκαλυφθῆναι - ἀποκαραδοκία - ἀποκάλυψιν

- ἀπεκδέχεται to express the decline of the present world.184

In both cultures, Jewish and Greek, the idea of a progressive decline of the world was present. Jewish writings elaborated on the Creation account to state that humanity had been created by God as perfect and good, but Adam’s sin had brought destruction and the presence of evil powers in the creation. Stoic philosophers taught that all would be destroyed because nothing, but the primal fire, was eternal.185

In the first centuries, cosmic pessimism was widespread, and many people thought that deterioration and Fate were controlling the worlds. A shared belief was that humanity and other creatures under heavens would be destroyed.186

182 Morris, The Epistle, 319. 183 Ibid., 320. 184 Keener, Romans, 440. 185 A. A. Long, “Soul and Body in Stoicism,” Phronesis 27, no. 1 (1982), 34-57. 186 Ibid., 44. 59

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This serves as background to Morris views of vv.19-30 as a complement to v. 18. The revelation of the sonship of God would be limited to those who will be glorified, though both the righteous and the evils will see the event.187 Paul believes that the awareness of total consummation should not overwhelmed Christians because Scripture describes such event as joyful for those who belong to God (cf. Psalm 96:12; 98:8, Isa. 35:1;

55:12).

The apostle uses an uncommon expression:

20 τῇ γὰρ ματαιότητι ἡ κτίσις ὑπετάγη, οὐχ ἑκοῦσα ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸν ὑποτάξαντα, ἐφ᾽ ἑλπίδι 21 ὅτι καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ κτίσις ἐλευθερωθήσεται ἀπὸ τῆς δουλείας τῆς φθορᾶς εἰς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τῆς δόξης τῶν τέκνων τοῦ θεοῦ.

For the creation was subjected to futility– not willingly but because of God who subjected it– in hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of God's children (8:20-21) The creation is awaiting the expected glory of the sons of God. This is possible because sonship, though a secret, will be manifested in the day of glorification. Furthermore, the creation is waiting for the revelation of God’s power to destroy the futility of creation, caused by human sin, which condemned even creation to oppression decay.188

Bruce points out that man is part of nature and God has seen the world in frustration and futility due to sin, and will ultimately be revealed.189 This means that, man sinned and out of it the fullness of man, as God intended was not revealed and so therefore this would be revealed through Christ.

Dunn and Keener suggest that Paul’s usage of the phrase “being set free from slavery” can be a reminiscence of the Israelite foundational experience, the exodus, where the

187 Long, “Soul and Body in Stoicism,” 38. 188 Keener, Romans, 440-441. 189 Morris, The Epistle, 321. 60

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glory of God was walking with the people as cloud and fire. This experience was for

Israel an anticipation of the future, eschatological salvation.190

In the exodus account, the people of God ‘groaned,’ and their groaning under hardship was an unintended prayer that hastened God’s redemption of his people, Israel (Ex

2:23).191 The interpretation is validated by the relationship created by Paul between

“groaning” and birth pangs (cf. Rom 8:22, 23, 26). It is important to notice that Jewish apocalyptic traditions portrayed the time before the end as birth pangs and reflected on the great suffering that would bring forth the Messiah.192

In the time of tribulation, the only human resource is prayer. But the oppressed people are not more able to pray for freedom. Paul encouraged the community to hope because

God himself is praying in the ‘sons’ through στεναγμοῖς ἀλαλήτοις· (groaning that cannot be expressed; Rom 8:26).193 For this continuous prayer, Paul assures those elected by the Spirit to become first fruit of the new creation, of the approaching glory, and solicits them to be ready to embrace it.194

3.5.4 The Triumph of God – His Faithful and the Assurance of Faith (8:31 -39)

The fourth and last section sees the Spirit as companion and ‘the living glue’ which joins believers and God into a solid union. According to Dunn, vv. 31-34 constitute an emotionally rousing climax to the chapter 8 following the ancient rhetorical style. As the norm, an ancient speaker or writer would stimulate the audience with rhetorical questions:

31 Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν πρὸς ταῦτα; εἰ ὁ θεὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, τίς καθ᾽ ἡμῶν; 32 ὅς γε τοῦ ἰδίου υἱοῦ οὐκ ἐφείσατο ἀλλὰ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν πάντων παρέδωκεν αὐτόν, πῶς οὐχὶ καὶ σὺν αὐτῷ τὰ

190 Keener, Romans, 441. 191 Ibid., 442. 192 Ibid., 441. 193 Ibid., 441. 194 Ibid., 442. 61

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πάντα ἡμῖν χαρίσεται; 33 τίς ἐγκαλέσει κατὰ ἐκλεκτῶν θεοῦ; θεὸς ὁ δικαιῶν· 34 τίς ὁ κατακρινῶν; Χριστὸς [Ἰησοῦς] ὁ ἀποθανών, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐγερθείς, ὃς καί ἐστιν ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ θεοῦ, ὃς καὶ ἐντυγχάνει ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν. 35 τίς ἡμᾶς χωρίσει ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ Χριστοῦ; θλῖψις ἢ στενοχωρία ἢ διωγμὸς ἢ λιμὸς ἢ γυμνότης ἢ κίνδυνος ἢ μάχαιρα;

What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all– how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is the one who will condemn? Christ is the one who died (and more than that, he was raised), who is at the right hand of God, and who also is interceding for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? (Rom 8:31-35) Paul follows the same pattern to interact with his audience. Then he lists sufferings familiar to the community, to comfort believers with the assurance that God had already prepared for them the crowns of victory. By the unity in the Spirit, the believers alive and ‘asleep’ will be called together to celebrate the joy of salvation.

The believers’ victory over flesh and death is what Dunn termed as the triumph song to be sang by the faithful ones on the last days. Morris and Keener related Paul’s words of encouragement to the Old Testament which often speaks of God being ‘with’ or ‘for’ his people (Ps 56:9; Is 33:21). Hence, the psalmist enquires, if God is at his side what could anyone do to him (Ps 118:6)?

Paul, based on the Jews understand of covenant with God and the relevance of the

Atonement through which God’s faithfulness is expressed to Israel, invites the brethren to triumph.195

Customary, atonement is importantly observed by the people of Israel, just as Paul did each year on the Day of Atonement; Paul bases his confidence of believers’ vindication on the advocacy of Christ. V. 34, with the image of Jesus being at God’s right hand,

195 Keener, Romans, 442. 62

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resounds Psalm 110,1: “Here is the LORD's proclamation to my lord: "Sit down at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool!”196

The believers’ union with God through Christ gives them access to enjoy the ‘full package’ of salvation now and then. Thus, if God gave Jesus his only son to the believers and also called them into co-heirship with the witness of his Spirit, he can give the believer wholistic salvation and final victory. Paul equate this package to the phrase “All things”, and this include victory over sin and death. Therefore, this implicates essence of the package of Salvation received by the believer through the gracious gift of God. Keeener agrees with Morris that nothing can be against the believer as long as he/she remains in Christ.197

Dunn continues that Paul voiced a climax of Christian victory expressed in hymnal form, thus, what God had already done in and through Christ Jesus has built a bond between God and Christian, a kind of love that cannot be destroyed.198 Two things can be observed here: first Christians have to be aware of God’s provision of Christian’s salvation sealed with the Holy Spirit and second an assurance of victory over flesh and

Death which calls for believers to sing a triumphant song.199

Morris ‘labels’ this section as ‘The Christian Triumph Song,’ employing the same terminology proposed by Wilcknenn.200 Morris present these in two folds, first Paul consider this section as the wonderful aspect of this wonderful Epistle, in that God has made provision for the impossibility of any charge against the believer been it sustain

196 Keener, Romans, 442. 197 Morris, The Epistle, 334. 198 Dunn, Romans, 497. 199 Ibid., 496. 200 Morris, The Epistle, 334. 63

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before God. Second, the impossibility of anything that can separate the believer from the love of God, because the Union Spirit is at work.201

Verses 35-39 form a chiasmus:

A. 35 τίς ἡμᾶς χωρίσει ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ Χριστοῦ; θλῖψις ἢ στενοχωρία ἢ διωγμὸς ἢ λιμὸς ἢ γυμνότης ἢ κίνδυνος ἢ μάχαιρα; B. 36 καθὼς γέγραπται ὅτι ἕνεκεν σοῦ θανατούμεθα ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν, ἐλογίσθημεν ὡς πρόβατα σφαγῆς. C. 37 ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τούτοις πᾶσιν ὑπερνικῶμεν διὰ τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντος ἡμᾶς. B1.38 πέπεισμαι γὰρ ὅτι οὔτε θάνατος οὔτε ζωὴ οὔτε ἄγγελοι οὔτε ἀρχαὶ οὔτε ἐνεστῶτα οὔτε μέλλοντα οὔτε δυνάμεις A1. 39 οὔτε ὕψωμα οὔτε βάθος οὔτε τις κτίσις ἑτέρα δυνήσεται ἡμᾶς χωρίσαι ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν.202

At the centre, there is the emphatic adversative particle ἀλλά indicating that nothing can separate the community from Christ’s love (8:37).

Lists of hardships were common in Greco-Roman literature. They were used to show that the wise person had passed all tests to demonstrate that s/he lived according to her/his beliefs. “Nakedness” represents total deprivation and complete exposure, both physical and social; “Sword” was a common capital punishment for roman citizen. Paul suggests that martyrdom was a concrete possibility for the Christian community but the apostle stressed that even death cannot separate the believer from the true life, the meeting with the Lord.203 Keener reminds us that both Hellenistic and Jewish’ culture valued undefeated perseverance in suffering: intertestamental Jewish writings praised the courage narrating the story of martyrs.204 The people of Israel thought they would triumph in the day of judgment because they have YHWH at their side. Paul promises

201 Dunn, Romans, 334. 202 ‘Chiasmus:’ This is a Greek word expressing an ancient literary structure based on inverted parallelism. 203 Keener, Romans, 442. 204 Ibid., 442. 64

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the Christians that they will succeed in their present trials because of what God has already done for them.205

V. 38 presents a context of cosmic opposition. The reference to principalities and powers has generated a scholarly debate but, in this context, Paul is referring to angels as spiritual forces controlling the nations and bringing opposition against God’s people.206

In the Jewish literature, the use of words like ‘height and depth’ may be simply personify the heavens above and hades below. It was a Jewish way to comprehend all creation by targeting the stars and other mysterious creatures that should not draw the believers from the unspeakable love of God. It is believed that the astronomers in the

Mediterranean Sea’s zone perceive that spiritual forces were ruled the nations through the stars.

To sum up, Paul calls Christians not to draw from the love of God. For Paul, it is neither

“…fate, stars, angelic powers, or heaven or hell that determines the lives of believers; rather, the faithfulness of Jesus.”207

3.5.5 Summary

The 21 recurrences of the term πνεῦμα in the chapter confirms the scholarly claim that

Romans 8 is truly the ‘gospel of the Spirit’.

To explore the teaching on the Spirit, the researcher adopted the rhetorical organization proposed by Dunn; different terms or definitions given to the Spirit suggest its function.

In the first section (8:1-11), The Spirit is seen as the Spirit of Life. The syntagm raises

205 Keener, Romans, 442. 206 Ibid., 442-4 207 Ibid., 443. 65

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a hypothesis to the eschatological tension presents in the believer’s heart and also ensures the transition between the believer’s obedience to the flesh’s desires and the boldness to act upon the word and will of God. The ‘Spirit of life’ becomes a key and an answer to the believer’s edge to overcome flesh and sin. There is therefore no condemnation as long as the Spirit of Life dwells in the believer.

The second section presents ‘the Spirit of Sonship’ and elaborates on two distinct roles of Holy Spirit (8:12-17). First, the writer of the Epistle expounds on the divine agency of the Spirit (12-13); second, on his role as identity marker (14-17). The agency of the

Spirit is exhibited in the gift of eternal life. It also ensures the adoption and co-heirship of the believer. For this reason, those who live according to the ‘flesh’ will die, but those who live guided by God’s Spirit will live because, “the eschatological Spirit present elevate or resurrect them up from death.”208 As ‘identity marker,’ the presence of the Spirit consecrates the believer as son of God: the manifestation of this identity is in the possibility to call God ‘Abba,’ Father.

In the third section, the Spirit is considered as the ‘Spirit of first Fruit’ (8:18-30). The author interprets in the Christians’ suffering as the birth pangs of a New World, initiated by the resurrection of Christ. The Spirit is presented as companion and ‘the glue’ which joins believers and God into a solid union. God’s eternal purpose for his people, as related to Jewish religio-cultural understanding of Israelites covenant with YHWH, is so binding that the faithfulness of God becomes assured at all time by the presence of the Spirit, the bond between God and the believer. The believer’s calling into co- heirship with Christ Jesus can never be underestimated. Hence, the impossibility to bring a charge before God against the believer (Ps.106:6).

208 Dunn, Romans, 497 66

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The fourth and last section, that concludes the rhetorical design of the chapter, gives hope to the believer to have fore-picture and pre-experience of the Triumph of God.

3.6 Paul’s Exegetical Teachings of the Spirit

Paul’s exegetical teachings concerning the Spirit in the life of a believer depicts the experiential journey which every Christian undertakes. The presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer ensures the following:

Freedom - As the Holy Spirit manifests His presence in the believer, He brings freedom from the condemnation of sin and from the slavery of the law: “..for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2). This freedom involves the removal of fear and pressure that come from the law and the accusations of the sinful nature. The freedom also implies that the believer is no longer guilty of the old actions, since it is believed that old things have passed away and that all things have become new (2 Cor. 5:17). This freedom is perceived as the movement from a lower status to become coheir with Christ, which transforms human in adopted son of God in Christ Jesus. Rom. 8:15 states, “…for what you received was not the spirit of slavery to bring you back into fear; you received the Spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry out, 'Abba, Father!'”.

Real Life – It is a consequence of the divine sonship. Believers are enabled to act and live in conformity to the will and purpose of God. The main component of this real life’s concept includes sharing in Christ’s suffering and glory.

Sharing - Suffering for Christ: as the ‘world’ opposed and rejected Christ, it will oppose and reject the disciples of Christ. Suffering for Christ is described in Rom. 8 as pain, poverty, afflictions, persecutions and death but it is seen as part of the ‘salvation package’ the believer receives. In the experience of persecution, the Holy Spirit sustains

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and consoles the believers. Christian suffering is compared to the pain of birth borne by a woman to bring a new life into the world. Even if the woman does not know when the pain would be over, she trusts that it would surely come to an end. When the baby is born, the joy of the new life overcomes the memory of the pain.

The concept of sharing Christian sufferings is part of the journey, guided by the Spirit, to become an extension of the humanity of Christ in the world; to live a Christ-like existence with a testimonial value. Being persecuted, carrying the daily cross, interceding on behalf of others and dying with Christ is the way to glory: “Sharing

Christ’s suffering is that the process of salvation is a continuing experience not only of life, but of death also.”209

With the help of the Spirit, the completion of salvation is assured (cf. Gal. 3:3 and Phil.

1:6). According to Rom. 8:2-9, there is a contrast between two sets of people — the flesh people and the Spirit people. The flesh-people are those who live according to their desires and worldly standards, and the Spirit-people are those who live according to the directions of the Holy Spirit through the Biblical standards. In v. 9, Paul points that, believers are no longer ‘in the flesh’ and wholly ‘in the Spirit:’ Christians had left the flesh entirely behind once they believed and were baptized. Therefore, “being in

Christ”, or “in the Spirit” had wholly replaced their “being in the flesh.”210

The convicting Spirit - Paul views the Holy Spirit as the personality and force of God that can be connected to the gift of Salvation to humanity. According to Fee, the Holy

Spirit is the agency of God, the agent of God’s activity.211 In the teaching of Paul, the

209 James Dunn, The Theology of Paul, the Apostle; Sharing Christ’s sufferings (New York: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1998), 482. 210 Precisely as Schweitzer argued in Mysticism; cf. Albert Schweitzer, The Mysticism of Paul the Apostle, trans. by W. Montgomery (London: A. & C. Black, 1931). 211 Fee, Paul, the Spirit, 26. 68

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Holy Spirit is the personality of God who enacts and ensures the will of God in a believer. With biblical examples, Fee explains that believers are “saved through washing by the Spirit, who God poured out upon them” (cf. Titus 3:5);212 the

Thessalonians’ conversion is by the sanctifying work of the Spirit (2 Thess. 2:13).213

By the Spirit the Romans are to put to death any sinful practices (Rom. 8:13). It implies that no one can be responsive to God without the involvement of the Holy Spirit.214

According to Dunn, in Paul’s view, the Spirit-flesh antithesis is to be understood not in anthropological terms.215 The Spirit begins the eschatological tension and anticipates the final salvation.216

The witness of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit bears witness to the believers that they have been regenerated and given the right to be God’s children. This gift conveys believers the boldness and conviction to call God, “Abba,” Father.

The Spirit as the seal for glorification. Believers will be glorified for their suffering with Christ for the sake of the gospel. This glorification is bound to happen in the future when Christ is to be revealed. The presence of the Spirit serves as a seal or mark of the believers, as an evidence showing that they are co-heirs with Christ Jesus. The hope of the Spirit’s continuous presence strengthens the believer to urge on towards the crown of glory. All believers who hold on to their faith and walk with the Spirit are destined for glory in the Future.

The Spirit as a Helper. The help of the Spirit is key in the Christian walk. His presence provides patience, helps in weaknesses and moment of despair. The Spirit teaches how

212 Fee, Paul, the Spirit, 26. 213 Ibid., 25. 214 Ibid., 26. 215 Dunn, The Theology, 477. 216 Ibid., 478. 69

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to pray: this means that the Spirit knows the mind of God and helps us to pray according to the will and purpose of God. The Holy Spirit gives us a new language to pray, to communicate with God; a language understood only by God.

Patience. The Holy Spirit helps us to await the fulfilment of the promises of God. The

Spirit educates to exercise self-control, to be patient and wait upon the Lord’s time.

Helps Us in Our Weaknesses - The Holy Spirit strengthens believers in their daily lives.

(cf. Rom. 8:26; Eph. 3:16). The Holy Spirit serves as energy to the inner being of believers. The Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf (Rom. 8:26-27), works all things together for our ultimate good (Rom. 8:28) and this therefore helps the believer to be comforted in times of misery and hopeless moments. The Holy Spirit works as an advocator, comforter and counsellor to the believer in His Christian life (cf. John 16:7-

13).

Teaches us how to love. According to Scripture, God is ἀγάπη, unconditional love. This quality of love is fully manifested in the cross. The presence of the Spirit, therefore, educates the believer to love without a condition, to announce the gospel of salvation to the sinners, to guide all nations towards the saving knowledge of Christ.

Teaches us how to live a Christ-like existence. With the presence of the Holy Spirit, the believer is urged to transform the word of God, read or heard, into action. By the Spirit, the believer no longer lives by his desire but rather by every command received from the Scripture. The Holy Spirit enables believers to incarnate the word of God in their context. The presence of the believer, therefore, becomes light in the dark world because of the influence of the Holy Spirit (cf. Matt. 5:14). With the Holy Spirit, the believer transforms the society in which s/he lives in the kingdom of God.

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Fulfilling the Sonship. V. 14 signals the climax of the believer’s status. Becoming a son of God, the sinner becomes ambassador to others. Divine sonship can be achieved if hermeneutical understanding of the text is gained in relationship with Christ. It is a spiritual walk, influenced by the Holy Spirit. This effort may entail fellowship, discipleship, prayer, commissioning, ministering, alms giving, care and the like.

Paul’s theology on walking in the Spirit, therefore, demands constant teaching on the

Holy Spirit to create awareness to the believer the need to study and desire for the Spirit at every moment of the Christian life. The Spirit helps the believer in the weaknesses, suffering, and gives hope for the future, to ascertain the awaiting glory.

3.7 Conclusion

The chapter offered a rhetorical analysis of Rom. 8 following the steps suggested by

Kenned. The literary unity belongs to a unique epistle: it was address to a community composed by different classes of people: Jewish and Gentile; rich and poor; freemen and slaves. However, the Jewish presence was probably predominant.

Paul did not found the Roman community, and was not an authoritative figure for the believers. Conflicting voices about his preaching had created doubts about his person and mission. The apostle wrote to introduce himself, to present his ‘gospel’ and to persuade the Roman church to support his next missionary journey directed towards

Spain and probably North Africa.

The massive presence of the term πνεῦμα confirms the scholarly definition of Rom. 8 as the ‘gospel of the Spirit.’ Different structures of the chapter have been proposed by scholars. The research adopted the rhetorical organization proposed by Dunn in four sections:

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1. vv. 1-11 - The Spirit of Life;

2. vv. 12-17 - The Spirit of Sonship;

3. vv. 18-30 - The Spirit as First Fruit;

4. vv. 31-34 - The Triumph of God – His Faithfulness and the Assurance of Faith.

Paul elaborates on the relevance of the Holy Spirit as divine agency for election and adoption into sonship; witnessing and mission. Therefore, in the theology of Paul, the presence of the Holy Spirit accompanies the entire human journey of Christians towards a Christ-like life.

Paul, therefore, poses that the believer needs to encounter the Holy Spirit, since it is the

‘key’ to regeneration and the seal to sonship. The Spirit, as a divine force, ignites power to inform, elect, direct, control and the believer.217

Furthermore, the presence of the Spirit assures the disciple of Jesus of salvation. In

Rom. 8, Paul is not dealing with how to live a ‘victorious’ Christian life, rather, his concern is on setting out a ‘secure’ Christian life. Paul’s gospel defines salvation as a climax of a process that involves the activity of the Holy Spirit. It is a process that begins with the decision to accept Christ as the lord of life, involve a life-long walk with the Spirit and brings to partake the glory given by the Father to Jesus.218

In Paul’s view, the creation is not the reason for the falling of Christians. On the contrary, the creation suffers for the ‘slavery of corruption’ introduced in the world by human responsibility. The creation, therefore, awaits hopefully the revelation of the glory.

217 Dunn, The Theology, 302. 218 Ibid., 193. 72

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Walking with the Spirit, Christians cannot fear any human or spiritual powers: in anything, even persecution and death, they are victorious, because they are God’s children, dwelling on the Spirit and followers of Christ.

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CHAPTER FOUR

CONTEXTUAL BIBLE STUDY OF ROMANS 8

4.1 Introduction

This chapter deals with the contextual study of Romans 8. Before presenting the products of the CBS with the three selected groups of the Church of Pentecost — Kasoa English

Assembly (English speaking/literate members), Amanfro Assembly (Akan speaking/semi-illiterate members) and Theological students, mostly Pastors, from

Pentecost University College — a brief historical account on the origin of the Church of

Pentecost, Ghana is proposed. It follows a reflection about the CBS process, the formulation of CBS questions and the modality adopted to interact with the three groups.

The analysis of the ordinary readers’ understanding of the identity and mission of the

Spirit in Romans 8, against the background of Pentecostal Hermeneutics, concludes the chapter.

4.2 Historical Overview and Organization of CoP, Ghana

A historical account of the Church of Pentecost (CoP) cannot be discussed without considering the founder, whose role is key to the Church. The starting point of the

Church of Pentecost is, in fact, attributed to the sacrifice of one man who plunged himself into a world that was geographically and culturally alien to him: James

McKeown. He was born on 12 September 1900 in Glenboig, Scotland from Irish parents.219 At an early age, he joined the Elim Pentecostal Church, his native village

Antrim, to gain more understanding and insight into the concept of the Pentecostal

Movement.

219 His family hailed from Antrim in Northern Ireland; but the family relocated to Coatbridge just after he was born: cf. Larbi, Pentecostalism: The Eddies of Ghanaian Christianity, 175. 74

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After returning in Glasgow, Scotland, McKeown joined the Apostolic Church, because there was no Elim Pentecostal church in the area, where he exhibited rare administrative prowess. Within a space of twelve years (i.e. from 1925 to 1937), he assumed an oversight responsibility over various branches of the church, spread across Ayrshire,

Renfrewshire and Lanarkshire.220

In 1937, Pastor McKeown made a decision which marked the beginning of a long and fruitful journey into an entirely new areas of ministry. He and his wife Sophia accepted the church’s proposal to serve as missionaries in the then Gold Coast. This acceptance resulted in the birth of the Church of Pentecost.

It is important to notice that previous of McKeown’s coming, Pentecostal Movement had been experienced by individuals in West African such as Nigeria, Sierra Leon,

Liberia and other places, but their experiences were not recorded. In 1914, however, the first of the major Pentecostal revivalists appeared on the Gold Coast scene: the

Liberian evangelist, William Wade Harris, from the Grebo tribe. Harris’ ministry was characterized by spiritual gifts such as exorcism, healings, speaking in tongues, and the working of miracles.221

By 1917, there was a prayer and healing group/movement in Gold Coast, led by Apostle

Peter Newman Anim. Out of his movement, characterized by spiritual gifts such as healing, exorcism, speaking in tongues and prophecy, emerged three of the four classic

Pentecostal churches in the country: the Christ Apostolic Church, the Church of

Pentecost, and the Apostolic church.

220 Joshua Yirenkyi-Smart, Pentecost from Jerusalem to Asamankese: The Journey of Pentecost and untold Story of Pastor James McKeown and the Church of Pentecost (Accra: Pentecost Press, 2017), 105. 221 Larbi, Pentecostalism: The Eddies of Ghanaian Christianity, 58. 75

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Anim, who is acclaimed as the father of Ghanaian Pentecostalism, was part of the Basel

Mission which established the Faith Tabernacle Church in the then Gold Coast in 1917.

In 1935, the church was affiliated to the UK based Apostolic Church. This explains why Pastor McKeown was sent by the mother church to work with him.222

McKeown arrived in Accra by sea on March 7, 1937.223 He was met by Apostle Anim and some of church’s leaders. In 1939, after only two years, the two groups split for unresolved issues, which bordered on the doctrine of the movement. Both leaders believed in divine healing; but while McKeown was not opposed of seeking medical assistance in case of necessity; Anim was contrary to any medical praxis.224 In June

1939, Anim’s organization separated from the Apostolic Church, and following a prophecy, renamed his community ‘Christ Apostolic Church’ (CAC).225

On 12 December 1938, Pastor McKeown and his interpreter S.A. Asomaning travelled to Kadjabir in the then western province upon the invitation of the leader of the Twelve

Apostles, John Nackabah. The arrival of McKeown in Kadjabir was interpreted by

Nackabah’s group as a fulfillment of a long awaited prophecy of Prophet Wade Harris, that “a white man will come and teach you.”226 The fact that the prophecy preceded

McKeown’s coming is one of the reasons why members of the church of Pentecost saw their church as “a chosen one.”227

222 Larbi, Pentecostalism, 494. 223 Opoku Onyinah, McKeown Memorial Lecture (Accra: Pentecost Press Limited, 2012), 56. 224 The problem started in May 1937, when McKeown was infected with malaria at Asamankese, and was taken to the Ridge hospital by the District Commissioner of Kibi, accompanied by Anim. This proved a severe blow to the faith of the church members, who had been taught to trust only God in case of sickness. 225 Larbi, Pentecostalism, 58, 110. Scholarly opinions diverge on the modality of schism: according to Beckmann McKeown was dismissed by the Apostolic Church; but according to Larbi’s account he was not dismissed. 226 Larbi, Pentecostalism, 58. 227 Baeta indicates that some of the leaders of the church of the Twelve Apostles later broke away from McKeown over the issue of the use of rattles. Cf. Larbi, Pentecostalism, 58. 76

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In 1953, there was a constitutional crisis, which culminated in a new schism leading to the formation of the two churches, The Apostolic Church and The Apostolic Church,

Gold Coast. The latter was birthed under the leadership of McKeown. Upon the attainment of Ghana’s Independence on March 6, 1957, the name was reframed to correspond with the country’s new political status; hence, the church became known as

‘Ghana Apostolic church.’ However, this did not curtail the conflict between the two churches. It was, therefore, expedient for the first president of Ghana, Dr. Kwame

Nkrumah, to prevail upon the leadership of the church to change its name to help foster peace. Consequently, the new name ‘The Church of Pentecost’ was officially adopted on August 1, 1962.228

The Church of Pentecost, as part of the wide Pentecostal movement, shares the

Pentecostal Hermeneutics characteristics summarized by Green in the triadic paradigm:

Scripture; Holy Spirit and Community of faith. The Church’s doctrine is communicated in ten tenets of faith:

a) The Bible;

b) The One True God;

c) Man’s Depraved Nature;

d) The Saviour;

e) Repentance, Regeneration, Justification and Sanctification,

f) The Sacraments/ Ordinances of The Church (Water Baptism and Holy

Communion),

g) Baptism, Gifts and Fruit of the Holy Spirit,

h) Divine Healing,

228 Yirenkyi-Smart, Pentecost From Jerusalem to Asamankese, 79. 77

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i) Tithes and Offering,

j) The Second Coming of Christ and The New Life.

The researcher also noticed that the Church of Pentecost is now developing the eleventh tenet called, “Marriage and Family Life”, which is at the piloting stage. The structure of the church for administrative and fellowship purposes, is divided into Areas, Districts and Local Assemblies (Congregations), where information is disseminated.

The researcher chose Kasoa Area for his study for proximity and for the presence of newly Convention Centre. Kasoa Area was ‘birthed’ from Kaneshie Area through

Dansoman Area in the year 2008.229 We can add that Kaneshie Area is well known in the history of the Church since the name “Church of Pentecost”, given to the Church was received through prophecy at the Kaneshie Area.

4.3 The Contextual Bible Study

Contextual Bible Study belongs to what Ukpong defined as the third phase of African

Biblical Hermeneutics.230 It was introduced by Gerald O. West of Ujamaa Centre in

South Africa in 1986 and was later popularized in Ghanaian context by Anum in 2013, with a twofold aim: to fill the crescent gap between academic and popular interpretation of the Scripture — making the text relevant in the life of individual and community of faith — and to encourage participants to develop tools and skills for a critical reading of the Bible.

229 When it came to a time that a new name had to be given to the church that was led by the founder Rev James Mckeown, it was Kaneshie auditorium that CoP pioneers met and prayed and the Lord gave the name, THE CHURCH OF PENTECOST and since then this has been the name of the church. There is a saying that people who do not know where they are coming from, where they have come to, and where they are going, will eventually cease to be a vital force in society” by P. Nyame, History of Adugyama District (Kumasi: Expect Corner Multimedia. 2014), 6. 230 Justin S. Ukpong, “Developments in Biblical Interpretation in Modern Africa,” Missionalia: Southern African Journal of Mission Studies 27, no. 3 (1999), 313-329.

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The importance on the concept ‘contextual’ within ‘Contextual Bible Study’ is an acknowledgment that ordinary readers read and interpret the Biblical text, through the lens of their socio-cultural background and experiences.231 The purpose is reading the text in a specific context brings appropriation and consequent transformation of readers and their context.

4.3.1 The CBS Process

The CBS approach follows a process in three steps, for engaging a ‘ordinary readers’ in appropriating a text:

First, forming group of ordinary readers as the focus group for interactions on the chosen text.

Second, reading the text with the chosen groups following carefully articulated questions. Third, writing a report, the product of CBS, from the discussion carried within the chosen groups.

Three groups, located in two different districts, were selected to represent different

Pentecostal readers: semi-illiterate (Amanfro Assembly), literate (Kasoa English

Assembly), and theological students (mainly pastors) from Pentecost University

College (Sowutuom, Accra).

The choice was motivated to explore how members of CoP from different social- economical background and theological formation interpret the text and appropriate it; furthermore, he intends to examine if there are common characteristics and/or dissimilarities in their hermeneutics.

231 Il term ‘ordinary reader’ is employed as a technical term, to designate participants who do not have any specific training in biblical hermeneutics. The CBS discussion is facilitated by a ‘trained reader.’ In the present research, the researcher acts as trained reader. 79

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The groups are situated into two Districts, well-known and very popular in the Kasoa

Area for their outreach programmes. Selection of participants was done through a general invitation, without any compulsion. Participants were freely invited to participate in a group discussion of Romans 8. A total of one hundred (100) member of the Church of Pentecost accepted the invitation and took part to the three CBS.

4.3.2 Formulation of Questions

As a principle of the Contextual Bible Study, the group should be allowed to freely set the agenda for the reading process.232 They are, therefore, required to call the trained reader, choose the text for the reading, the theme they intended to discuss and agree on questions that are relevant in their context.233 However, for the purpose of this research, the text, the theme, and questions were all chosen and designed by the trained reader because of the objectives of the study.234

West argues that there is not only one way of reading the text. He discusses three modes of reading the Bible: reading behind the text, reading the text itself and reading in front of the text.235 In this study, two modes of reading the text were combined based on the

232 See, Eric Nii Bortey Anum, "Exploring Religious and Ethnic Boundaries: A Contextual Bible Study of Matthew 5:13-20." Journal of African Biblical Studies 2 (2009): 1-57; Id., "Collaborative Hermeneutics in Africa: Giving Dialogical Privilege in Biblical Interpretation," in African and European Readers of the Bible in Dialogue: In Quest of a Shared Meaning, eds. Hans de Wit and Gerald O. West (Leiden: Cluster Publications, 2009), 143-165; Id., "Ye Ma Wo Mo! African Hermeneutics, You have Spoken at Last: Reflections on SEMEIA 73 (1996)," in Reading Other-Wise: Socially Engaged Biblical Scholars Reading with Their Communities, ed., Gerald O. West (London: Society of Biblical Literature, 2007), 7-18. 233 Anum posits that the questions are created by the readers in order to avoid asking questions from the academic context of the trained reader; Anum, “Exploring Religious and Ethnic Boundaries,” 41-42. 234 Gerald O. West, Contextual Bible Study. (Pietermaritzburg: Cluster Publications, 1993), 12; Id. "Contextual Bible Study in South Africa: A Resource for Reclaiming and Regaining Land, Dignity, and Identity," in The Bible in Africa: Transactions, Trajectories and Trends, edited by Gerald O. West and Dube W. Musa (Leiden: Brill, 2000), 595- 610; Id., "Locating Contextual Bible Study and Intercultural Biblical Hermeneutics within Biblical Liberation Hermeneutics," in New Perspectives on Intercultural Reading of the Bible, eds. Martien Brikman, Hans Snoek and Daniel S. Schipani (Amsterdam: Dom Helder Camara Chair, 2015), 107-130; Id., "Reading Other-Wise: Socially Engaged Biblical Scholars Reading with Their Local Communities: An Introduction," in Reading Other-Wise: Socially Engaged Biblical Scholars Reading with Their Communities, ed., Gerald West (Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2007), 1-5. 235 For detail discussion on these modes of reading; see West, Contextual Bible Study, 29-47. 80

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objective of the research: reading the text itself and reading in front of the text, as the following table indicates:

MODE OF QUESTIONS ASKED: PURPOSE OF READING READING The text itself 1. What is the text about? Community Consciousness 2. What title will you give to the text read? The text itself 3. How does Paul describe the Critical consciousness Spirit? Text itself 4. What is the role of the Spirit in Contextual the life of the believer/the Understanding reader? Appropriation In front of the 5. Is there any difference Personal/Community text between your experience of transformation the Spirit from that described in the text? In front of the 6. How can the understanding of Personal/Community text the text be applied to your transformation situation today? In front of the 7. What practical steps or action Personal/Community text plans can you draw to make transformation this text a useful instrument for personal and community transformation?

The questions were designed:

1. To allow participants to read the text carefully and communally;

2. To assist the group members to reflect on the original context of the text and on

the relationship between the text and their own contemporary context.

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In view of this, there were questions on critical consciousness (1-3); contextual questions (4) and questions which required ‘action’ from the participants to transform their personal lives and their context (5-7).236

4.4 Products of CBS

This section presents the products of CBS and their analysis. The products summarize the community consciousness of the passage; the respondents’ understanding of the nature and mission of the Spirit; their contextual understanding of the role of the Spirit in the life of the believer and the actions suggested towards the personal/community transformation. Three groups were selected and focus group discussions conducted.

These groups were from Kasoa English assembly, Amanfro district and Theological students from Pentecost University College for a fair representation of the literate, illiterate and theologians living in the Pentecostal community of Ghana.

4.4.1 Reading Romans 8 with Kasoa English Assembly

The Church of Pentecost, Kasoa English Assembly was created out of Kasoa District on Sunday 13th September 2013. The General Council Meeting of the Church of

Pentecost granted permission to start English Assembly in the District to help those who are not familiar with the local language, and/or desiring to use English Language for service/worship. It is also meant to train people for future leadership positions outside Ghana, because the church has now reached the international hemisphere.

The Assembly was started with 35 members but has now grown to 135. The first presiding elder was Solomon Mensah, who has been brought back to lead the church

236 West, Contextual Bible Study, 7. According to Anum, the questions are normally discussed in small groups and report the feedback in a plenary section. However, in this study, the researcher discussed the questions together with the group members in the Bible study setting because of time constraints. 82

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during the time of this research. He was beneficial in giving the relevant information on the Assembly. The inauguration of the Assembly was done by Apostle M. M. Kopah, the then Kasoa Area Head, assisted by Rev. Isaac Amartey Anim. The Kasoa English

Assembly is composed by people with different educational levels – infants from six years; primary and Junior High School pupils; Senior High students; vocational, tertiary and several professionals, such as the military, nurses, teachers and lecturers. This made it possible for a cross sections of people to be represented during the discussion.

CBS was conducted on two Sundays before the Easter festivities, when the students’ members were on vacation. In total 35 members of the Assembly participated to the two sections, females were 20 and males were 15 which constitute 57.14% and 42.9% respectively. Below are the breakdowns: lecturers 3 which is 8.6%; security personnel

1 which is 2.9%, health workers (nurses) 3 also 8.6%; students constituting the larger number, that is, 20 constituting 57.9% and bankers and traders were 4 each constituting

11% each.

A. Community Consciousness

The first question, “What is the text about?” opens the CBS, ascertaining the respondents understanding of the text and their consciousness of the import of the passage.

Majority of the respondents agreed that the text is about the Spirit of God and the various roles He plays in the life of the believer. They saw the role of the Spirit as the basis for the believer to live a fulfilled Christian life. For example, a member stated that

“Once a person is led by the Spirit the person is seen as a true child of God.” Others affirmed that the Spirit of God has endowed ‘the saved’ with power and authority to live and operate in the fullness of Christ Jesus.

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They claimed that before being adopted into the family of God, humanity had lost the original sonship due to sin and were condemned to eternal destruction. But through the grace and mercies of God, humanity has been reconciled back to God through His Son

Jesus Christ, by the work of His Spirit, “who has sealed man from going back to destruction.”

To them, the ‘saved’ are now joint heirs with Christ, as God’s children; as such they bear the pain of Christ while anticipating an eternal glory. Ninety (90) percent declared that presently, the Spirit of God is present in the believers, working daily for the glory that await them; “no matter the pain such people might be going through, there is hope in the end.”

B. Understanding of the Nature of the Spirit

Regarding the reading of the text itself, respondents offered different perceptions on how Paul describes the Spirit in Romans 8. Ninety (90) percent agrees that Paul emphasizes on the Spirit of sonship: The Spirit does not make Christians slaves but rather God’s children through adoption. Twenty (20) percent indicated the main theme in the opposition between flesh and Spirit: The Spirit liberates Christians from the works of the flesh. According to them, Paul see the Spirit as a strong personality who helps Christians in their weaknesses. Five (5) percent concurred that Paul described the

Holy Spirit as the Spirit of testimony. They said that the Holy Spirit testifies to the believer’s spirit that s/he is a child of God.

Finally, they inferred from Paul’s description that the Spirit is the foretaste of the glory to come. Through the work of the Spirit, believers are given the foreknowledge of how all would be glorified with Christ when Heaven and earth passes away.

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C. Contextual Understanding of the Role of the Spirit in the Life of the Believer

To appropriate the text in their lives, respondents shared the role of the Spirit in their lives. Eighty (80) percent of the group members perceived the Spirit as their great

Helper. He helps them in their weakness and in their suffering; furthermore, he assists them to pray according to the will of God, and even makes intercession for them. Some asserted that the Spirit gives them the assurance of salvation, an assurance that stems from the fact that they are now God’s children and as God’s children, they are heirs of

God and co-heirs with Christ. This fact has given them unusual confidence in their

Christian lives, because the Spirit testifies to their spirit that they are God’s children.

Two (2) percent of readers stated that the Spirit helps them to live a “godly life”. Others asserted that the Spirit helps the believers in times of prayer, leading them in order not to formulate a incorrect/inappropriate pray. They claimed that when they pray, “the

Spirit reveals mysteries to them.”

D. Personal/Community Transformation

Questions 5-7 sought to find out how ordinary readers applied the text to their present situations. Besides, the researcher was also concerned about the steps or action plans the respondents drew from the text, employing the text itself in a useful instrument for personal and community transformation.

Respondents recognized that even if the Spirit dwells in them, they still experienced weaknesses in their Christian lives. As a result, they had to consistently yield to the promptings and guidance of the Spirit in order to live fulfilled Christian lives. One respondent shared that as a child of God, he hears the voice of the Spirit in his daily life and this has helped him to be in tune with the Lord. As a result, God has brought deliverance to him, anytime there was a danger ahead of him. One respondent disclosed

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that at times when she finds it difficult to make concrete decisions, she pleads with the

Spirit to help her out, by giving her directions.

Another respondent stated that his understanding of the role of Spirit has encouraged him to pray more in tongues, or in the Spirit. He asserted that praying in the Spirit edifies him. He believes that when he prays in tongues, the Spirit helps his personal spirit to intercede according to the will of God. One lady revealed that the Holy Spirit brings intuition to her; anytime she says something wrong, the Spirit draws her attention to it, as a sin in her life. One person declared that the Spirit helps him to demonstrate

God’s power. Some understood the Spirit’s role in their lives as a seal of their redemption, hence He teaches and rebukes them when they trespass.

Others recognized that the Holy Spirit has helped them in their Bible study and devotional life. They claimed that as the author of God’s word, he has always revealed

God’s will in his word for them. They disclosed that when they read the Bible, they, sometimes, found it difficult to understand it. But the revelation of the role of the Spirit in Rom. 8 solicited them to submit to the Spirit’s guidance. As a result, they have seen improvement in their daily devotional lives. Ten (10) percent said that the Spirit has enabled them to demonstrate the power of God anytime they prayed for the sick. They stated that this power comes through constant reading and praying in the Spirit, as explained in the text. As a follow up of the appropriation of the text, their spiritual lives have been transformed: they have now become “agents of change” impacting the lives of others.

Others explained that the consciousness of the Spirit’s guidance in their lives has led them to live godly lives in their communities. This has brought glory to God, in the communities they found themselves. Another respondent said that at the beginning of

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his Christian life, he found it difficult to break a sinful habit, but his understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit helped him to break free from it. This came as a result of submitting to the will of God. Finally, one respondent narrated that he has always felt shy to share the gospel with others, but after the reading of the text, he is now encouraged to preach the gospel, because he saw that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of

Testimony.

4.4.2 Reading Romans 8 with Amanfro Assembly

The Church of Pentecost Amanfro District was created out of Kasoa Galilee District on

Sunday 17th May 2015, after the General Council Meeting of the Church of Pentecost.

On Friday 14th August 2015, the inaugural and welcome service ushered in Rev. Paul

Oppong Korankye and family, who were transferred from Achimfo in Asankrangwa

Area, as maiden resident Minister; they were welcomed by Apostle Samuel Antwi, the then Kasoa Area Head, assisted by Rev. Andrew Kobina the then District Minister of

Galilee District.

The CBS group was composed of 35 members of the Church of Pentecost. In total 35 members of the Assembly participated; females were 25 and males were 10 which constitute 71.43% and 28.6% respectively. Below are the breakdowns, teachers 3 which is 8.6%, security personnel 1 which is 2.9%, health workers (nurses) 3 also 8.6%, students constituting 10 representing 33.3% and traders were the largest in number with

18 contributing to the discussion (51.43%).

Amanfro Assembly is a mixed congregation, of different Ghanaian languages.

However, Akan is predominantly used for worship and the language in which the CBS was conducted. Amanfro was chosen because of proximity; furthermore, the researcher

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has personal contact with the District Pastor and had easy access to the congregation during their Easter convention in Amanfro District of the Church of Pentecost.

A. Community Consciousness

Eighty (85) percent of the respondents understood Romans 8 as a passage that presents the Holy Spirit and His works in the believer. The Holy Spirit was described as real, yet, invisible; although He is real, He is the most misunderstood person of the Trinity.

From the sharing and discussion of the text, it was evident that members of the Church of Pentecost have diverse understanding about how the Holy Spirit manifests himself within the community of faith. Some of the respondents believed that the Holy Spirit is a “dove”, “wind”, “cloud”, “fire” or a “force.” Others agree that the Holy Spirit is the personality in the Godhead.

A respondent explained that as the ancient Israel experienced, the people of God are those who have been born/made children of God, having been delivered from the ruling power of the enemy. These people are recreated or “born again” by the supernatural activities of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit was also defined as the Spirit of adoption: anyone who has been born again is referred to as “son of God.” Adoption of the believer is done through the redemptive blood of Christ, and the Holy Spirit. A participant added that this has “a legal implication between God and the person adopted.” The adopted son has legal right for inheritance and the Father has ownership on the son. In this case, the adopted son bears the name of the father who adopted him.

Others emphasized that once a person is adopted as God’s child, the person becomes joint heir with Christ. To proclaim that we are heirs means that we possess the legal

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right to receive the glorious inheritance that is in God. By our adoption, we also have the right to be kings and priests of the Kingdom of God. He continued by quoting John

3:3-5 to explain that “it is the Spirit who has adopted us as God’s children.” A lady disclosed that “the Spirit gives one a license for the citizenship of heaven.” Those who are one with God have His Spirit in them. She concluded that Rom. 8 is, therefore, a revelation of our right for inheritance in Christ.

Another respondent said that as children of God, we are destined to a future glory through the power of the Spirit. For this reason, he repeated with Paul that the present suffering cannot be compared to the surpassing glory waiting a Christian. He intimated that “even though suffering is part of a Christian’s life, one has to depend on the Holy

Spirit who helps such a person in any situation.”

B. Understanding of the Nature of Spirit

The respondents elaborated on Paul’s explanation of the nature of the Spirit as follows.

Firstly, they concurred that Paul portrayed the Spirit as identity marker that helps

Christians to know their new status. They understood the Spirit as the Spirit of sonship that enables a Christian to call God his or her Father. Secondly, Paul indicated that the

Spirit is the helper of a believer in times of difficulty; as the believers’ great intercessor before God. He helps them to pray according to the will of God. Some of the respondents agreed that Paul suggested that the Spirit of sonship makes a believer “bold for witnessing about Christ.” This is because if the Spirit testifies that a Christian is a child of God, then the same Spirit is the one who gives the believer the power to testify that Jesus is the Son of God. Finally, someone noted that Paul introduced the Spirit as the “Revealer of mysteries.”

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C. Contextual Understanding of the Role of the Spirit in the Life of the Believer

Seventy (70) percent of the respondents agreed to define the Spirit as the “Director of the affairs of a Christian’s life.” He is the one who guides a believer’s steps, causing him or her to act according to the will of God. One respondent stated that even though adoption into the family of God is one of the works of the Holy Spirit, “true sons of

God are those who continually submit to the leadings and guidance of the Holy Spirit as stated in Rom. 8:14”.

Another person testified that the Spirit gives him strength when he is weak. This strength enables him to live godly life. As such the Spirit is the “eliminator of fear from the life of a believer.” One respondent shared that he understood the Holy Spirit as “the interpreters of God’s word to the fullest.” Because he is “the revealer of the truth,” he sees Him as a “chief interpreter.” Ten (10) percent of the respondents asserted that the

Spirit liberates believers from bondage and habitual sins. They stated that these sinful habits can be broken through continuous submission to the Spirit.

D. Personal/Community Transformation

When asked whether there was any difference between their experience of the Spirit from that described in the text, the following were some of their responses.

One lady claimed that “the Holy Spirit reveals mysteries unto us as well as others” and

“the Holy Spirit pays off the debt of believers.” She testified that in 2013 she was unable to pay her university fee. She believes that through prayer, the Holy Spirit touched someone she did not know, to pay her debt, to enable her to complete the undergraduate programme and graduate successfully. She, therefore, believes that the Holy Spirit paves way for Christians.

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One brother shared a testimony that through prayers, the Holy Spirit helped him to gain admission into the Training College at Akim Fosu. In 2014, he was saving money to pay for admission into the College, where he was informed by the authority that the admission date had been closed, seven days before his arrival. After several pleading, which seemed futile, he visited the “wash-room” and prayed a short prayer to the Holy

Spirit to intervene.

When he returned home, he had a telephone call informing him that the school authorities have extended the admission period: he was admitted and is now a teacher.

He, therefore, sees the Spirit as our intercessor who helps the Christian to pray according to the will of God. One youth leader narrated that he had planned to own a car after working for his master for two months. He applied for a loan and believed that through the intercession of the Holy Spirit, he received the loan without anything as collateral.

Many respondents, therefore, read the text as it was written for them. One said that as children of God, Christians must not lack. This is because since the Spirit is with

Christians, he shall bring to light all the needs of Christians. Another person revealed that the text has sensitized her about “how to hear the Spirit of God.”

One claimed that the text has deepened his faith in Christ Jesus, because he read that

“the Spirit takes away fear from the life of a Christian.” This gives him confidence to face the battles of life.

Practically, some respondents agreed that their knowledge of the work of the Holy

Spirit has challenged them to continue to seek the infilling of the Spirit in their everyday life. The more they yearn for his infilling; they believe the Spirit will communicate

God’s will to them and cause them to understand God’s word.

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Finally, ten (10) percent of the respondents stated that “they will make conscious effort towards spiritual things like singing godly songs so that they can build themselves up in the Christian faith.”

4.4.3 Reading Romans 8 with Theological students (Mostly Pastors) from PUC

Pentecost University College (PUC) is one of the Christian Universities in Ghana located at Sowutuom, GA. It was established by the Church of Pentecost in 2013, to train Ghanaian and African students to Christian values as well as offering a secular curriculum. It aims, also, to raised scholars able to be at the cutting edge of human affairs in local and international hemisphere.

Due to their attention on Pentecostal and Christian values, many Pentecostal ministers from all over the Country, and even beyond, are trained in this institution, for life and societal transformations. PUC was chosen because the future church’s leaders are trained there and for reason of proximity and ease accessibility as the researcher is a staff of that institution. The CBS was easy to organize because the PUC was in session and about 200 theological students (BA and MA), mostly Pastors in the CoP and other

Charismatic churches were in training. Participation to CBS was limited to CoP members: 30 accepted the invitation to be part of the reading section. The cross-sections include students of Pastoral formation, Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Master of Arts in Pentecostal studies.

A. Community Consciousness

Eighty-five (85) percent of the respondents agreed that the text is about the leading of the Holy Spirit or the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. Some of the respondents stated that the Holy Spirit plays a massive role in the salvation of

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Christians. They asserted that it is the Spirit who adopts believers into the family of

God, making them heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.

Commenting on the leadings of the Spirit, one respondent said that true sons of God are those who allow the Spirit to lead them in their daily lives. The Spirit, therefore, gives

Christians the divine witness that s/he is a true child of God. The witness bestows on

Christians the boldness to call God their father. Through the inner working of the Spirit, the Christians experience a new level of confidence in the presence of God, because the

Spirit takes away fear and timidity from Christians who submit to his will.

Another respondent sees the passage as the summary of the relationship between the

Spirit and the believer. The text describes a mutual relationship, but the chief benefactor is the Christian who continuously yields to His strength, power and guidance.

Twenty (20) percent of the respondents emphasized that the Holy Spirit reveals divine truths to the believer. This enables the believer to comprehend the deep truths that are hidden in the Word of God.

B. Understanding of the Nature of Spirit

The respondents gave various views on their understanding of how Paul described the

Spirit. Some of the respondents stated that the Holy Spirit is the leader of the Christians in their earthly journey. Once the believers follow his leadings, they cannot miss the way.

Another respondent added that Paul presented the Spirit as a leader, who “orders the steps of those who pleads with him to direct them.” Others see the Spirit as the

“strengthener of the believer in his Christian life.” He helps the believer to pray effectively i.e. according to the will of God. They added that this help affected also their

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daily activities. He strengthens their devotional life and gives them freshness of thought when they read the Scriptures. This is because he reveals divine truths to them as they meditate on God’s word.

Sixty (60) percent of the respondents claimed that the Spirit is the one who adopts a believer into the family of God. Without his gracious work, no one can boldly claim to be a Christian. He gives the inner witness to Christians to call God their heavenly

Father, without manifesting any form of shyness or timidity.

Finally, other respondent considered the Holy Spirit as a missionary spirit in the life of

Paul and in their lives; they see the power of the Holy Spirit preceding and opening the way to the missionaries of the word.

C. Contextual Understanding of the Role of the Spirit in the Life of the Believer

Concerning the role of the Spirit in the life of the believer, one student categorically stated that there is no difference between what he had read and his personal experience.

He justified his assertion referring to Jesus’ promise of sending the Holy Spirit to believers to comfort, lead and guide them: he claimed that his promise is fulfilled in his

Christian life. He, therefore, experiences the Holy Spirit as his comforter and advocator.

Furthermore, he strengthens him spiritually for effective Christian ministry.

Another participant disclosed that in times of suffering, the Holy Spirit has been his source of comfort and strength.

D. Personal/Community Transformation

Majority of participants agreed that the passage has helped them to live their lives as true children of God without any fear. The Spirit makes the Christian the child of God

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because He guilds and leads them. Their sonship gives them confidence to approach

God in prayer and supplication believing he will answer their prayers.

A student claimed that the Holy Spirit has given him an intercessory ministry because the Spirit Himself is the ‘chief intercessor’ who always reveals challenges in the lives of others to him. Others confirm that the Spirit has given them power to live fruitful

Christian life on daily basis. As such it is the Holy Spirit who causes a Christian to be fruitful within the community and society s/he is located.

Another disclosed that it is the Spirit who helps him to write exams, when his preparations are below standards. He claimed that the Holy Spirit suggests him which portions of academic materials to read, and anytime he enters to the exams room, those sections are in the examination questions.

Ten (10) percent of the participants testified that the Spirit has made them effective witnesses of the work of Christ on the cross. Their boldness, they added, is as a result of the Spirit’s enablement. One pastor said that after his conversion to Christian faith his experience is no longer “as he was in the world (flesh)”. He experiences the leading presence and the empowerment of the Spirit in his life, guiding his decision making and other actions. He believed that the Spirit has granted him “special healing grace whenever he prays for the sick.”

One Pastor considered the Spirit is the revealer of mysteries of God. He stated that through the influence of the Spirit, he revealed to another Pastor a certain chief’s plan to kill him, after receiving a loan. The chief’s plot was to kill that ‘man of God’ if he reclaimed his loan. Later the chief came to confess his intent to the pastor and apologize.

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Another pastor shared this experience: a young boy who was pronounced dead was brought to him for prayer. After praying in tongues for about 20 to 25 minutes, the young lad sneezed and came back to life. The pastor believed that this was made possible by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Finally, many participants concurred that the reading of the text was an eye opener on where to seek help when in distress: only to the Spirit of God.

Below are some of key steps of the action plans, the respondents have drawn from the text for personal and community transformation:

First, the more the Christian yield to the Holy Spirit the better Christian He becomes.

Obedience to the promptings of the Spirit is what will help a Christian to live godly life in a sinful generation. It, therefore, behoves the believer to yielding to the Holy Spirit since that is the only way a Christian can live meaningfully despite call challenges we may have.

Second, since the Christian gets his strength through the Spirit, constant prayer in the

Spirit should be a must for every Christian.

Third, as a revealer of divine truth, many of the participants suggested that Christians must allow the Holy Spirit to teach them the Scriptures, by asking him for help in times of difficulty. A deliberate plan to study about the Holy Spirit in the scriptures and to commit themselves to the teachings on Holy Spirit to the congregation was considered a priority.

A participant added that a Christian must take the Holy Spirit his or personal friend.

These include developing the habit of clinging to him, being alert about his promptings and not to grieve Him. Another stated that since the Spirit is the one who adopted us as

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sons of God, it is suicidal for a Christian to neglect the Spirit in his life. One Pastors promised that he is going to apply the text into his life by carefully leading other people to the understanding of the role of the Spirit in the lives of the believer.

Moreover, the group agrees that to ensure that the speaking in tongues is frequently done among Christians, teachings on the Spirit must be done effectively before the request of the baptism of Holy Spirit.

4.5 Comment on the Reading Processes

In this section, the interpretations on the Romans 8, offered by the CBS participants, are comparing with the characteristics of Pentecostal Hermeneutics analysed in the second chapter. The aim is to verify if there are similarities with Pentecostal

Hermeneutical lens offered by scholars globally, and if it is possible to trace some unique ‘African’ characteristics.

The Pentecostal characteristics proposed by Ellington, and later summarized by Green into the Triadic Paradigms — Scripture; Holy Spirit; Community of Faith —, are employed as paradigm. Ellington proposes five distinctive features of Pentecostal hermeneutics:

a) It is more narrative rather than propositional;

f) It is dynamic, rather than static;

g) It is experience-based;

h) It seeks encounter more than understanding;

i) It is pragmatic, emphasizing transformation and application.237

237 Scott, “Locating Pentecostals at the Hermeneutical Round Table.” Cf. Herholdt, “Pentecostal and Charismatic Hermeneutics,” 422. 97

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A. Seeing a text as a more narrative rather than propositional

Analysing the answers of participants to questions 1-2 — ‘the community consciousness’ — it is evident that they understood Romans 8 as a passage that presents the Holy Spirit and His works in the believers. All groups read the text with the lens of their ‘experience’ of the Spirit, as if Paul was sharing a common experience, their experience.

From the sharing and discussion of the text appear that members of the Church of

Pentecost have diverse understanding about how the Holy Spirit manifests himself within the community of faith. In the light of the creation narratives, the Holy Spirit is considered the ‘giver’ and ‘sustainer’ of humanity and creation. Against this hermeneutics backdrop, participants perceive the Holy Spirit as “real, yet, invisible;” able to disclose the meaning of a biblical text even without any formal theological formation; and, above all, able to guide them to appropriate the text in their lives.

Though the Spirit is real, they define him “the most misunderstood person of the

Trinity,” re-discovered by the CoP community experience.

It is interesting to notice that CoP members perceive the Spirit as the more ‘accessible and real’ person of the Trinity. He guides them in the understanding of the Scripture; he prays with them and through them (glossolalia); he heals; consuls; discloses

‘mystery’ and intervenes to solve everyday problems, like paying school-fee and open- up possibilities. The ‘Father’ seems ‘absent’ from everyday life; Jesus is never ignored but participants are aware of living in a post-Jesus era, after His return to the Father: now the active presence, the Paraclete, is the Spirit.

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B. Considering a text as more dynamic than static

The CBS evidenced that some participants considered the text to produce multi- functional results. Even as they link Rom. 8 to experiential encounters, their testimonies and witnesses underlined different results towards a personal and community transformation. It is important to notice, the emphasis on ‘mission:’ as ‘missionary

Spirit,’ the Holy Spirit becomes the agent in fulfilling the ‘great commission’ (Mark

16: 15), one of the Christian’s demands considered ‘crucial’ by members of CoP.

From the sharing, it was, however, absent the ‘social’ dimension: while the three groups read the text, and understood its call to action as appealed to ‘spiritual’ transformation, the prophetic call for ‘social’ transformation (charity; social justice; commitment against corruption; support of the vulnerable; etc.) was never mention, not even by the pastors.

C. It is experience-based

The CBSs showed that the participants interpreted the text, by practicalizing it. For members of CoP, reading the bible is seeking an encounter more than a mere understanding. This pragmatic attitude emphasizes ‘application’ to the personal and community life in Ghana and elsewhere. According to participants, reflecting their own experience in the text sparkles the evangelistic and spiritual growth of the CoP. As members ‘practicalise’ the text, it ignites the evangelistic drive that compels them to act and preach upon the text read and to share the experience as ‘testimony’ to encourage one another.

A problem that emerged is the lack of awareness of the historical dimension of the text, the effective distance that exist from the contemporary Ghanaian readers and the specific community to whom the letter was addressed by Paul in the first century.

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Considering the hermeneutical process as bipolar – exegesis and interpretation – members of CoP often ignored the exegetical step, the understanding of the text in its original context, and focus on the ‘interpretation,’ often understood as a ‘replication’ of the text in their life.

It is interesting to notice that the level of theological formation seems not to make any difference: even the PUC theological students did not make any reference to the

‘historical’ dimension of the text in their comments. It can be concluded that the

‘ecclesiastic’ lenses overcome the academic approach to biblical hermeneutics.

D. Authority and sufficiency of the Scriptures’ final, canonical form

Ghanaian Pentecostals hold a firm belief in the authority and sufficiency of the

Scriptures. They agree to the ‘confessional theological readings;’ and they are primarily concerned with how the Scriptures work as God addresses his people. As a result, CoP members in Ghana express their faith openly during their rallies, when sharing the gospel, and pray in tongues publicly, as a means of attracting others to join them. CoP members are, therefore, ‘radical and disciplinary’ in their doctrine and style of living.

Their interpretation becomes non-negotiable or compromising.

If this attitude can be effective as a form of evangelism, it is not exempted by risks: a fundamentalist approach to reading the scripture and an intolerant attitude towards those who do not share their ‘faith’ (Muslims; followers of AIR; etc) or even their

‘version’ of Christianity.

E. Community of faith influences

The role of the worshipping community in the process of interpreting the Scriptures cannot be denied among Ghanaian CoP members. They ensure respect for the diversity of theological and literary ‘voices’ in the Scriptures (genres). Not to forget that the 100

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Pentecostals spontaneity that compels them to interfere services with songs and prophesies is an acceptable norm in the Pentecostal community. This is even considered as the visitation of the Divine to them, when these interferences are experienced during worship. As other Christian communities follow a systematic order of service, the

Pentecostals allow and encourage spontaneities because they consider it as part of the interpretative process, as part of ‘history of effects.’

The spontaneity manifested by the community of faith becomes a brand for the CoP; it is cherished and attractive for the youth.

Unfortunately, the Pentecostal community seems unable to transform society on a deeper level. For example, the CoP is very involved in the ecological discourse, but there is not visible change of attitude, judging from the ‘filth’ and ‘un-ecological activities’ of people who pollute the environment even in Ghanaian Pentecostal communities. The research believes that the strong sense of belonging and the community influence on the life of the members can be used to guide an attitude change towards social issues as ecology, sustainable development or corruption. Furthermore, a transformed CoP community could be a model of transformation able to influence

Ghanaian society. Unfortunately, there are not conscious efforts of formation for social transformation.

To sum up, interaction with the three groups disclose that Ghanaian members of CoP share the basic hermeneutical characteristic of the global Pentecostal community.

Ghanaian Pentecostals believe in the Scripture, the work of the Holy Spirit and the

Community of faith gather together in worship. As Pentecostals all over the world, they strongly believe that a life without the Holy Spirit is difficult and unbearable. To strengthen each other’s faith, it is necessary for them ‘to come together with one faith

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and accord’ as community, to share their experiences and encounter with the Holy

Spirit.

For this reason, their approach to biblical hermeneutic is narrative and testimonial; experiential and ‘contemporary’ to the text. Their interpretation is pragmatic and aims at ‘live’ the text more than to ‘understand’ the text; often the personal experience becomes a ‘mirror’ or even ‘part’ of the biblical narrative. Finally, from the interaction with the three groups, the researcher has the impression that the level of literacy and theological formation does not impact the style of hermeneutics.

4.6 Characteristics of African-Pentecostal Readings in CBS

In the previous section, the research discloses that Ghanaian CoP members employ, in their hermeneutic approach, the same categories of global Pentecostalism. This section aims at exploring the role of African culture in their hermeneutics. In other terms: is it possible to find some ‘unique’ African elements in their reading of the Scripture?

Globally, Pentecostals believe in evidences, in ‘seeing’ or ‘encountering’ signs able to assure that God, specifically, the Holy Spirit is present in a specific event, spiritual intuition or ‘prophetic direction’.

The Ghanaian context is ‘notoriously’ religious. In the 2000 census more than 90% of inhabitants professed themselves ‘religious’ and indicated a specific religious affiliation. Therefore, religious beliefs and rituals have great social relevance. For example, it is generally believed that there are ‘several spirits’ that can harm humans; some are believed to be the spirit of lesser gods, the dead, witches and wizards and many more. This belief generates fear and the absolute necessity for everyone to seek for a protection against the action of the spirits.

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Against this backdrop, it is possible to understand why the CoP is the fastest growing church, not only in Ghana, but also in many other African countries. Their presentation of the Holy Spirit as God, more powerful than every other spirit, is attractive, and the assurance that worship of the Holy Spirit ensures a comprehensive protection offers a practical answer to the fear of Ghanaians.

On countless occasions people have given testimonies on some of the concrete help and of the everyday solutions that the Holy Spirit has offered them. Some of these experiences were shared by CBS participants and noted in the products of the readings.

Pentecostals believe that the scriptures are better understood when ‘encountered’ rather than just ‘read’. Based on the above assertion, they believe that as time changes, the interpretation of the Scripture changes, since God works with the subsequent generations and dispensations. However, Ghanaian Pentecostals hardly accept the fact that the scripture must be interpreted in the context and that the context can influence the interpretation.

For instance, many CoP members are still holding on to the fact that according to the

OT, Moses ordered that men and women should not wear the clothes of the opposite sex (Deut. 22:5). As consequence, in some CoP families, women are prevented from wearing trousers. Furthermore, based on a literalistic interpretation of 1Cor 11:4-10 women are still asked to use a scurf when going and praying in the church, a rule vehemently opposed and not followed by the International Congregation.238 Probably for the same ‘static’ approach to the reading of the Scripture, there is not a single woman

238 Through the communique issued by the CoP executive council (2009), the Chairman, Apostle Dr. Opoku Onyinah, submitted that the church sees the issue of the scurf as not salvific but one of the early traditions held on by the church. Therefore, members of CoP could attend church without the scurf and also should not prevent people from fellowshipping when not put on the scurf. However, these does not mean women with the scurf are to be discouraged. Retrieved on 10th May 2010, Lecture, Pentecost University College, Sowutuom-Accra. 103

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ordained as a minister of the gospel among the over one thousand ministers employed globally by the Church of Pentecost.

Globally, Pentecostals believe that there is ‘power’ in the word of God and every scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit (1Tim. 3:16-17). In view of these, Pentecostals are always in anticipation of a sign to experience ‘physically’ what the scripture says.

Though this attitude is common to global Pentecostalism, it becomes ‘extreme’ in the

Ghanaian context. For instance, one apostle of CoP died because he wanted ‘to exercise his sonship and power as a son of God,’ trying to drive through a flooded drain. He firmly believed that God would ‘deliver him’ and protect ‘through the water,’ because the Holy Spirit was with him as ‘helper’ in difficult moments.

A second example: some Ghanaian Pentecostals are sure that the Holy Spirit can do everything, even help them to pass examinations. Some resort to ‘substitute’ constant and longer praying hours to study, with the anticipation of excellent results in their exams. Some enter the examination halls with anointed pens and pencils, handkerchiefs and many more ‘anointed’ objects. In Ghana, many people attribute almost everything to the work of the Spirit, running the risk to transform ‘the Spirit’ in a magician and faith in superstition.

Finally, Pentecostals strongly believe that reading and practicing the scripture would lead to a total transformation. From the sharing of Romans 8, it can be deduced that majority of participants were concern about praying in tongues and constant reading of the scriptures that would enable them to live according to the Spirit, hence affirming their sonship as children of God and co-heirs with Christ Jesus. Members have also accepted the fact that “whatever pain they are experiencing is a sharing of the pain of

Christ Jesus.” Furthermore, they believe in eschatological reward: whatever pain,

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poverty or difficulty they are facing now, they look forward to the glory and crown awaiting them in the Kingdom of God.

4.7 Conclusion

The chapter presented and analysed the CBS of Rom. 8, conducted with three selected group of the COP. To understand their presuppositions, the chapter began with an historical overview of the origin of CoP, Ghana. The beginning of the church is attributed to the sacrifice of James McKeown, a missionary sent by the Apostolic

Church, UK. His work culminated in the establishment of the Church of Pentecost, the fastest growing church in Ghana, with a population of about three million worldwide.

Three groups formed by members of CoP in the Kasoa Area were chosen for the CBS: the three groups represented three realities: semi-illiterate; literate and theological students from PUC. The aim was to examine how people with different social and cultural background read Rom. 8, a text which summarized the central tenets of CoP’s faith. CBS is an African Biblical Hermeneutical approach that involved ‘ordinary readers’ in the exegetical process. They are invited to read, and interpret a selected text

(Rom. 8) as community, through the lens of their socio-cultural background and experiences. The intent is to make the text alive and relevant in their lives, leading to social transformation.

The groups described the Holy Spirit as registrar, encourager, deliverer, liberator, etc. who guides Christians to divine sonship. Walking in the Spirit was portrayed by them as a ‘spiritual journey,’ in which the scripture is experienced, and the presence of the

Spirit encountered and ‘proved’ by signs. Testimony of the signs is the missionary method employed to fulfil the great commission.

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The analysis of the products of the reading indicates that in the CoP’s members approach to the reading reflects the main characteristics of Pentecostal Hermeneutics summarized by Green and Ellington.239 However, the African cultural background emphasized some elements — influences of the spirits (good and evil); ‘static (literal)’ approach to interpretation; ‘radical’ application of faith; etc. — that influence the relationship with the Scripture and the approach to life of members.

In positive, the research recognized the strong evangelistic drives, frequent prayers and open confession of faith as a sign of expressing their experience of ‘walking in the

Spirit,’ and the desire to invite others to ‘walk’ with them, sharing the most precious gift: their faith in the Spirit. On the negative side, the excessive emphasis on

‘spirituality’ runs the risk to ignore other important dimensions — socio-economic, ecological, political, ethical, educational, etc. — justifying the statement of Richards that Pentecostalism is politically irrelevant.240 ‘Walking in the Spirit,’ according to

Rom. 8, is an holistic process involving, personal and community transformation, in which the cry of the poor and the cry of the earth is heard.

How to integrate spirituality with advocacy for an integral ecology, able to build a

Ghanaian society clear of pollution and corruption, based on social justice and holistic development is the challenge that CoP needs to address to remain significant.

239 Ellington, “Locating Pentecostals,” 38. 240 W. Richards, “An Examination of Common Factors in the Growth of Global Pentecostalism: Observed in South Korea, Nigeria and Argentina,” Journal of Asia Mission 7, no. 1 (2005) 85-106. 106

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CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Introduction

The chapter brings the research to an end, offering a summary of the work, the indication of the main findings, some recommendations for further studies and pastoral approach to biblical hermeneutics in CoP, Ghana.

5.2 Summary

The CoP is one of the fastest growing churches in Ghana, with a worldwide presence.

In the last decade, the church not only allowed its ministries to study but instituted a

Theological Seminary and a Faculty of Theology and Missions (PUC) for the pastoral and academic training of her ministers. Unfortunately, very few members of CoP are majoring in biblical/hermeneutical studies, preferring other theological disciplines such as Pentecostal studies, missions, ethics, etc.

Furthermore, in the CoP, there is a growing gap between the pastoral use of the bible, often interpreted following a fundamentalist approach and the academia. While ordinary readers seek in the Bible a concrete answer and modality of living their

Christian/Pentecostal experience, there is no structured hermeneutical reflection on how to interpret the Scripture with Pentecostal and African eyes, employing approaches respectful of the original culture of the text and of the culture of the readers. This situation poses a hermeneutical challenge that the research addressed, through an exegetical study of the chapter 8 of the letter to Romans.

Romans 8 is one of the texts regularly used by CoP for teaching regarding the baptism in the Spirit and for revival programmes. However, it is not at the centre of the reflection of Pentecostal Biblical scholars, who focus their studies on the Lukan narrative.

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Against this background, the study proposed a rhetorical reading of the theme of the

Spirit in Romans 8, in order to bring to highlight the relevance of the text for CoP contemporary readers.

The research was guided by the following questions. The main research question was:

What is the meaning of “walking in the Spirit” according to Romans 8?

The secondary research questions were:

1. What are the main characteristics of a Pentecostal hermeneutics?

2. What is the relevance of the text for ordinary readers in the CoP communities in

Ghana?

The research employed the CBS approach to African biblical hermeneutics, proposed by West and popularized in Ghana by Anum,241 as its Theoretical Framework.

Following the CBS, the research is organized into three steps:

1. Exegesis: to understand the original context of the selected pericope, a critical analysis of Romans is proposed employing the Rhetorical Critical method.

2. Interpretation: to explore the appropriation of the text by a specific community of faith (CoP), and how the appropriation of the text affects the community it engages bringing transformation.

3. Engagement: the rhetorical analysis of the text and the ‘ordinary readers’ interpretation are engaged to verify the modality of an African Pentecostal hermeneutics, able to respect the original context of the biblical text and the context of the contemporary reading community.

241 Eric Anum, “Comparative Readings of the Bible in Africa,” 457-480.

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To answer the research questions stated above, the research first traced the content of

Pentecostal Hermeneutics. A reflection of Hermeneutics was not a matter of concern to scholars until 1970, when the publication of the PhD thesis of James Dunn generated a debate among Pentecostal Scholars.

The debate focused mainly on three issues: Possibility, Methods, and Characteristics of

Pentecostal Hermeneutics. Scholars such as Fee, Israel and Stronstad rejected the idea of Pentecostal Hermeneutics stating that there is no specific Pentecostal approach/method to Hermeneutics. It was, therefore, seen as a misguided concept, an ideology or an epistemology of the Spirit; according to them Pentecostal Hermeneutics is the obliteration of the horizon of the text by the interpreter.

On the contrary, others such as Anderson, Archer, Mittelstadt, Green, Ellington, and

Martin affirmed the possibility and existence of Pentecostal Hermeneutics. They argued that Pentecostals use a unique experiential and historical method to interpret the text.

Anderson, for example, acknowledged that biases are inevitable in interpretation; in his opinion, Pentecostals combine “different (but legitimate) methodological, personal, historical, and theological presuppositions” in interpretation of a text.242 Against this backdrop, scholars tried to formulate the characteristics of Pentecostal Hermeneutics.

The following are the five characteristics proposed by Ellington:

a) It is more narrative rather than propositional

b) It is dynamic, rather than static

c) It is experience-based

d) It seeks encounter more than understanding

242 Anderson, “Why Interpretation,” 6.

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e) It is pragmatic, emphasizing transformation and application.

Green summarized the characteristics into triadic paradigm:

a) The Scripture,

b) The Holy Spirit,

c) The Community of faith.

In chapter three, the research applied these characteristics to trace the pneumatological understanding of Paul. Following Kennedy’s approach, the chapter explored:

Rhetorical Situation of the letter: the community of Rome was a composite community:

Jewish and Gentiles; slave and free; rich and poor.

Rhetorical Problem: Paul was not the founder of the community and therefore not an authoritative figure. He wrote to present his mission and his ‘Gospel’ and to solicit help for future missionary journey towards Spain and perhaps North Africa.

Rhetorical Structure:

a) (8:1-11) The Spirit of Life: The divine force that helps Christians to overcome

the flesh and live the word and will of God.

b) (8:12-17) The Spirit of Sonship: Spirit as identity marker.

c) (8:18-30) The Spirit as first Fruit: Spirit elects as God’s ambassador and co-

heirs. Christ-like existence: suffering and glorification with Christ.

d) (8:31 -39) The Triumph of God - His Faithful and the Assurance of Faith: The

Spirit gives the assurance of God’s presence. Nothing can/should separate

Christians from His love.

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Paul presented the Spirit as Identity Marker, Guide, Intercessor, whose presence allows the believer:

a. To call God “Father” (8:15.);

b. To pray with “inexpressible groaning’s” (8:27.);

c. To become ‘son’ in the Son Jesus Christ (8:17.);

d. To continue the mission of Christ (8:4.);

e. To face persecution and conflict trusting in God’s presence (8:17-18.);

f. To inherit the kingdom (8:17.).

Finally, the exegesis disclosed that ‘Walking in the Spirit,’ according to Rom. 8, is a holistic process involving, personal and community transformation, in which the cry of the poor and the cry of the earth is heard.

To access the Ghanaian Pentecostal views on Romans 8, the chapter four dealt with the

‘ordinary readers’ interpretation of Rom. 8:1–39. Three groups of CoP members were selected: the literate (Kasoa English Assembly); the semi-literate (Amanfro Assembly) and theological students (PUC).

The research noted that the ‘ecclesiastic lens’ employed by all participants offered a uniform approach to hermeneutics; in fact, the level of literacy and/or theological preparation seemed not to impact the reading of the text.

The Holy Spirit was described as registrar, encourager, deliverer, liberator, etc., and above all as the guide to divine sonship. ‘Walking in the Spirit’ was, therefore, conceived by a ‘spiritual and experiential journey,’ in which the Spirit is encountered, and his presence ‘attested’ to by miraculous signs. Witnesses of the signs is, as

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consequence, the main missionary method employed by CoP members to fulfil the great commission.

The study of the products of the reading indicates that CoP’s members approach to the reading reflects the main characteristics of Pentecostal Hermeneutics summarized by

Green and Ellington. However, the African cultural background emphasized some elements — influences of the spirits (good and evil); ‘static (literal)’ approach to interpretation; ‘radical’ application of faith; etc. — that influence the relationship with the Scripture and the approach to life of members.

The research indicated in the vivid experience of the Spirit; the sense of community belonging; the commitment to evangelism, prayers and open confession of faith as a missionary tool; a positive modality of contextualizing the call to action of Roman 8 —

‘walking in the Spirit’ — by CoP’s members. The three groups further expressed the desire to invite others to ‘walk’ with them, sharing their faith in the Spirit.

However, the research enlightens some challenges that need to be addressed such as the excessive emphasis on ‘spirituality’ with the consequent danger of ignoring important dimensions of Christian faith like socio-economic, ecological, political, ethical, educational, etc.; and the importance of joining the ‘experience’ of the Scripture with the awareness of the historical dimension of the text and the need to enculturate the text in a continuous changing context.

5.3 Recommendations

The researcher thinks that it is imperative that the CoP, the fastest growing Pentecostal

Church in Ghana, starts a systematic reflection on how to interpret the Scripture employing approaches able to reflect her tradition and beliefs and able to avoid a popular-fundamentalist approach still present in many communities.

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To reach this aim, the researcher recommends an in-depth study on African Pentecostal

Hermeneutics and on the Pneumatology of Pauline and Johannine Corpus.

Furthermore, the researcher recommends a revision of the curriculum of Theological

Studies adding Pentecostal and African Hermeneutics.

To reach an informed understanding of the Scripture, and to encourage more members of CoP to engage in Biblical and Hermeneutics Studies, the researcher recommends an intensification and better organization of the study of Biblical Languages (Hebrew,

Greek and Aramaic), in PUC.

To enculturate the Scripture in the Ghanaian context, the use of local languages needs to be implemented for reading and interpretation of the text. Reflection on how to use the Ghanaian ‘mother tongues’ in the theological process should be part of the theological curriculum of the Faculty of Theology and Mission (PUC).

The researcher further recommends a revision of the teachings of CoP to insert elements such as social justice; fight against corruption; ecological awareness, etc. as manifestation of the presence of the Spirit of truth in the life of the believers.

Finally, the researcher recommends a better control on what is popularly defined as

‘Pentecostal gymnastics’ — excessive form of praying; noise pollution; falling in the course of prayer in the name of receiving spiritual gifts; forms of ‘magic’ and

‘superstitious’ — and instead focus on a solid biblical formation of how the Holy Spirit operates in order to reap the total benefit that comes from the indwelling of the Spirit.

5.4 Concluding Remarks

The thesis entitled, “Walking in the Spirit: A Pentecostal reading of Romans 8,” proposed to read a pneumatological text through a Pentecostal lens. The text depicts

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how one’s maturity in the Christian faith determines his or her way of life and the impart on his/ her surroundings.

The dialogue with scholars aided to find answers to the research questions and to explore the relevance of the text for contemporary Ghanaian Pentecostals. The analysis proposed in chapter two has demonstrated that every Christian denomination has a distinctive way of interpreting the same Bible. The multiple approaches to biblical interpretation are probably the main cause of the variety of theologies that characterized contemporary Christianity. The research dealt with the origin, the debate and the contemporary developments of Pentecostal hermeneutics. Unfortunately, the African continent has not been part of this debate and Pentecostal churches have not elaborated an African-Pentecostal Hermeneutics.

The researcher agrees on the possibility of Pentecostal hermeneutics and its uniqueness, because it incorporates different but legitimate methodological, personal, historical, and theological presuppositions in its interpretative work.

The researcher applied Pentecostal hermeneutics to the rhetorical analysis of Romans

8 to reach an informed understanding of the text and the call to action addressed to the original readers. Paul elaborated on the relevance of the Holy Spirit as divine agency for election and adoption into sonship; witnessing and mission. In his theology, the presence of the Holy Spirit accompanied the entire human journey of Christians towards a Christ-like life.

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According to Paul, it is mandatory for the believer to encounter the Holy Spirit, since

He is the ‘key’ to regeneration and the seal to sonship. As a divine force, the Holy Spirit ignites power to inform, elect, direct, control and mark the believer.243

Furthermore, the presence of the Spirit assures the disciple of Jesus’ salvation, and so living a ‘victorious’ Christian life becomes possible. Paul described salvation as a process that begins with the decision to accept Christ as the Lord of life, continues with a life-long walk with the Spirit and brings to partake the glory given by the Father to

Jesus.244

In Paul’s view, the creation is not the reason for the falling of Christians. On the contrary, the creation suffers for the ‘slavery of corruption’ introduced in the world by human responsibility. The creation, therefore, awaits hopefully the revelation of the glory. An intimate walk in the Spirit, demands that Christians cannot be afraid of any human or spiritual powers: because if God is on our side, who can be against us?

To contextualize the text into Ghanaian Pentecostal reality, Romans 8 was read with

CoP ‘ordinary readers,’ following the CBS approach. CBS is an approach to African biblical hermeneutics that proposes a Bible study in which ordinary reader interprets the biblical text through the lens of their socio-cultural background and experiences, with an intent on making the text relevant in their personal lives leading to social transformation. This is followed by reports written on the views of the respondents.

The products of the reading disclosed similarities and differences with the characteristics of Pentecostal Hermeneutics proposed by western scholars. The research

243 Morris, The Epistle, 302. 244 Dunn, The Theology, 193. 115

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recognized in the differences unique African elements that need to be studied to generate a ‘truly’ African Pentecostal Hermeneutics.

The products revealed other problematic aspects that the CoP need to address to impact the Ghanaian society. For this reason, the research end with recommendation for further studies and for the pastoral lives of CoP communities.

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