Pentecostal Contributions to Contemporary Christological Thought: a Synthesis with Ecumenical Views
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PENTECOSTAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO CONTEMPORARY CHRISTOLOGICAL THOUGHT: A SYNTHESIS WITH ECUMENICAL VIEWS by SEAN DAVID HOUSE submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF THEOLOGY in the subject SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: PROF E VAN NIEKERK NOVEMBER 2006 Student Number: 3600-206-2 I declare that PENTECOSTAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO CONTEMPORARY CHRISTOLOGICAL THOUGHT: A SYNTHESIS WITH ECUMENICAL VIEWS is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. November 20, 2006 SEAN DAVID HOUSE DATE i SUMMARY Pentecostalism, which developed its essential character during the classical period of 1901–1916, has many significant contributions to make to modern theology. Often viewed as a type of fundamentalism, it is actually a theological tradition in its own right that deserves consideration along with the other two major streams of protestantism, conservative evangelicalism and more liberal ecumenical-mainline thought. Although it emphasizes the experience of the Holy Spirit, pentecostalism is highly Christocentric as is evidenced by its foundational symbol of faith, the fourfold gospel of Jesus as savior, healer, baptizer, and coming king. This work examines how the pentecostal fourfold gospel, as a functional, from below Spirit Christology, anticipates and intersects with trends in twentieth century ecumenical theological thought. The result of the study is the articulation of a fuller, more holistic understanding of the work of Christ in salvation in the world today. KEYWORDS Pentecostal movement; fourfold gospel; functional Christology; Spirit Christology; work of Christ; perichoresis; soteriology; ecumenical theology; liberation theology; neo-orthodox theology; salvation; healing; Holy Spirit baptism; sanctification; delay of the parousia ii Dedicated to the memory of Rt. Rev. P. Victor Premasagar October 14, 1927–December 1, 2005 Former Moderator, Church of South India Founding Principal, Bethel Bible College, Guntur, India Pastor, Scholar, Friend ACKNOWLEDGMENTS With warm gratitude, I acknowledge the help of many who have inspired and supported me in this work: –My supervisor, Prof. E. van Niekerk, whose guidance, especially at the beginning, sent my mind in many fruitful and rewarding directions –Rev. Scott Norling and Rev. P. N. S. Chandrabose, founders of Gospel Mission of India, for their unstinting support that made this endeavor possible –My colleagues and students at Bethel Bible College, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India, for their understanding and affection –Dr. J. Rodman Williams and Dr. Vinson Synan, professors emeriti of Regent University, U. S. A., who sowed in me the seeds of love for systematic theology and pentecostal studies –My wonderful wife, Lydia, our parents, and our children, Vivian Samuel and Katherine Aradhana, for their love and encouragement In this one hundredth anniversary of the Azusa Street Revival, this work is offered up as a theological labor of love for the pentecostal movement and its potentialities. Soli Deo gloria . iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Summary........................................................................................................................ii Acknowledgments.........................................................................................................iii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Thesis: Pentecostalism and the Christological Problem of Twentieth Century Theology.........................................................................1 1.2 Objectives ..........................................................................................................2 1.3 Methodology and Approach ..............................................................................2 1.4 Scope and Limitations........................................................................................3 CHAPTER 2: PENTECOSTAL CHRISTOLOGY IN THE CONTEXT OF TWENTIETH CENTURY THEOLOGY 2.1 Streams of Protestant Theology: Evangelical, Ecumenical, and Pentecostal ....6 2.1.1 Evangelical Theologies......................................................................................7 2.1.2 Ecumenical Theologies....................................................................................10 2.1.3 Pentecostal Theologies.....................................................................................12 2.1.3.1 Origins and Basic Features ..................................................................13 Table 1: Types of Classical American Holiness and Pentecostal Movements ...................................................................................16 2.1.3.2 Pentecostalism and Evangelicalism.....................................................17 2.1.3.3 Pentecostalism and Ecumenism...........................................................23 2.1.3.4 Pentecostalism and the Charismatic Movement ..................................25 2.2 Features of Classical Pentecostal Christology.................................................28 2.3 Ecumenical Meeting Points: Functional Spirit Christology from Below ......................................................31 2.3.1 Functional Christology.....................................................................................31 2.3.2 “From Below” Christology..............................................................................36 2.3.3 Spirit Christology.............................................................................................39 iv CHAPTER 3: THE FOURFOLD GOSPEL OF THE SAVIOR 3.1 Jesus as Savior: The Gospel of Full Salvation.................................................46 3.1.1 Justification: Solidarity with the Reformation.................................................47 3.1.2 The Language of Salvation: Revivalism and Existentialism ...........................49 3.1.3 Subsequence: Conflict with the Protestant Majority .......................................52 3.1.3.1 The Charge of “Spiritual Elitism”........................................................53 3.1.3.2 Subsequence as a Defense of Justification by Faith ............................54 3.1.3.3 The Christian Life Beyond Justification..............................................55 3.1.4 Justification, Regeneration, and Adoption as Functions of Christ and the Spirit................................................................59 3.2 Jesus as Healer: Spiritual and Physical Salvation............................................61 3.2.1 The Theological Purposes of Healing in the New Testament..........................64 3.2.2 The Traditional Protestant Understanding of Healing and Its Impact on Conservative Theology..............................................................67 3.2.2.1 The Reformers and Contemporary Miracles........................................67 3.2.2.2 Benjamin B. Warfield and the Formalization of Cessationism ...........68 3.2.2.3 Dispensational Cessationism ...............................................................71 3.2.2.4 Contemporary Evangelicalism’s Caution............................................71 3.2.3 Healing in Liberal and Ecumenical Theology .................................................72 3.2.3.1 Healing in Neo-Orthodoxy ..................................................................74 3.2.3.2 Healing in Liberation Theology...........................................................76 3.2.4 The Holiness-Pentecostal Contribution: Healing in the Atonement................77 3.2.4.1 Criticism and Response........................................................................79 3.2.4.2 Pentecostal Healing and the Word of Faith Movement.......................83 3.2.4.3 Toward a More Mature Understanding of Healing in the Atonement................................................................................86 3.2.5 Toward a More Holistic View of Salvation.....................................................87 3.2.6 Excursus: Healing and the Demonic................................................................91 3.3 Jesus as Baptizer: Power for Ministry .............................................................94 3.3.1 The Pentecostal Sine Qua Non : Origin and Evolution.....................................96 3.3.2 Initial Evidence and Real Evidence: Purposes and Accomplishments of the New Pentecost ...................................99 3.3.2.1 The Value and Utility of Tongues .....................................................100 v 3.3.2.2 The Importance and Purpose of Spirit Baptism.................................101 3.3.3 Spirit Baptism and the Tradition: Defense and Synthesis .............................104 3.3.3.1 The Experience of Acts Today ..........................................................105 3.3.3.2 Subsequent Spirit Baptism and the Tradition ....................................110 3.3.3.3 Ecumenical Contributions..................................................................113 3.3.4 The Replication of the Ministry of Christ......................................................118 3.4 Jesus as Coming King: The Christian Hope..................................................121 3.4.1 Pentecostal Eschatology: From Prophetic to Apocalyptic.............................124 3.4.1.1 The Latter Rain Restoration: Pentecost as an Eschatological Sign ...125 3.4.1.2 The Ascendance of Dispensational Apocalypticism..........................127 3.4.2 The Parousia of Christ as the Centerpiece of Eschatology ...........................131 3.4.2.1 The