Pentecostalism in American Evangelicalism
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Pentecostalism in American Evangelicalism by StoneThrower Issues in America Christianity THE 331 Eric Brandt 25 July 2011 Use "Update Page Layout" to Change the Running Head 2 In this paper I will attempt to introduce the reader to the various facets of the Pentecostal movement, taking a look at when and how it surfaced in evangelical church history in America and its theology, and try to determine, is there any Biblical support for it, or is this is just a device of the spirit of the age? There is definitely something at work, but is there any proof it’s of God? In my initial attempts to determine an official start date for Pentecostalism on the web, one writer said “ask any Pentecostal and they will tell you 33 AD” (A.F.P), referring of course to Pentecost in the book of Acts. This would imply an uninterrupted and long established movement from then, till now, which history shows no record of. This paper however, is only concerned with when it emerged on the scene of the American Evangelical landscape. There are basically two camps, Cessationist: those that believe that the gifts were given to the early church as proof, for the establishment of the church, and that they are no longer need, as we have all the revelation we need in Gods word. Timothy 3:16–17: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” and the Continuationist; which believe that the gifts were introduced in the book of Acts, and have always been available for use. “It is important to distinguish between Charismatics and Pentecostals. The Pentecostal movement began around 1900 and until 1960 was contained in denominations such as the Assemblies of God, Foursquare and United Pentecostal.” (Macarthur 13) Then in 1960 it bled over into most of the other denominations, (IE Charismatics) and Use "Update Page Layout" to Change the Running Head 3 currently has made a home for itself in the Roman Catholic Church as well. The Pentecostal movement is credited as starting at Azusa Street in the US in 1906 when it gained world attention, but “can be traced to Parham’s Bible School in Topekia, Kansas in 1901.” (Synan 3) So starting off we have two problems defining when it started, and what defines it. Donald Dayton divides Pentecostal churches and movements into three groups, I am only going to list the first two as the Oneness Pentecostals are not a church, they are a cult, and are not part of American Evangelical Christianity. 1. “Those teaching a doctrine of sanctification in the Wesleyan Holiness tradition (the “three works of grace”- Pentecostals who maintain that Christian experience normally finds expression in a pattern of conversion, “entire sanctification” as a distinct subsequent experience, and a further baptism in the Holy Spirit empowering the believer for witness and service, evidenced by speaking in tongues); 2. Those reducing this pattern to” two works of grace” by collapsing the first two into one “finished work” supplemented by a process of gradual sanctification (thus advocating a pattern focusing on conversion and a subsequent baptism in the Holy Spirit as just defined) (Dayton 18) Theologically one must ask, when a man is converted if he is justified and becomes indwelt with the Holy Spirit, he has the Holy Spirit ruling and reigning in his thoughts and desires, and Christ is his Lord. John 14:16-17 “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be Use "Update Page Layout" to Change the Running Head 4 with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (e-Sword) So why would he desire and unknown external force to come upon Him? How could one possibly get more than what he already has been given? Isn’t desiring something more, the sin of covertness or the sin of Satan? 1Co 13:8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. (e-Sword) Robert Lightner makes a good point “finally, no command is ever given to any believers to be baptized by the Spirit. An exhortation would be expected, it would seem, if it were not a universal work among all the regenerated.” (Lightner 120) 1Co 2:12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. The assumption being, we don’t have to seek after them, but that they are imparted to us freely. It’s very Gnostic to be seeking after special powers or gifts or abilities. “Pentecostalism represents an even greater dependence on Gnostic tendencies.” (Horton 29) “The spread of Pentecostalism as a force, according to this writer, is a key indicator of where religion is headed: That place is in the ecstatic. That place is in the elevated and celebratory state of awareness in which the self escapes its own confines in worship and joins others like itself in a universal and wordless glory” While Pentecostalism may express Gnostic tendencies more explicitly, it would be wrong to conclude that this is a case of us verses them,” typical of many critiques of Charismatic or Pentecostal excess. Were all in this together and we will have to help each other extricate ourselves from the tentacles of a non Biblical world-views” (Horton 33) Lets step back and perhaps blending the lines on the label even more, if that’s even possible, and look earlier at the American Evangelical landscape, and see how we got to Azusa Street Theology. Use "Update Page Layout" to Change the Running Head 5 James McGready in June of 1800 held a camp meeting at his Red River Church “after three long days of fervent preaching by McGready, and two cooperating ministers, the congregations were exhausted and expectant. On the forth day suddenly at the close of the services, with the people at a fever pitch, the two visiting preachers began an emotional exhortation, their zeal spread to the crowd, and many practically collapsed with what was labeled conviction of sin. The startled ministers, particularly McGready, became convinced they had just witnessed a visitation of the Holy Spirit akin to that described at Pentecost. As word spread of this novel behavior, tremendous interest arose for McGready’s next services. McGready saw the opportunity, and suggested all should come prepared to stay at his Gasper River Church till the spirit descended again.” (Boles 182) The above makes it clear how the circumstances were created, and whose work it was, and who determined it a work of the Spirit. At the next meeting mentioned above “Expectation of great things was so strong it could be felt” “causing swoonings, religious ecstasy, fainting, and uncontrollable shaking.” (Boles 182) Alas the stage is set, the technique deployed which is still used today in the Word Faith Circles, which is a part of Pentecostalism, but not the clear thinking Pentecostalism, that falls within Orthodoxy, but that’s a different paper. Justin Peters says “All in the word faith movement are Charismatics, but not all Charismatics are not in the word faith movement.” “One Methodist preacher reported that as he preached hundreds fell prostrate, writhing in Spiritual agony before him. Some jerked their heads, while others uncontrollably leaped” (Askew and Pierard 80) others yet at Cane Ridge reported laughing out loud, barking like dogs. Barton Stone who witnessed this many times in his frontier revivals explained the behavior as such. Falling; “the subject of this exercise would generally, with a piercing scream, fall like a log on the floor of the earth, or mud and appear as dead. The Jerks; Sometimes the subject of Use "Update Page Layout" to Change the Running Head 6 the jerks would be affected in some one member of the body, and sometimes in the whole system. When the head alone was affected, it would be jerked backward and forward, or from side to side, so quickly that the features of the face could not be distinguished. When the whole system was affected, I have seen the person stand in one place, and jerk backward and forward in quick succession, their head nearly touching the floor behind and before. Dancing; 'The Dancing exercise generally began with the jerks, then the jerks would cease. The smile of heaven shone on the countenance of the subject, and assimilated to angels appeared the whole person. Sometimes the motion was quick and sometimes slow. Thus they continued to move forward backward in the same track or alley till nature seemed exhausted, and they would fall prostrate on the floor or earth. Barking; The barking exercise (as opposers contemptuously called it) was nothing but the jerks. A person afflicted with the jerks would often make a grunt, or bark, if you please, from the suddenness of the jerk. Laughing; It was a loud hearty laughter, but one [that] excited laughter in no one else. The subject appeared rapturously solemnity, and his laughter excited solemnity in saints and sinners. It is truly indiscernible. Running; The running exercise was nothing more than persons [who,] feeling something of these bodily agitations, through fear, attempted to run away and thus escape from them. But it commonly happened that they ran not far before they fell or became so greatly agitated that they could not proceed any further.