DOCSLIB.ORG

21 Reflections on the Source of Aimee Semple Mcpherson's Voice Edith L

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
21 Reflections on the Source of Aimee Semple Mcpherson's Voice Edith L 21 Reflections on the Source of Aimee Semple McPherson's Voice Edith L. Blumhofer On New Year's Day in 1925, the Grand Prize in the Tournament of Roses went to Aimee Semple McPherson and Angelus Temple for a float reported to be the costliest ever entered in the pageant. Accompanied by fifteen mounted outriders, the $4,000 floral replica of Angelus Temple, McPherson's Los Angeles ministry hub, was viewed by more than 500,000 people lining the parade route. Meanwhile, a few miles away, McPherson and nearly ten thousand loyal followers celebrated the Temple's second anniversary with energy-packed day-long services at Angelus Temple and an enormous cake replica of the Temple made, McPherson proudly pointed out, entirely of Bible 1 ingredients (wheat, figs, raisins, milk, etc.).' Seventy years ago, Aimee Semple McPherson was at the height of her career, just as much a celebrity in the world of popular Protestantism as sports and Hollywood stars were in theirs. My recent biography of Aimee Semple McPherson explores her appeal and the institutions that gave it form. My work on McPherson led me to conclude that gender is not a particularly helpful category in accounting for McPherson's public appeal. Put more broadly, I propose that McPherson's life questions assumptions about the adequacy of gender categories for explaining the meaning of women's experience of American Christianity. Since the 1970s, Aimee Semple McPherson has gradually been noticed in the academy-an arena that has often disdained the heroes of popular religion. In the past, the condescension of scholars has often made it difficult to entertain the thought that Pentecostalism-much less Pentecostal evangelists-should be taken seriously. For a long time, McPherson remained outside the pale of respectability, an artifact from the dim past of camp meetings and sawdust trail revivalism whose memory carried a hint of notoriety. But McPherson has come into her own because of gender. She seems made to order for scholars interested in the roles of women in American Christianity-a female preacher with enormous popular appeal; the founder of a denomination; an editor, social worker, pioneer broadcaster and author; a twice-divorced woman who (in a Protestant context that frowned on divorce) rose to leadership, raised her children on her own and turned her life into an American success story. In general, scholars assume that McPherson was a trailblazer for women in ministry. McPherson, then, ' The references to McPherson's story are all drawn from my biography, Aimee Semple }VlcPherson:E'verybody's Sister (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1993). 22 has come to be seen as a pioneer woman in ministry, a sort of proto-feminist intent on forging ahead to find fulfillment despite cultural obstacles. McPherson's voice has been valued, then, by modem women-especially Pentecostals-seeking to locate their own voices as well as by feminist historians rereading the past. McPherson is sometimes proposed as model and mentor, at least for some aspects of the task. A closer look, however, suggests that while gender is certainly one component to the meaning of McPherson's story, gender alone is not the best lens through which to explore McPherson's voice. It seems to me that other categories may yield richer insights into McPherson's s contributions to American life. While I agree that women's lives often differ profoundly from men's, I do not think that it necessarily follows that "when the subject is female, gender moves to the center of the analysis."' It is certainly vital to acknowledge the ways in which gender influences a woman's experience of life. At the same time, it is important to note that McPherson did not intend to pave the way for women in ministry or religious leadership, and whether or not she did (even in her own organization) is open to question. Nor did she intentionally speak as a woman on behalf of women. Another voice from the 1920s, F. Scott Fitzgerald, suggests another way to render the story that may be a helpful adjunct to gender for exploring McPherson's appeal in the American religious culture. It may be that the most basic differentiation between people is not between male and female or between rich and poor but between the ill and the well. I propose that McPherson spoke primarily for the ill-the physically, mentally, spiritually broken. Gender categories alone do not sufficiently illumine the spiritual dimensions of her career. What are the implications of suggesting that for McPherson the most profound differences were rooted in brokenness and wholeness rather than in gender? It is important to remember that McPherson's religious outlook was shaped by three streams: the "cultural Protestantism" of southern Ontario; the Salvation Army; and early Pentecostalism. In the Pentecostal setting, she moved with people who were particularly intent on achieving pure, intense religious experience-full possession by God. Early Pentecostalism offered wholeness through the infusion of divine life: it proffered answers to every human problem, often using a reassuring text from Hebrews 13:8"Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever." McPherson adopted these words as her lifelong theme. What Jesus had once done, he could be expected to do again-anytime, anywhere. Wholeness was available through 2 Sarah Alpern, ed., The Challenge of Feminist Biography (Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 1992), 7. .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Information to Users
    INFORMATION TO USERS The most advanced technology has been used to photograph and reproduce this manuscript from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand corner and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. Each original is also photographed in one exposure and is included in reduced form at the back of the book. Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6" x 9” black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. University Microfilms International A Bell & Howell Information Company 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 313/761-4700 800/521-0600 Order Number 9031074 The institutionalization of Aimee Semple McPherson: A study in the rhetoric of social intervention Grindstaff, Roy Arthur, Ph.D.
    [Show full text]
  • Aimee Semple Mcpherson Scrapbook, 1923-1976
    Fuller Theological Seminary Digital Commons @ Fuller List of Archival Collections Archives and Special Collections 2018 COLLECTION 0006: Aimee Semple McPherson Scrapbook, 1923-1976 Fuller Seminary Archives and Special Collections Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.fuller.edu/findingaids Part of the Christianity Commons, Missions and World Christianity Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Fuller Seminary Archives and Special Collections, "COLLECTION 0006: Aimee Semple McPherson Scrapbook, 1923-1976" (2018). List of Archival Collections. 71. https://digitalcommons.fuller.edu/findingaids/71 This Finding Aid is brought to you for free and open access by the Archives and Special Collections at Digital Commons @ Fuller. It has been accepted for inclusion in List of Archival Collections by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Fuller. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Archives, Rare Books and Special Collections David Allan Hubbard Library Fuller Theological Seminary COLLECTION 6: Aimee Semple McPherson Scrapbook, 1923- 1976 Administrative Information Title: Aimee Semple McPherson Scrapbook, 1923-1976 Collection Identifier: CFT00006 Creators: Gage, Alice McPherson, Aimee Semple (1890-1944) Size: 1 Box, 0.5 linear feet Repository: David Allan Hubbard Library Fuller Theological Seminary 135 N Oakland Ave Pasadena, CA 91182 [email protected] Provenance: The gift of Alice Gage Conditions Governing Access/Restrictions: Scholarly use with parameters of copyright law Language: English Processing: Nancy Sanders Gower Finding Aid Revisions: Andrew Wong, June 2018 Biography Aimee Semple McPherson (Octoer 9, 1980 – September 27, 1944) was a Canadian-American Pentecostal evangelist, faith healer, and founder of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel (known as the Foursquare Church).
    [Show full text]
  • Early Developments of Oneness Pentecostalism
    CHAPTER NINE ONENESS SEED ON CANADIAN SOIL: EARLY DEVELOPMENTS OF ONENESS PENTECOSTALISM David A. Reed Introduction Th e physical boundaries between Canada and United States have always been porous. Everything from contraband to intellectual prop- erty has been transported from one country to the other. Th e early Pentecostal movement was no exception. Pioneers of the new revival crossed the border, north and south, for conventions and campaigns, sometimes living for months or years in one country before return - ing home. Some, like Aimee Semple McPherson (1890–1944) and J. Roswell Flower (1888–1970), were born in Canada and made their home in the United States.1 Frank Ewart (1876–1947) entered Canada from Australia, but fi nally settled in California. Sometimes they served in one country while holding ministerial credentials in another.2 Howard Goss (1883–1964), converted under the ministry of Charles Parham (1873–1929) and an original signatory of the Assemblies of God, pastored in Ontario from 1919 to 1945, before returning to the United States as fi rst General Superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church.3 During his fi rst years in the Oneness movement, Andrew Urshan reported on Canadian mission eff orts in his magazine,Th e Witness of God, including his own itinerary to Canada.4 1 McPherson, born in Ingersoll, ON, was a celebrated evangelist and founding pas- tor of Angelus Temple in Los Angeles. Flower was born in Belleville, ON, and an early leader in the Assemblies of God. He evangelized, pastored and held a variety of admin- istrative posts with the organization.
    [Show full text]
  • The Environmental Theology of Aimee Semple Mcpherson (Chapter 4 Of
    Digital Commons @ George Fox University Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary Portland Seminary 2014 The nE vironmental Theology of Aimee Semple McPherson (Chapter 4 of Blood Cries Out : Pentecostals, Ecology, and the Groans of Creation) A.J. Swoboda George Fox University, [email protected] Steven Bouma-Prediger Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/gfes Part of the Christianity Commons Recommended Citation Swoboda, A.J. and Bouma-Prediger, Steven, "The nE vironmental Theology of Aimee Semple McPherson (Chapter 4 of Blood Cries Out : Pentecostals, Ecology, and the Groans of Creation)" (2014). Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary. 97. https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/gfes/97 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Portland Seminary at Digital Commons @ George Fox University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ George Fox University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 4 The Environmental Theology of Aimee Semple McPherson Brian K. Pipkin My initial investigation into Aimee Semple McPherson—founder of The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel—and ecology was bleak: every word search returned a spiritual metaphor. “Garbage” came back as “garbage can of Satan,” “pollution” came back as “pollution of the soul,” “plants” came back as “plants of faith,” and “dumping” came back as “dumping ground for gossip.” But eventually, persistence paid off. Popular pastor and author Rick McKinley writes, “Margins are those clear spaces along the edge of a page that keep the words from spilling off. Every book has them. You might jot notes in the margins, but for the most part they go unnoticed.
    [Show full text]
  • Aimee Semple Mcpherson (1890-1944) and the Foursquare Gospel
    The Need for Teaching the Eschatological Gospel of Both Comings of Jesus Christ in the 21st Century . 2.6.2 Aimee Semple McPherson (1890-1944) and the Foursquare Gospel Blumhofer details, ―Aimee Semple McPherson was born Aimee Elizabeth Kennedy on a family farm west of the southern Ontario village of Salford on 9 October 1890. The daughter of a Methodist farmer, James Kennedy, and his second wife, Minnie Pearce Kennedy, a Salvationist . she was raised on . Canadian Pentecostalism . and the Canadian Salvation Army‖ (Blumhofer 1997:388). And, ―In the fall of 1907‖ she experienced ―speaking in tongues‖ and ―falling under the power‖ during prayer meetings and storefront mission services in Ingersoll, Ontario, under the ministry of Irish evangelist Robert Semple, whom she married in August 1908 (Blumhofer 1997:394). Over the next couple of years, the Semples ministered within the Toronto Pentecostal network, starting in John Alexander Dowie’s Zion Mission on Concord Avenue (established from the 1906 Pentecostal revival of Charles Parham in Zion, Illinois) (Blumhofer 1997:396). Blumhofer continues: This, then, was the Semples’ world, defined by straightforward premises rooted in persuasions about the end-times, restorationism, spiritual gifts, and religious experience. Driven by the certainty of the imminent end of time, the faithful bent every effort to ―know God in his fullness‖ . Aimee and Robert Semple moved in this mobile and fluid world, with its transient workers, its global consciousness, its supernaturalism, and its intricate and overlapping networks and international connections. Its piety blended themes from Keswick, the Christian and Missionary Alliance, holiness movements, and Dowie’s Zion.
    [Show full text]
  • Aimee Semple Mcpherson's Pentecostalism, Darwinism
    Southeastern University FireScholars Selected Faculty Publications 8-30-2019 Aimee Semple McPherson’s Pentecostalism, Darwinism, Eugenics, the Disenfranchised, and the Scopes Monkey Trial Margaret English de Alminana Southeastern University - Lakeland Follow this and additional works at: https://firescholars.seu.edu/seu_papers Part of the Christianity Commons, Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons, and the Sociology of Religion Commons Copyright Statement Southeastern University works are protected by copyright. They may be viewed or downloaded from this site for the purposes of research and scholarship. Reproduction or distribution for commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission of the author. Recommended Citation English de Alminana, M. (2019). Aimee Semple McPherson’s Pentecostalism, Darwinism, Eugenics, the Disenfranchised, and the Scopes Monkey Trial. Pneuma, 41(2), 255-278. Available at: https://firescholars.seu.edu/seu_papers/32 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by FireScholars. It has been accepted for inclusion in Selected Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of FireScholars. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Aimee Semple McPherson’s Pentecostalism, Darwinism, Eugenics, the Disenfranchised, and the Scopes Monkey Trial A Foursquare Crusader headline published Wednesday, January 24, 1934, shouts: “Sister Defies Evolution!” An expansive photo pictures “Sister” raising a fist upward towards a giant, King Kong figure that overshadows
    [Show full text]
  • This Material Has Been Provided by Asbury Theological Seminary in Good Faith of Following Ethical Procedures in Its Production and End Use
    This material has been provided by Asbury Theological Seminary in good faith of following ethical procedures in its production and end use. The Copyright law of the united States (title 17, United States code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyright material. Under certain condition specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to finish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law. By using this material, you are consenting to abide by this copyright policy. Any duplication, reproduction, or modification of this material without express written consent from Asbury Theological Seminary and/or the original publisher is prohibited. Contact B.L. Fisher Library Asbury Theological Seminary 204 N. Lexington Ave. Wilmore, KY 40390 B.L. Fisher Library’s Digital Content place.asburyseminary.edu Asbury Theological Seminary 205 North Lexington Avenue 800.2ASBURY Wilmore, Kentucky 40390 asburyseminary.edu THE HOMILETICS OF AIMEE SEMPLE McPHERSON A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of Asbiury Theological Seminary In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Divinity by Mary H. Kendzora May 1979 THE HOMILETICS OF AIMEE SEMPLE McPHERSON A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of Asbury Theological Seminary In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Divinity Approved I �by Mary H.
    [Show full text]
  • Download a Pdf File of This Issue for Free
    Issue 58: The Rise of Pentecostalism The Rise of Pentecostalism: Did You Know? Little-known or remarkable facts about early Pentecostalism. editors Recently Life magazine, in listing the top 100 events of the second millennium, put Pentecostalism at 68th. The Dictionary of Christianity in America says that Pentecostalism is perhaps "the single- most-significant development in twentieth-century Christianity." Though many consider the 1906 Azusa Street Revival as the birth of modern Pentecostalism, speaking in tongues took place at two earlier Holiness gatherings, one in Topeka, Kansas, in 1901, and another in Cherokee County, North Carolina, in 1896. It is hard to say which is the oldest Pentecostal denomination. The United Holy Church and the Church of God (Cleveland, Tenn.) point to pre-Pentecostal roots as far back as 1886. The Pentecostal Holiness Church, with pre-Pentecostal roots as far back as 1879, was the first to adopt a clear Pentecostal statement of faith in 1908. Early Pentecostals claimed the gift of tongues was not primarily the speaking of a heavenly language (glossalalia) but other human languages (xenolalia). The purpose? Early leader Charles Parham said, "I had felt for years that any missionary going to the foreign field should preach in the language of the natives, and that if God ever equipped his ministers in that way [by xenolalia], he could do it today." Though many anecdotes of xenolalia exist, none have been confirmed. Many early Pentecostals were pacifists. At the outbreak of World War I, some Pentecostals called for a "great peace council" at which they could state their opposition to warfare.
    [Show full text]
  • This Is That Personal Experiences Sermons and Writings of AIMEE
    This Is That Personal Experiences Sermons and Writings OF AIMEE SEMPLE MCPHERSON EVANGELIST The Bridal Call Publishing House 125-125 MJ South Spring St., Los Angeles, Cal. PJC# THIS IS THAT Acts 2:16-18. THIS IS THAT which was spoken by the Prophet Joel: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and daughters shall prophesy . and upon my servants and my handmaidens I will pour out, in those days, of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy." ,-1 A f> /i COPIES OF THIS BOOK MAY BE OBTAINED FROM AIMEE SEMPLE McPHBESON 125^ So. Spring St.,. Los ANGELES, CAL. COPYRIGHTED JUNE, 1919. AIMEE SEMPLE McPHERSON. Illustrations Facing Page AIMEE SEMPLE MCPHERSON Frontispiece MY BIRTHPLACE, AND "CHILDHOOD'S HAPPY HOME" 26 AN AFTERNOON MEETING IN SISTER MC-PHERSON'S GOSPEL TENT 131 THE NEW TABERNACLE 145 COAST TO COAST IN GOSPEL CAR 209 (a) THE GREAT TEMPLE AUDITORIUM (b) TEMPLE AUDI- TORIUM ROSTRUM, Los ANGELES, CAL 220 VICTORIA HALL, Los ANGELES (WHERE THE POWER FELL)... 231 THE HOUSE THAT GOD BUILT. 239 MY CHILDREN (Roberta and Rolf with Their Mamma) 250 GLAD TIDINGS ASSEMBLY AUDITORIUM, SAN FRANCISCO 275 WHICH ROAD WHICH WILL You CHOOSE ? 293 A CERTAIN MAN WENT DOWN HAVE You TAKEN THIS JOURNEY ? 324 THE Two HOUSES WHERE ARE You BUILDING? 368 DISPENSATION OF THE HOLY GHOST (As I SAW IT IN MY VISION) 380 THE Two PASTURES 450 THE PLAN OF REDEMPTION.. ..525 Contents PREFACE 7 PART I. PERSONAL TESTIMONY Chapter Page I.
    [Show full text]
  • Aimee Semple Mcpherson and Writing the Faith Into the Modern World
    Aimee Semple McPherson and Writing the Faith into the Modern World B. Lauren Stoneburner HST407: Twentieth-Century Intellectual History Europe and the U.S. Since the Late Nineteenth Century June 9, 2014 Stoneburner 1 Aimee Semple McPherson was a major figure of American religious life in the early twentieth century. She was an evangelist, prodigious author, teacher, missionary, and founder of the Foursquare Gospel. Aimee influenced innumerable people in her lifetime and was one of the most recognizable figures of her generation.1 At a remarkable time of modernization that shaped the religious life of America, Aimee served as a bridging figure between the apostolic faith and modern life. The extensive scholarly work on Aimee has clarified that she developed methods to reconcile the apostolic faith2 with modern life that were the most influential of any 20th century religious thinker. 3 This study, however, seeks to understand her literary contribution by examining her books, magazines, published and audio sermons, and transcribed college lectures. Until now, her writing has not been celebrated or emphasized for its role in shaping the faith. Thus, this study focuses on the intellectual contribution that she made to the development of American religious life through her writings and brings awareness to the writing tradition in American evangelicalism that is still unfamiliar to many scholars today. 1 Many scholars have clarified Aimee’s influence in American public life, with one scholar arguing that she was the most famous female figure in America until Eleanor Roosevelt; See Ferenc Morton Szasz, Religion in the Modern American West (Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2000), 111.
    [Show full text]
  • Self Guided Azusa Tour for SPS Participants March 2006 Cecil M
    Self Guided Azusa Tour for SPS Participants March 2006 Cecil M. Robeck, Jr.© The following information is provided to members of the SPS to help you find your way on a self- guided tour of sites related to early Pentecostalism in the Los Angeles area. For the most convenient use of this material, someone should drive, while another person reads the directions. The purpose of this tour is to acquaint you with a sense of the ethno-geographical landscape of LA as much as anything. You will pass through a number of ethnic neighborhoods, each with its own individuality, history, and challenges. I really hope that you have a great time, and would like to hear back from you on the effectiveness of this guide at [email protected]. From the Hilton Hotel or Fuller Seminary: Proceed north on Los Robles Ave. to Corson (One block past Walnut), turn right. Stay in the left lane to Lake Ave., then turn left, keeping to the left two lanes which feed the 210 Freeway going west. Enter the 210 Freeway going west (toward Glendale), but move as quickly and safely as possible at least three lanes to the left. You will be confronted by a split in the freeway within ½ mile and you want to be at least three lanes from the right side in order to make the appropriate freeway. As you cross the Arroyo Seco it will become the 134 Ventura Freeway. Continue to the 2 Glendale Freeway (about 5 miles). Entry will be from the right hand lane. Take the 2 Glendale Freeway south to the end (about 5 miles).
    [Show full text]
  • Mcpherson, Aimee Semple: Scrapbook
    http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8cc1183 No online items Guide to the McPherson, Aimee Semple: Scrapbook Finding Aid Authors: Nancy Sanders Gower. © Copyright 2012 David Allan Hubbard Library Archives. All rights reserved. 135 N. Oakland Avenue Pasadena, CA, 91182-0002 URL: http://library.fuller.edu/archives/ Email: [email protected] Phone: (626) 584-5311 Fax: (626) 584-5613 Guide to the McPherson, Aimee CFT00006 1 Semple: Scrapbook Guide to the McPherson, Aimee Semple: Scrapbook 1923/1976 David Allan Hubbard Library Archives Overview of the Collection Collection Title: McPherson, Aimee Semple: Scrapbook Dates: 1923-1976 Bulk Dates: 1930 Identification: CFT00006 Creator: Gage, AliceMcPherson, Aimee Semple, 1890-1944 Physical Description: 0.50 Repository: David Allan Hubbard Library Archives 135 N. Oakland Avenue Pasadena, CA, 91182-0002 URL: http://library.fuller.edu/archives/ Email: [email protected] Phone: (626) 584-5311 Fax: (626) 584-5613 Administrative History: Founder of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, Aimee Semple McPherson was ordained in 1909 by William Durham with whom she toured on evangelistic campaigns for several months, before being called to the mission field in China with her husband Robert Semple. After his death from malaria she returned, with their daughter, to the US. In 1911 she married Harold McPherson who became her advance man in organizing the evangelistic campaigns which made Aimee famous. In 1917 she began to publish The Bridal Call where she put her teachings into published form. In 1919 she was ordained by the Assemblies of God as an evangelist. On the basis of her popularity as a preacher she undertook the construction of Angelus Temple in Los Angeles.
    [Show full text]