jepta 1989 08-3 - European Pentecostal Theological Association

jepta 1989 08-3 - European Pentecostal Theological Association

EPTA BULLET1N
B U L L E T I N OF THE
EUROPEAN
PENTECOSTAL
THEOLOG ICAIASSOCIATION
VOL, V I I I
1989
NO, 3
I , ARTICLE
Experiences of the Spirit in Apartheid South Africa:
me Possibilities of the Rediscovery of the Black Root8
of Pentecostalism for South African Theology.
An Abstract *
By Y. Nico HORN
Introduction
The black r o o t s of t h e P e n t e c o s t a l movement have
been neglected and even d e n i e d by t h e i n 8 I ; e r n a t i o n a l
with its
movement f o r a long time.
I n South Africa,
legalized apartheid,
t h i s r e j e c t i o n of
pentecostal
Implicit
h i s t o r y has had a s t r o n g i d e o l o g i c a l b a s i s ,
support of t h e a p a r t h e i d system was baeed on t h e i d e a
t h a t b l a c k s need white i n i t i a t i v e , b o t h i n government and
t h e church.
Although t h e a p a r t h e i d t h e o l o g y ( a n d a l s o t h e
a p a r t h e i d system) o r i g i n a t e d w i t h t h e b i g g e s t c r i t i c s of
Pentecostalism, t h e n e o - c a l v i n i s t Kuyperians, most of t h e
P e n t e c o s t a l s e i t h e r embraced t h e system o r s u p p o r t e d it
by a so-called a - p o l i t i c a l s t a n c e t h a t r e f u s e d t o speak
out a g a i n s t t h e i n j u s t i c e s and r e f u a e d t o r e c o g n i z e t h e
pain caused by a p a r t h e i d .
Black P e n t e c o s t a l s were
encouraged not t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n p o l i t i c s o r t o q u e s t i o n
t h e system.
-
it
A paper w i t h t h i s t i t l e was p r e s e n t e d b y D r . N i c o HORN a t t h e
Conference on P e n t e c o s t a l and C h a r i s n a t i c R e s e a r c h i n E u r o p e , June 2 8 t h
J u l y 1 s t 1989, a t t h e R i j k s u n i v e r s i t e i t U t r e c h t , t h e N e t h e r l a n d s . The
full l e n g t h a r t i c l e , as w e l l as t h e o t h e r c o n t r i b u t i o n s o f t h i s
w i l l soon be p u b l i s h e d I n t h e S e r i e s S t u d i e s i n t h e
conference,
I n t e r c u l t u r a l H i s t o r y o f C h r i s t i a n i t l ( F r a n k f u r t a. M. : P e t e r Lang,
1990).
-
In
the
last
three
or
four
years
several
P e n t e c o s t a l s hava attempted t o break t h e influ'ence of
status quo t h e o l o g y on Pentecostalism.
The Rev, Frank
CHIKANE,
former p a s t o r o f t h e AFM (Apostolic F a i t h
~ i s s i o n ) , played an important r o l e i n t h i s p r o c e s s . He
was
actively
involved
in
the
well-known
Kairos
~ o c u m e n t ( l ) , a theological c r i t i q u e of t h e church's
a t t i t u d e towards a p a r t h e i d .
The K a i r o s Document was unacceptable f o r most of
t h e South A f r i c a n P e n t e c o s t a l s ,
both b l a c k and w h i t e ,
a l t h o u g h many oppressed P e n t e c o s t a l s were sympathetic
The Kairos
towards some o f i t s t h e o l o g i c a l t r e n d s ,
Document was followed by t h e E v a n g e l i c a l witness(c r i t i q u e of evangelical,
c h a r i s m a t i c and p e n t e c o s t a l
t h e o l o g y i n r e l a t i o n t o the q u e s t i o n o f a p a r t h e i d . The
document was i n i t i a t e d by t h e Concerned E v a n g e l i c a l s ,
which i n c l u d e d s e v e r a l P e n t e c o s t a l s .
The E v a n g e l i c a l
Witness was v a l u a b l e i n t h a t it c l e a r l y unmasked t h e
i d e o l o g i c a l f o u n d a t i o n s i n many t r e n d s of t h e South
A f r i c a n P e n t e c o s t a l Movement.
However t h e paper A Relevant P e n t e c o s t a l Witness(3)
was t h e first document t o use t h e i n s i g h t s o f W.J.
MOLLENWEGER and o t h e r s who claim t h a t P e n t e c o s t a l i s m
o r i g i n a t e d a s a b l a c k movement t o b r e a k t h e power of
apartheid
on
pentecostal
theology.
The
Relevant
P e n t e c o s t a l Witness was only a beginning, b u t it could
mark t h e s t a r t o f p e n t e c o s t a l r e s i s t a n c e t o a p a r t h e i d
baaed on p e n t e c o s t a l h i s t o r y .
Black Roots o f P e n t e c o s t a l i s m
The r e s e a r c h o f HOLLENWEGER(~) and I. MacROBERT(5)
c l e a r l y e s t a b l i s h e d t h e black r o o t s of Pentecostaliam.
T h i s fact i s c o r r o b o r a t e d by prominent Americans l i k e
SYNAN(6) and LOVETT(7). Azusa S t r e e t was not only p a r t of
t h e P e n t e c o s t a l r e v i v a l , b u t indeed t h e c r a d l e o f modern
P e n t e c o s t a l i s m . The P e n t e c o s t a l Movement did n o t s t a r t in
a b l a c k c h u r c h , b u t as a b l a c k movement which was soon
j o i n e d by w h i t e s . The movement developed a s a non-racial
movement l e d by a b l a c k man, William SEYMOUR, However,
racism soon e n t e r e d t h e movement and by 1914 t h e
P e n t e c o s t a l Movement was almost e n t i r e l y s e g r e g a t e d ,
The South African Movement a l s o s t a r t e d i n a b l a c k
church under t h e m i n i s t r y o f John G , LAKE, b u t q u i c k l y
became segregated - t o t h e e x t e n t t h a t it even s u p p o r t e d
a p a r t h e i d . White South A f r i c a n P e n t e c o s t a l s g e n e r a l l y do
not a c c e p t t h e b l a c k h i s t o r y o r t h e t h e o r y t h a t r a c i s m
played a major r o l e i n t h e e a r l y s e g r e g a t i o n (MOELLER,
BURGER, DU PLESSIS(B)). T h i s r e j e c t i o n is c l e a r l y due t o
i d e o l o g i c a l i n f l u e n c e and r a c i a l p r e j u d i c e o f w h i t e
Pentecostals.
However,
t h e r e d i s c o v e r y of b l a c k p e n t e c o s t a l
history,
and e s p e c i a l l y t h e r e s e a r c h on t h e A f r i c a n
foundation of P e n t e c o s t a l i s m (MacROBERT, LOVETT) opened
new p o s s i b i l i t i e s f o r P e n t e c o s t a l s a c t i v e i n t h e s t r u g g l e
a g a i n s t a p a r t h e i d i n South A f r i c a ,
Three a s p e c t s seem
essential in t h i s respect.
1, Recapturing t h e P a s t i n Overcoming Racism
C. DE WET(9), a South A f r i c a n P e n t e c o s t a l missiol o g i s t , explains t h e r e t u r n of P e n t e c o s t a l s t o racism
from a pneumatological p e r s p e c t i v e .
During t i m e s o f
dramatic outpourings of t h e S p i r i t ,
t h e color l i n e is
swept away, However, once t h e r e v i v a l i s o v e r and t h e
i n i t i a l enthusiasm makes way f o r o r g a n i z a t i o n and dogmas,
a l l t h e o l d p r e j u d i c e s come back.
If t h e r e is t r u t h i n t h i s h y p o t h e s i s , it w i l l have
a t l e a s t two important consequences f o r S o u t h A f r i c a n
Pentecostals. F i r s t , t h e c r u c i a l p e n t e c o s t a l d o c t r i n e of
the baptism i n t h e Holy S p i r i t w i l l h a v e t o b e
i n v e s t i g a t e d i n t h e l i g h t o f t h e " o r i g i n a l sin!! o f
P e n t e c o s t a l s : racism. The h i s t o r y o f PARHAM ( a n d t h e r e s t
of t h e movement) may s u g g e s t t h a t t h e b a p t i s m i n t h e
S p i r i t and consequent f u l l n e s s i n t h e S p i r i t is n o t a
ttonce and f o r a l l " e x p e r i e n c e . The q u e s t i o n o f t e n asked
by black P e n t e c o s t a l s needs s p e c i a l a t t e n t i o n :
Van a
white r a c i s t be f i l l e d w i t h t h e S p i r i t ? ' !
More p o a i t i v e l y ,
i f t h e hypothesis h a s some t r u t h
i n it, t h e p e n t e c o s t a l message h a s t h e l a t e n t p o t e n t i a l
o f overcoming raciem.
Despite t h e negative h i s t o r y o f
P e n t e c a s t a l i s m , Its p o s i t i v e beginning g i v e s hope f o r t h e
future.
2.
The L i b e r a t i n g P o s s i b i l i t i e s o f Black Pentec o s t a l Roots
The humble beginnings o f Pentecoatalism need n o t b e
an embarassment, b u t r a t h e r a l i b e r a t i n g e x p e r i e n c e f o r
b o t h b l a c k and w h i t e P e n t e c o s t a l s i n South Africa. The
l o n g c o n t r o v e r s i e s between p e n t e c o s t a l and m a i n l i n e
c h u r c h e s o v e r l i t u r g y and t h e s o - c a l l e d u n s c i e n t i f i c
approach o f P e n t e c o s t a l s a r e two a r e a s where b l a c k
h i s t o r y c a n b e v a l u a b l e f o r P e n t e c o s t a l s . MacROBERT (and
LOVETT) p o i n t t o t h e Afro-American h e r i t a g e of SEYMOUR
and h i s compatriots a s t h e main i n f l u e n c e t h a t gave
P e n t e c o s t a l i s m i t s unique l i t u r g y , and i t s hermeneutical
approach. The c r i t i c i s m of t h e s c h o l a s t i c n e o - c a l v i n i s t s
seems t o be a t l e a s t p a r t i a l l y a c h o i c e f o r I t s u p e r i o r
Western values".
Similarly,
t h e choice f o r p e n t e c o s t a l
l i t u r g y and hermaneutics has s i g n i f i c a n t symbolic meaning
a s an e x p r e s s i o n o f t h e A f r i c a n r o o t s of white South
African Pentecostals.
Blackness as a p o s i t i v e experience and a God-given
r e a l i t y h a s a l i b e r a t i n g s o c i o - p o l i t i c a l message for both
b l a c k and white P e n t e c o s t a l s ,
I n a country where
b l a c k n e s s is s t i l l . seen a s a c u r s e a t w o r s t , o r something
second c l a s s a t b e s t , b l a c k P e n t e c o s t a l s can r e j o i c e i n
t h e f a c t t h a t God chose t o u s e a b l a c k C h r i s t i a n t o spark
o f f the Pentecostal revival.
I n a p a r t h e i d South A f r i c a
t h i s c a n l i b e r a t e w h i t e s n o t o n l y from t h e i r racism and
p a t e r n a l i s m , b u t a l s o from ,the f a c t t h a t t h e y e x p e c t so
L i t t l e from b l a c k s .
3. The Church o f t h e Poor
Pentecostalism s t a r t e d a s a movement f o r d i s i n h e r i t e d and deprived p e o p I e . ( l O ) While a l m o s t a l l t h e
churches i n South Africa a r e l o o k i n g f o r s t r u c t u r e s and
means t o become a Ifchurch of t h e poor" o r a " p e o p l e ' s
church," few i f any, have g r e a t e r p o t e n t i a l t o r e a c h t h i s
goal than t h e P e n t e c o s t a l movement. William SEYMOUR was a
m i n i s t e r of t h e poor and a p e o p l e ' s t h e o l o g i a n i n t h e
t r u e sense of t h e word.
The p e n t e c o s t a l message b r o u g h t
dignity,
self-acceptance
and hope t o many o f t h o s e
f o r e i g n t o t h e power s t r u c t u r e s of America.
SEYMOUR
operated o u t s i d e t h e o r g a n i z e d r e l i g i o u s s t r u c t u r e s of
h i s time,
b u t he gave l i f e t o r e a l p e o p l e s t h e o l o g y
from t h e poor and deprived t o t h e poor and d e p r i v e d .
-
Conclusion
The r e d i s c o v e r y o f b l a c k p e n t e c o s t a l r o o t s opened
g r e a t p o s s i b i l i t i e s f o r South A f r i c a n P e n t e c o s t a l s i n
their struggle against apartheid.
This contribution of
B r i t i s h Pentecostalism might be i n t e r e s t i n g f o r t h e r e s t
of t h e p e n t e c o s t a l world,
b u t i n South A f r i c a w i t h i t s
l i f e and death s t r u g g l e a g a i n s t racism and a p a r t h e i d , it
i s a message of hope and encouragement, n o t o n l y f o r t h e
church, b u t a l s o f o r t h e f u t u r e o f t h e c o u n t r y .
Nico HORN
17 Provence Lane
7140 S t r a n d , S o u t h A f r i c a
(2) Concerned E v a n g e l i c a l s 1986: E v a n g e l i c a l Witness i n South
A f r i c a (Soweto: n.p*, 1986).
(3) A R e l e v a n t P e n t e c o s t a l W i t n e s s ( ~ h a t s g l e n , Durban:
nap.
1988):
. . see e x t r a c t f o l l o w i n g t h i s a r t i c l e .
(4) J.W.
HOLLENWEGER, P e n t e c o s t between B l a c k and White: F i v e
Case S t u d i e s on P e n t e c o s t and P o l i t i c s e el fast: C h r i s t i a n J o u r n a l s
Ltd.,
1974).
Towards an I n t e r - C u l t u r a l H i s t o r y of C h r i s t i a n i t y , i n
I n t e r n a t i o n a l Review a f M i s s i o n s ( ~ c t , 1987).
(
m
P
i
r
i
t and t h e W a l l : The B l a c k R o o t s and
W h i t e Racisw OF E a r l y ~ e n t z a l i s mi n t h e U.S.A.
( u n p u b l i s h e d H.A.
t h e s i s , U n i v e r s i t y o f B i r n i n g h a m , 1975).
(6) V i n s o n , SYNAN, The H o l i n e s s P e n t e c o s t a l Movement in t h e
U n i t e d S t a t e s r rand Rapids, HI: Eerdmans, 1971).
(7) L. LOVETT, I l B l a c k O r i g i n s of t h e P e n t e c o s t a l Movement" i n V.
Aspect8 o f P e n t e c o s t a l - C h a r i s m a t i c O r i g i n s ( p l a i n f i e l d ,
SYNAN (ed.),
N.J. : Logos I n t e r n a t i o n a l , 1975.
( 8 ) F.P.
MOELLER, D i s k u s s i e o o r d i e C h a r i s w a t a (Johannesburg:
iedenis van die
E v a n g e l i e - U i t g e w e r s , 1980); I.S. vdM BURGER,
A p o r t o l i e s e G e l o a f S e n d i n g van S u i d - A f r i k a 1908
1958 (Johannesburg:
~ v a n ~ a l i e - ~ i t ~ e w e1987).
rs.
The A p m t o l i c F a i t h M i s s i o n i n A f r i c a 1908
DE WET,
(9) C.
1980:
A Case Study i n Church Growth ' i n a Segregated S o c i e t y
( U n p u b l i s h e d P ~ Dd i s s e r t a t i o n , U n i v e r s i t y o f Cape Town, 1989).
(10) R.M.
ANDERSON, V i s i o n o f t h e D i s i n h e r i t e d : The Making o f
A r e r i c a n P e n t s c o s t a l i s n (New York,
N.Y.:
O x f o r d U n i v e r s i t y Press,
1979).
-
-
-
-
E x t r a c t s form: A Relevant P e n t e c o s t a l Witness
.
Endnotes
(1) The K a i r o s Document.
C h a l l e n g e t o t h e Church.
(Johannesburg: S k o t a v i l l e P u b l i s h e r s . 1986).
2nd.
ed.
.
We t r a c e our h i s t o r y back t o t h e Azusa S t r e e t
'I,.
R e v i v a l i n Los Angeles, i n 1906.. f o r it was i n a l i t t l e
b l a c k c h u r c h , l e d by a humble b l a c k m i n i s t e r , where t h i s
r e v i v a l took p l a c e . It was an a s t o n i s h i n g f a c t t h a t white
m i n i s t e r s from t h e South went up t o
Los Angeles t o
r e c e i v e t h e g i f t and t h e b l e s s i n g of t h e S p i r i t through
t h e i n t e r c e s s i o n and p r a y e r s of t h e i r fellow-black
believers...
I n South A f r i c a t h e body of C h r i s t i s n o t u n i t e d
b u t p o l i t i c a l l y and economically d i v i d e d . While S c r i p t u r e
t e a c h e s t h a t t h e d i v i d i n g w a l l o f h o s t i l i t y h a s been
broken whereby we a r e no l o n g e r f o r e i g n e r s and a l i e n s
(Eph. 2 : 1 4 , 1 9 ) ,
apartheid has reconstructed t h i s wall
s e p a r a t i n g u s one from t h e o t h e r . For t h e most p a r t , t h e
P e n t e c o s t a l church h a s t h r i v e d under t h e Group Areas Act.
I t has no qualms about having s e p a r a t e s o - c a l l e d I n d i a n ,
Coloured, African and White s e c t i o n s w i t h i n t h e church.
Is t h i s a t r u e testimony t o t h e one S p i r i t who u n i t e s us?
(1 Cor. l 2 : l 3 ) .
We a c c e p t and a f f i r m t h e P e n t e c o s t a l t e a c h i n g s and
its t e n e t s .
However,
a Pentecostalism t h a t ignores t h e
c a n be e x t r e m e l y
c o n c r e t e s i t u a t i o n i n which it worYs,
its i r r e l e v a n c e .
It
can
e a s i l y be
dangerous i n
i n f i l t r a t e d and manipulated by r a c i s t i d e o l o g i e s and
e x p l o i t a t i v e s t r u c t u r e s . With deep r e g r e t we n o t e t h a t
W e b e l i e v e t h a t by
t h i s h a s sometimes been t h e c a s e . .
making o u t witness r e l e v a n t we w i l l be obeying t h e c a l l
o f t h e Gospel.
We w i l l a l s o c l o s e t h e d o o r s t o any
right-wing i n f i l t r a t i o n and manipulation.
A s concerned P e n t e c o s t a l s we r e p e n t o f o u r a p a t h y
t o human s u f f e r i n g which h a s been t h e o r d e r o f t h e day
f o r so l o n g i n our country. We s t a n d committed t o work
a g a i n s t a p a r t h e i d i n a l l its forms.
Wherever p o s s i b l e we
w i l l s e e k t o work w i t h our b r o t h e r s and s i s t e r s o u t s i d e
t h e P e n t e c o s t a l t r a d i t i o n who a r e committed t o b r i n g i n g
about a j u s t s o c i e t y i n South A f r i c a . ( " t h a t t h e y a l l may
even a s we a r e one".
Jhn. 17: 21 ) We a l s o wish
be one
t o affirm t h e f a c t t h a t we a r e n o t c l o s e d t o d i a l o g u e
with o t h e r s i n t h e P e n t e c o s t a l t r a d i t i o n .
We need,
however,
t o s t a t e our p o s i t i o n q u i t e c l e a r l y s o t h a t
d i a l o g u e may proceed from t h i s p o s i t i o n .
By s e e k i n g a r e l e v a n t w i t n e s s we s t a n d f i r m on t h e
f o u n d a t i o n of S c r i p t u r e , and respond i n t h e t r a d i t i o n o f
t h e E v a n g e l i c a l Witness. I t
..
.
...
.
1 1 , REPORT
Report on the Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements i n
Czechoslovakia fiom 1945 to the Present
BY
**
Frantisek PALA
Introduction
The o b j e c t o f t h i s r e p o r t i s t o g i v e a b r i e f
h i s t o r i c a l overview o f t h e P e n t e c o s t a l movement i n
C z e c h o ~ Z o v a k i a ; Bohemia and Moravia w i l l be d i s c u s s e d i n
t h e f i r s t p a r t and S l o v a k i a i n t h e second. A t t e n t i o n w i l l
be
paid t o the d i f f i c u l t i e s of the struggle f o r
l e g i s l a t i o n a s well a s , more b r i e f l y , t o t h o s e a r i s i n g
from f a l s e t e a c h i n g s which a f f e c t e d t h e movement.
The
t h i r d p a r t c o n t a i n s a s h o r t s k e t c h of t h e Charismatic
movement i n Czechoslovakia. The same Lord who began h i s
work on t h e t e r r i t o r y of t o d a y ' s Czechoslovakia a long
t i m e ago w i l l a l s o c o n t i n u e and f i n i s h it.
The P e n t e c o s t a l Movement i n Bohemia and Moravia
It is most i n t e r e s t i n g t h a t t h e beginnings o f
t l P e n t e c o s t , f t a s manifested by speaking i n tongues i n
m e e t i n g s , can be t r a c e d back t o a d i r e c t work o f t h e Holy
S p i r i t i n t h e Tesin r e g i o n ( l o c a t e d i n Northern Moravia)
.. ,.
YY
The f i f t h C o n f e r e n c e on P e n t e c o s t a l and C h a r i s m a t i c R e s e a r c h
i n Europe,
June 2 8 t h t o J u l y l s t , i n U t r e c h t , H o l l a n d ,
encouraged
p a r t i c i p a n t s from E a s t - E u r o p e a n c o u n t r i e s t o p r e s e n t r e p o r t s on t h e
pentecostal/charismatic situation in t h e i r respective countries.
That
s u c h r e p o r t s a r e n e c e s s a r y is e v i d e n c e d b y t h e f a c t t h a t t h e r e c e n t l y
D i c t i o n a r y o f P e n t e c o s t a l and C h a r i s l n a t i c H o v e a e n t s ( G r a n d
R a p i d s : Zondervan, 1968, 914 pp,) d e a l s w i t h the whole o f E a s t e r n Europe
i n a s m a l l s u b s e c t i o n o f t h e e n t r y on E u r o p e a n P e n t e c o s t a l i s m .
This
p a r t i c u l a r r e p o r t on C z e c h o s l o v a k i a was p u t t o g e t h e r i n c o l l a b o r a t i o n
w i t h J o z e f BRENKUS.
i n 1908, n o t t o any misaion o r g a n i z a t i o n . Only a f t e r t h i s
event was it confirmed by b r o t h e r s from P r u s s i a (now i n
poland) t h a t t h i s phenomenon was i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e
Bible.
L a t e r , r e l a t i o n s h i p s with p a s t o r J o n a t h a n PAUL
from Germany were begun.
I n 1910, t h e A s s o c i a t i o n of
Decisive C h r i s t i a n s was founded,
c o n s i s t i n g o f pentec o s t a l b e l i e v e r s p r a c t i s i n g g i f t s of t h e Holy S p i r i t .
The Nazis p r o h i b i t e d t h e a c t i v i t i e s of t h e Pentec o s t a l s , esp. t h e A s s o c i a t i o n o f D e c i s i v e C h r i s t i a n s , and
a number of p e n t e c o s t a l b e l i e v e r s were d e p o r t e d t o work
i n Germany. I n 1945,
a f t e r t h e 2nd World War,
the
and
Association of D e c i s i v e C h r i s t i a n s was re-formed,
co-operation with Slovak b r o t h e r s became more i n t e n s i v e .
Many young people who longed f o r God gave t h e i r l i v e s t o
C h r i s t and p e n t e c o s t a l c o n g r e g a t i o n s were e s t a b l i s h e d i n
the r e g i o n of Cesky Tesin, The Lord b l e s s e d d u r i n g t h i s
p e r i o d and t h e work developed.
I n 1952, t h e S t a t e i s s u e d laws p r o h i b i t i n g t h e
a c t i v i t y of t h e A s s o c i a t i o n o f D e c i s i v e C h r i s t i a n s and
its members were ordered t o e n t e r t h e r e c o g n i z e d c h u r c h
c a l l e d t h e Union o f Bohemian B r e t h r e n ,
T h i s c h u r c h was
opposed t o m a n i f e s t a t i o n s o f s p i r i t u a l g i f t s a8 p r a c t i a e d
i n t h e P e n t e c o s t a l movement.
T h i s was a r e s u l t o f t h e
B e r l i n D e c l a r a t i o n i n 1909,
which c r e a t e d a n e g a t i v e
a t t i t u d e toward t h e P e n t e c o s t a l movement among o t h e r
churches.
I n 1963,
due t o d o c t r i n a l d i f f e r e n c e s ,
two
congregations s e p a r a t e d from t h e Union of Bohemian
Brethren, e l a b o r a t e d a S t a t u t e o f D e c i s i v e P e n t e c o s t a l
C h r i s t i a n s as w e l l a s a c o n f e s s i o n of f a i t h f o r t h i s
proposed church and asked t h e s t a t e a u t h o r i t i e s f o r
r e c o g n i t i o n , which was r e j e c t e d a t t h a t time.
From t h e n
on t h e r e have been continuous n e g o t i a t i o n s and r e q u e s t s
f o r l e g a l i z a t i o n on d i f f e r e n t l e v e l s .
During t h e n e g o t i a t i o n s between t h e s t a t e and t h e
proposed church, some of t h e b r e t h r e n were i m p r i s o n e d ,
i n t e r r o g a t e d and sentenced f o r m a l i c i o u s l y d e f y i n g s t a t e
s u p e r v i s i o n of churches and r e l i g i o u s s o c i e t i e s .
There
were two p e r i o d s i n which t h i s took p l a c e ,
1964 and
1982-1 983.
I n 1970, Branhamism a d v e r s e l y i n f l u e n c e d a number
of pentecostal Christians,
b u t t h e t r u e Gospel was
v i c t o r i o u s and many of t h o s e who were a f f e c t e d r e t u r n e d .
A v e r y i m p o r t a n t incident: i n t h e s t r u g g l e f o r t h e
l e g a l - i z a t i o n of t h e p e n t e c o s t a l church was a p e t i t i o n f o r
t h e r e c o @ n i t i o n o f t h e church which was signed by 180
p e o p l e and s u b m i t t e d t o t h e government i n 1976.
A f t e r 1981,
b r e t h r e n from Bohemia and Moravia
c o n s u l t e d w i t h t h e Slovak b r e t h r e n about t h e p o s a i b i l i t y
o f j o i n i n g % h e i r church, o f f i c i a l l y c a l l e d t h e A p o s t o l i c
Church of Slovakia.
This church a l r e a d y had its own
c o n s k i l u t i o n approved by t h e Slovak a u t h o r i t i e s . On t h e
b a s i s o f t h e above c o n s u l t a t i o n s , t h e b r e t h r e n made a
r e q u e s t t o t h e Prague M i n i s t r y o f C u l t u r e f o r r e g i s t r a t i o n under t h e t i t l e A p o s t o l i c Church i n t h e CSR. S i n c e
1981, t h e r e has been a f r u i t f u l , b r o t h e r l y co-operation
o f Moravian, Bohemian and Slovak P e n t e c o s t a l s .
On February 1, 1989, t h e p e n t e c o s t a l church was
l e g a l i z e d under t h e name A p o s t o l i c Church i n t h e CSR and
from March 17-19 of t h e same y e a r , t h e founding church
conference took p l a c e i n Cesky Tesin-Dolni Zukov. F o r e i g n
g u e s t s from t h e United Kingdom,
German Democratic
R e p u b l i c , Hungary and Poland p a r t i c i p a t e d . Rudolf BUBIK
was a p p o i n t e d p r e s i d e n t of t h e church.
A central
committee of t h e church was a l s o appointed,
its t a s k
b e i n g t h e c o o r d i n a t i o n of t h e work w i t h i n t h e church. The
S l o v a k c o n s t i t u t i o n was adopted f o r t h e church and
approved by t h e conference, The conference a l s o adopted a
p l a n of work incbuding c o u r s e s f o r p a a t o r s and church
workers, youth meetings, e v a n g e l i z a t i o n , preparat;ion of
song books, e t c , A t p r e s e n t t h e church i n c l u d e s some 1200
believers.
The P e n t e c o s t a l Movement i n S l o v a k i a
The t r u t h about t h e baptism i n t h e Holy S p i r i t came
t o S l o v a k i a p r i m a r i l y through t h e A p o s t o l i c F a i t h
Mission (Portland,
Oregon).
A f t e r World War I1 t h e
b o r d e r s of Czechoslovakia opened and many Slovak f a m i l i e s
which had been abroad r e t u r n e d t o t h e i r homeland, Many o f
t h e r e p a t r i a t e s were b e l i e v e r s who had e x p e r i e n c e d
baptism i n t h e Holy S p i r i t and came from e x i s t i n g pentec o s t a l congregations. The most numerous g r o u p s came from
Hungary and Romania, while some b e l l e v e r s a l s o came from
A u s t r i a and Yugoslavia.
This process o f immigration n o t
only strengthened l o c a l c h u r c h e s , b u t it a l s o r e s u l t e d i n
t h e formation o f completely new c o n g r e g a t i o n s .
Both
groups,
t h o s e who had
never
emigrated
and
the
r e p a t r i a t e s , were i n t e r e s t e d i n c l o s e r f e l l o w s h i p and i n
being b u i l t up by t h e Holy S p i r i t , A s a r e s u l t , s e v e r a l
conferences were o r g a n i z e d ,
taking place especially i n
1947 and 1949.
the organizational s t a t u t e
On December 26, 1948,
was approved by t h e church i n B r a t i s l a v a . However,
the
church was n o t g r a n t e d o f f i c i a l r e g i s t r a t i o n a t t h a t
time.
Individual
congregations
were
granted
only
temporary permission t o h o l d s e r v i c e s . I n t h i s p e r i o d t h e
church had some 1300 members.
In s p i t e of d i f f i c u l t i e s ,
i t developed.
I n 1950,
b r o t h e r TUCHYNA p r e p a r e d and
f i n i s h e d a hymnbook f o r t h e whole church. It was p r i n t e d
i n t h e same year and is s t 1 1 9 i n use.
During 1952-1953,
t h e work extended t o t h e e a s t of
Slovakia.
Slovak r e p a t r i a t e s who had s e t t l e d i n S o u t h
Bohemia moved t o P e r e s n e a r Kosice.
The f o u n d a t i o n s of a
new congregation were l a i d ,
e s p e c i a l l y though t h e l a b o r s
of b r o t h e r BRENKUS, sr, The work i n t h i s a r e a grew.
The temporary permission mentioned above was no
s o l u t i o n and i n 1956 t h e a c t i v i t i e s o f t h e c h u r c h were
stopped. Following t h e v i s i t of b r o t h e r s FARAR a n d SEC t o
Prague, t h e church was j o i n e d t o t h e N e o a p o s t o l i c Church
on May 28, 1956.
T h i s church was one o f t h e ttreformlf
successors t o t h e Catholic Apostolic
Church which
o r i g i n a t e d from t h e work o f Edward I R V I N G i n t h e mid 1 9 t h
century.
Despite t h e common t h e o l o g i c a l background
s t r e s s i n g Holy S p i r i t baptism and t h e u s e o f s p i r i t u a l
gifts,
rapprochement has n o t t a k e n p l a c e b e c a u s e t h e
Neoapostolic Church i n S l o v a k i a h a s d e p a r t e d from t h e i r
o r i g i n a l experience.
I n t h e y e a r s 1956-1957 t h e r e was a new r e v i v a l and
o u t p o u r i n g o f t h e Holy S p i r i t . Many p e o p l e were b a p t i z e d
i n t h e Holy S p i r i t and i n water; new congregations were
e s t a b l i s h e d . A f t e r t h i s time of b l e s s i n g t h e r e was a l s o a
p e r i o d o f t a s t i n g d u r i n g which t h e church had t o oppose
u n b i b l i c a l teachings.
I n 1970 t h e r e was an outbreak o f
Branhamism i n western S l o v a k i a which shook s e v e r a l
c o n g r e g a t i o n s w i t h t h e r e s u l t t h a t a number of b e l i e v e r s
left,
But t h e Lord helped and many r e t u r n e d i n
repentence.
I n t h e p e r i o d from 1960-1977,
congregations
developed i n d i v i d u a l l y without any all-church c e n t e r . I n
1968 t h e church had s e p a r a t e d from t h e Neoapostolic
Church and adopted t h e t i t l e Apostolic Church, b u t it had
n o t been
p o s s i b l e t o form a l l - c h u r c h
organs
for
c o o r d i n a t i n g church a c t i v i t i e s .
Only on February 1 2 ,
1977 was a c o n s t i t u e n t
c o n f e r e n c e o f t h e newly formed A p o s t o l i c Church c a l l e d ,
which r e a u l t e d i n its o f f i c i a l r e g i s t r a t i o n w i t h r i g h t s
e q u i v a l e n t t o t h o s e o f o t h e r churches. Milan BEDNAR was
e l e c t e d P r e s i d e n t of t h e C e n t r a l Council. From now o n t h e
a c t i o n s o f t h e church were co-ordinated by t h e Church
Council,
I n January 1981, t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n o f t h e A p o s t o l i c
Church was approved by t h e M i n i s t r y o f C u l t u r e f o r t h e
SSR. Thereupon t a l k s began with b r o t h e r s from Moravia and
Bohemia a b o u t j o i n i n g t h e A p o s t o l i c Church.
New
buildings
or
rooms
for
services
were
c o n s t r u c t e d and opened.
The f i r s t Gypsy c o n g r e g a t i o n i n
Czechoslovakia was e s t a b l i s h e d i n S i l i c a .
Today t h e
A p o s t o l i c Church i n S l o v a k i a h a s some 1000 members,
C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f t h e A p o s t o l i c Church
Both t h e Czech ( i n Bohemia and ~ o r a v i a ) and t h e
S l o v a k A p o s t o l i c Churchea belong t o t h e p e n t e c o s t a l
c h u r c h e s which a r e u n i t e d i n t h e P e n t e c o s t a l World
Conference as w e l l as i n t h e P e n t e c o s t a l European
F e l l o w s h i p . I n its r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h its b r o t h e r churches
a b r o a d it is independent b u t keeps l i v e l y c o n t a c t s with
them. A s t h e s t a n d a r d of f a i t h and c h r i s t i a n l i f e t h e
church a c c e p t s t h e B i b l e as t h e o n l y b a s i s f o r d o c t r i n e
and it endeavours t o m a i n t a i n t h e t e a c h i n g s o f J e s u s
C h r i s t and of t h e Apostles.
O r g a n i z a t i o n a l l y , it i s a church w i t h a congregat i o n a l - p r e s b y t e r i a n arrangement.
The b a s i c u n i t is a
congregation l e d by t h e e l d e r s and a p a s t o r .
The church
i s c o n s t i t u t e d by a union o f independent c o n g r e g a t i o n s
with t h e i r s t a t i o n s and o u t s t a t i o n s , Both t h e Czech and
Slovak churches a r e c o o r d i n a t e d by t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e
church c o u n c i l s . The c u r r e n t p r e s i d e n t s o f t h e c h u r c h e s
a r e Rudolf BUBIK (Bohemian and Moravia) and J o z e f BRENKUS
13 congre( S l o v a k i a ) . Together t h e r e a r e 2200 members,
g a t i o n s , 45 s t a t i o n s and 50 o u t s t a t i o n s . Both t h e Czech
and Slovak Apostolic churches co-operate c l o s e l y and it
i s t h e i r aim t o a c h i e v e one church f o r t h e whole o f
Czechoslovakia i n o r d e r t o work j o i n t l y i n p r o c l a i m i n g
t h e Gospel t o t h e whole n a t i o n .
C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f t h e C h a r i s m a t i c Movement
P a r a l l e l t o t h e Czech and Slovak A p o s t o l i c Churches
t h e Charismatic movement h a s become a c t i v e i n r e c e n t
decades. It is formed of b e l i e v e r s from v a r i o u s c h r i s t i a n
churches and denominations who experienced t h e b a p t i s m i n
t h e Holy S p i r i t and m a n i f e s t t h e c h a r i s m a t a .
The a i m of
t h i s movement is renewal o f t h e c h u r c h a c c o r d i n g t o
b i b l i c a l p r i n c i p l e s . It can b e s a i d t h a t i n t h e c h u r c h e s
and congregations where t h e l e a d e r s h i p h a s sympathy f o r
such e f f o r t s t h e r e is r e v i v a l and t h e whole s p i r i t u a l
An example o f s u c h a c o n g r e g a t i o n
l i f e i s enriched.
w i t h i n t h e E v a n g e l i c a l Church of Bohemian B r e t h r e n i s
t h a t i n Prague-Maniny,
p a s t o r e d by Dan DRAPAL. However,
where t h e l e a d e r s h i p of t h e church and c o n g r e g a t i o n
r e f u s e s t h i s r e v i v i n g movement f o r dogmatic r e a s o n s t h e r e
a r e a l s o t e n s i o n s and o f t e n s e p a r a t i o n s t a k e p l a c e .
The A p o s t o l i c Church is open t o t h e C h a r i s m a t i c
movement,
b u t i n p r i n c i p l e it r e j e c t s whatever c a u s e s
dissention,
s t r i f e and d e p r e c i a t i o n o f t h e a u t h o r i t y o f
t h e maternal church a s b e i n g i n c o n t r a d i t i o n w i t h Godvs
.
word.
I n autumn 1988 t h e first o f f i c i a l ecumenical
c h a r i s m a t i c conference
took
place
i n Prague
with
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of 10 denominations ( i n c l u d i n g t h e Roman
C a t h o l i c Church). Foreign s p e a k e r s were Bob MUMFORD and
Rune BRANNSTROEM.
I n summer 1989 t h e second c h a r i s m a t i c
c o n f e r e n c e was h e l d on a l a r g e r s c a l e i n t h e I1Palace of
Culture1I i n Prague. E v a n g e l i s t i c meetings were h e l d i n a
s i z a b l e c a t h o l i c church. Many p e o p l e were b a p t i z e d i n t h e
S p i r i t , h e a l e d , and l e f t t h e conference a s Charismatics.
T h i s is obviously an inadequate g l a n c e a t t h e
C h a r i s m a t i c movement i n Czechoslovakia and t h e r e is a
need f o r f u r t h e r r e s e a r c h and documentation i n t h i s a r e a .
111, BOOK REVIEWS
J o s e p h i n e BAX,
The Good Wine.
S p i r i t u a l Renewal i n t h e
Church of England (London: Church House P u b l i s h i n g ,
1986) 225 pp.
B i l l BURNETT ( e d . ) , By My S p i r i t . Renewal i n t h e Worldwide Anglican Church (London: Hodder & Stoughton,
1988) 152 pp.
Make Way f o r t h e S p i r i t (Crowborough:
Michael COLE,
Highland Books, 1 9 8 8 ) . 159 pp.
~ o i i nCRASTON ( e d . ) , .open t b t h e S p i r i t . Anglicans
and t h e- E x.~ e r i e n c eo f Renewal ondo don: Church House
publishing; 1987) 162 pp. ~ e v i e w e dby P e t e r HOCKEN,
G a i t h e r s b u r g , Maryland, U.S.A.
A l l f o u r books a r e a n g l i c a n works. The two symposia
were p u b l i s h e d i n connection with t h e 1988 Lambeth
conference,
t h a t e d i t e d by CRASTON b e i n g commissioned
officially
and t h a t
edited
by BURNETT
being
an
independent c h a r i s m a t i c i n i t i a t i v e . BAX s work a l s o h a s
an o f f i c i a l c h a r a c t e r , being commissioned by t h e Board o f
Mission and Unity o f t h e General Synod of t h e Church o f
England a s a study o f s p i r i t u a l renewal w i t h i n t h a t
church. Michael COLE, an a n g l i c a n v i c a r i n E s s e x , w r i t e s
a column i n i s s u e s o f Renewal,
answering r e a d e r s t quest i o n s ; h i s book is a c o l l e c t i o n of t h e s e r e p l i e s .
A l l f o u r t h u s belong t o r a t h e r u n a p p e a l i n g g e n r e s :
symposia, church r e p o r t s o r c o l l e c t e d columns.
Symposia
a r e almost i n e v i t a b l y uneven.
I do n o t t h i n k it is my
charismatic b i a s t o p r e f e r BURNETT1s book t o CRASTONts,
because a l l c o n t r i b u t o r s t o t h e l a t t e r a r e l e a d e r s i n t h.ec h a r i s m a t i c renewal.
By My S p i r i t h a s more i n t e r n a l
coherence and a more comprehensive c o v e r a g e on renewal.
The c o n t r i b u t o r s r e f l e c t t h e s t r o n g p o i n t s o f a n g l i c a n
c h a r i s m a t i c renewal: remarkable advances a t a l l l e v e l s i n
p a r t s of Africa and Asia, w i t h s e v e r a l b i s h o p s b a p t i s e d
in the Spirit,
and an i n c r e a s i n g number o f renewed
congregations i n o t h e r p l a c e s ( t h e developments a t S t .
Luke' a , Bath, Ohio; S t . J o h n t s, Harborne, Birmingham; and
S t . Michael-le-Belfrey,
York,
each have a c h a p t e r ) .
Bishop BURNETT is p e r h a p s r e f l e c t i n g
e s p e c i a l l y on
B r i t a i n and t h e United S t a t e s when h e w r i t e s :
Wne of t h e p e r p l e x i n g phenomena I have o b s e r v e d i n
many p a r t s o f t h e Anglican Communion h a s been t h e
apparent i n a b i l i t y o f t h e h i e r a r c h i e s t o p e r c e i v e
why c e r t a i n p a r i s h e s a r e growing i n membership, a r e
s t r o n g l y supported by men a s w e l l a s women and
young people,
are active i n sharing t h e f a i t h i n
obedience t o t h e G r e a t Commission, a r e examples of
strong lay p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n m i n i s t e r i n g t h e g i f t s
of t h e S p i r i t , and a r e more s o c i a l l y aware t h a n
most o t h e r p a r i s h e s t 1 ( p . 20),
A roman c a t h o l i c r e v i e w e r p e r h a p s i n e v i t a b l y makes
comparisons with t h e c h a r i s m a t i c renewal w i t h i n h i s own
church.
It i s probably n o t a c o i n c i d e n c e t h a t t h e
c o n t r i b u t o r s t o By My S p i r i t a r e a l l c l e r g y . The a n g l i c a n
renewal has not thrown up many prominent l a i t y , though
t h e SOMA ( t h e Sharing of M i n i s t r y Abroad) teams now b e i n g
s e n t o u t t o a l l c o n t i n e n t s always have l a y members, T h i s
r e f l e c t s , of course, t h e a n g l i c a n emphasis on renewed
congregations, which seem t o be much more v i a b l e i n t h e
anglican than i n t h e roman c a t h o l i c system. H i s t o r i c a l l y ,
renewed roman c a t h o l i c p a r i s h e s t e n d t o come o u t o f
newly-formed
r e l i g i o u s o r d e r s t a k i n g over ptirochial
p a s t o r a l c a r e , a p r o c e s s t h a t seems a l r e a d y under way
Anglican
w i t h t h e roman c a t h o l i c renewal i n France.
c l e r i c a l . l e a d e r s h i p may a l s o r e f l e c t a p a t t e r n of young
men (and p o s s i b l y women) b a p t i s e d i n t h e S p i r i t choosing
t o s e e k o r d i n a t i o n , a path o n l y open t o s i n g l e c a t h o l i c
men,
with a
Open t o t h e S p i r i t is a very mixed bag,
w i d e r r a n g e of c o n t r i b u t o r s ( i n c l u d i n g one woman,
one
Methodist,
one r e l i g i o u s ,
and more t h a n one AnnloCatholic)
However,
perhaps because CRASTON s purpose
concerned renewal i n a l l t h e s e n s e s accorded t o t h i s term
w i t h i n Anglicanism,
t h e essays l a c k f o c u s and cohesion.
Both c h a r i s m a t i c c o n t r i b u t o r s , Michael HARPER and Bishop
Moses TAY, a s k t h e key question: is c h a r i s m a t i c renewal a
way o r t h e way of renewal. Both a f f i r m t h a t baptism i n
t h e S p i r i t cannot b e t r e a t e d merely a s a v a l i d o p t i o n .
Among t h e o t h e r c o n t r i b u t o r s ,
Gordon WAKEFIELD on
ALLCHIN on "Walking i n
tlRenewal i n P a s t Agesu and A,M,
t h e S p i r i t , Freedom and T r a d i t i o n i n t h e Church's L i f e , "
are warth r e a d i n g a s one might expect.
Zn The Good Wine Josephine BAX h a s succeeded i n
c o v e r i n g p a t t e r n s o f renewal i n every s e c t o r of t h e
Church o f England, Here a g a i n , renewal is wider t h a n t h e
C h a r i s m a t i c movement,
b u t BAX more a c c u r a t e l y r e f l e c t s
t h e c h a r i s m a t i c impact, and s o t h e l a t t e r probably g e t s
j u s t o v e r h a l f o f h e r coverage. The number of p a r i s h e s i n
a d i o c e ~ l e "undergoing11 (sounds l i k e a v i s i t t o t h e
d e n t i s t ? ) c h a r i s m a t i c renewal ranged from 1%t o 33%,
a v e r a g i n g 7%. O f p a r t i c u l a r i n t e r e s t a r e h e r comments on
t h e overcoming o f p a t t e r n s of c l e r i c a l p a t e r n a l i s m , t h e
f o r m a t i o n o f t h e l a i t y and developing p a t t e r n s o f
e l d e r s h i p ( i n c r e a s i n g l y widespread).
Michael COLE'S Make Way f o r t h e S p i r i t c o v e r s t h e
f u l l . r a n g e of q u e s t i o n s asked about c h a r i s m a t i c renewal
It is t h u s
from an o b v i o u s l y e v a n g e l i c a l p e r s p e c t i v e .
s t r o n g on S c r i p t u r e , on m i n i s t r y and common s e n s e (e.g.
on s i g n s and wonders, p. g o ) , b u t weaker on i n t e r i o r
s p i r i t u a l growth. There i s a weak answer about " t h e dark
night of t h e s o u l f 1 (pp.
1 3 5 f . ) and a d i s a p p o i n t i n g l ~
.
s h o r t answer t o an i m p o r t a n t q u e s t i o n : "1 r e g u l a r l y h e a r d
( t h e Lord) speaking t o me. Now, f o r no o b v i o u s r e a s o n h e
no l o n g e r seems , s o near. Is t h i s normal?ll ( p . 4 2 )
.
D.
BIRKEY, The House Church. A Model f o r Renewing t h e
Herald P r e s s , 1 9 8 8 ) , 182
Church
- .-.- . ( S c o t t s d a l e , PA:
pp. ; and J. NOBLE,
House Churches.
w i l l They
Survive? (Eastbourne: Kingsway P u b l i c a t i o n s , 1 9 8 8 ) ,
125 pp. Reviewed by John L. KARSTEN, Z e i s t , t h e
-
-
The number of books p u b l i s h e d on t h e s o - c a l l e d
House Church o r R e s t o r a t i o n movement i s l a r g e .
Two works
s h a l l be reviewed h e r e , t h e f i r s t b e i n g more a p o l o g e t i c t h e o l o g i c a l i n n a t u r e , t h e second aiming a t a n a n a l y s i s
of t h e s t a t e of t h e art,
BIRKEY, as t h e t i t l e of h i s book The House Church.
A Model f o r Renewing t h e Church s u g g e s t s , a r g u e s t h a t t h e
House Church movement is a b i b l i c a l and v i a b l e way t o t h e
reformation, renewal and r e v i v a l o f t h e c h r i s t i a n church.
A house church i s , i n h i s o p i n i o n ,
a primary group o f
people (numbering about 40) u n i t e d by a n a n n u a l c o v e n a n t
a s a company of b e l i e v e r s committed t o J e s u s , e a c h o t h e r ,
and s e r v i c e t o t h e world.
T h i s model i s d e f e n d e d a s
h i s t o r i c a l l y rooted i n New Testament t i m e s , t h e o l o g i c a l l y
d e f e n s i b l e on t h e b a s i s o f t h e p i l g r i m n a t u r e o f t h e
church a s God's people, and s o c i o l o g i c a l l y sound i n s o f a r
as it f u l f i l l s i n d i v i d u a l and group needs.
This house church model p r o v i d e s a c o n t e x t f o r
servant leadership.
H i e r a r c h i c a l i s m and c l e r i c a l i s m a r e
r e j e c t e d . The f u l l r i g h t s o f women t o m i n i s t e r a c c o r d i n g
t o t h e i r g i f t s a r e w e l l s e t o u t under n i n e a s s e r t a t i o n s
and b e a r r e p e a t i n g :
1. Women,
a l o n g s i d e men,
were
full-membered
participants
i n the
early
christian
2. women,
s i d e by s i d e w i t h men, were
communities;
p a r t n e r s i n l e a d e r s h i p and m i n i s t r y i n t h e e a r l y
3.
women, a l o n g w i t h men,
l e d i n public
churches;
Prayer;
4. women, a l o n g s i d e men, prophesied i n church;
5. women, with and i n t h e presence o f men, had a u t h o r i t y
6.
women i n p a r t i c u l a r ,
were
i n t h e church body;
7. women, even a s
encouraged t o l e a r n t h e s c r i p t u r e s ;
men, had g i f t s f o r e d i f y i n g t h e body;
8. wives, a s well
a s t h e i r husbands, were p a r t n e r s i n mutual submission,
a r i s i n g o u t of t h e i r mutual love; 9. women's s e x u a l r o l e a
were n o t dichotomised o r considered a t v a r i a n c e w i t h
men's r o l e s i n C h r i s t ,
A c o r p o r a t e f u n c t i o n i n g o f a house church through
p e r s o n a l g i f t e d n e s s r e q u i r e s , according t o BIRKEY, t h e
r e c o g n i t i o n and p r a c t i c e of c h a r i s m a t i c g i f t s . Worship i s
s i m p l e , w i t h emphasis on S c r i p t u r e and p r a y e r . Communion
is a l i v i n g norm experience, The a u t h o r o f f e r s not only a
"what and whyu book; he a l s o has much a d v i c e on fthowll t o
a c t r e s p o n s i b l y . Problems, however, a r e only o c c a s i o n a l l y
and a l l t o o b r i e f l y i n d i c a t e d ,
W r i t i n g from an a n a b a p t i s t (mennonite) background
w i2;h s t r o n g e v a n g e l i c a l c o n v i c t i o n s ,
BIRKEY h a s b o t h
p r a c t i c a l e x p e r i e n c e i n house churching and an academic
f o u n d a t i o n through h i s M. Div. and 13. Min. degrees. H i s
t h e s i s d e s e r v e s some c o n s i d e r a t i o n , There he n o t e s t h a t
p e n t e c o s t a l churches by and l a r g e seem t o develop i n t o
s a n c t u a r y churches w i t h f u l l y e s t a b l i s h e d c l e r g y and
institutional
apparatus.
A
minor
observation
of
h i s t o r i c a l n a t u r e seems c a l l e d f o r .
BIRKEY no l o n g e r
c o n s i d e r s a group o f 120 people t o b e a primary group.
Our s m a l l l i v i n g rooms a r e n o t i d e n t i c a l with e a r l y house
church s e t t i n g s . Jerusalem,
however,
was a c i t y with
l a r g e rooms f o r p i l g r i m s ; t h e tendency t o s e t a p a r t space
f o r a meeting room was common aa can be s e e n from t h e
p l a n of Dura Europosi house church o f t h e t h i r d c e n t u r y .
Well-to-do
p e o p l e could a f f o r d s p a c i o u s houses and
meetings c o u l d b e h e l d i n t h e atrim o r h a l l o f t h e Roman
llome. The a r c h i t e c u t a l lay-out l a t e r s e r v e d a s model f o r
c o u r t b u i l d i n g s and t h e b a s i l i c a . (G. D I X , The Shape of
L i t u r g y 2nd. ed. (London: Dacre P r e s s , 1 9 4 5 ) , pp. 2 2 f f . )
The second book, J, NOBLE'S House Churches. W i l l
Thev
Survive?
is w r i t t e n by a noted l e a d e r o f t h e B r i t i s h
---HouLe Church ( o r ~ e s t o r a t i o n ) movement.
He i s l o o k i n g
back a t what was l e a r n e d i n 30 y e a r s and g i v e s recomenda t i o n s f o r t h e p r e s e n t . H i s book is e n d o r s e d by l e a d e r s
TOMLINSON, Gerard COATES, Tony HIGTON and
such a s D.
Roger FORSTER and a c c o r d i n g l y i ts c o n t e n t s would promise
t o be s i g n i f i c a n t .
NOBLE s t r e s s e s o l d c h r i s t i a n f o u n d a t i o n s s u c h as
t h e p r i o r i t y of g r a c e , a p e r s o n a l r e l a t i o n w i t h C h r i s t ,
and communal p e r s o n a l r e l a t i o n s , which, a c c o r d i n g t o him,
may n e c e s s i t a t e l i v i n g c l o s e l y t o g e t h e r .
The f u t u r e ,
though, demands f l e x i b i l i t y , i n c l u d i n g t h e w i l l i n g n e s s t o
accept what God i s d o i n g i n f o r m e r l y w r i t t e n - o f f
h i s t o r i c a l denominations.
Worship as a l i f e s t y l e is
consfdered t o b e b r e a k i n g down t h e s a c r e d / s e c u l a r
dichotomy, b u t is a t t h e same t i m e endangered by monotony
and r i g i d i t y . T h e r e f o r e , a covenant b a s e d on l o v e must b e
l i v e d w i t h God and experienced i n m u t u a l f r i e n d s h i p s ,
sometimes c a l l i n g f o r p e r s o n a l s a c r i f i c e .
Speaking of f i n a n c e s ,
NOBLE h a s s c r i p t u r a l and
s e n s i b l e t h i n g s t o say.
He h a s l e a r n e d t o ! ' l i v e by
f a i t h , " but also t o "live togetherf1 i n r e a l sharing.
P r o s p e r i t y does n o t exclude s u f f e r i n g . The c o r r e c t u s e o f
money is a golden o p p o r t u n i t y f o r c h r i s t i a n w i t n e s s .
Leadership as a team e f f o r t h a s become w i d e l y
known,
i f n o t always w i s e l y used.
NOBLE h e l p f u l l y
d i s t i n g u i s h e s i n t h i s r e s p e c t moral
and p a s t o r a l
a u t h o r i t y . The first p e r t a i n s t o c l e a r s i n and i n v o l v e s
admonition, e v e n t u a l l y l e a d i n g t o e x c l u s i o n . The second
is n o t c o e r s i v e , b u t o f f e r s o p t i o n s . F o r b i d d i n g a d u l t e r y
is not t h e same a s a d v i s i n g a g a i n s t a h a s t y m a r r i a g e .
The f u t u r e r e q u i r e s , a c c o r d i n g t o NOBLE,
the best
of Evangelicalism,
the Charismatics,
and o f s o c i a l
a c t i o n , (which may b e moral o r s o c i o - p o l i t i c a l , b u t must
be Christ-honouring). The Holy S p i r i t empowers t o "words,
works, and wonders. l1
NOBLE c o n s i d e r s t h e a r e a s of r a c e , c l a s s and sex
( G a l a t i a n s 3:26-28) t o be o f paramount importance on the
house c h u r c h agenda. Racism, class-ism,
and sexism a r e
s i n , The a u t h o r is c l e a r b u t b r i e f h e r e ,
Under t h e key themes o f i n f i l t r a t i o n ( s a l t ) and
domination ( l i g h t ) t h e need i s shown f o r house g r o u p s t o
meet i n l a r g e meetings. Yet t h e Korean e c c l e s i a l set-up
advocated by Y.
CHO i s n o t c o n s i d e r e d u s e f u l f o r the
B r i t i s h context,
Adressing a g a i n t h e i s s u e of u n i t y ,
denominationalism i s c o n s i d e r e d e q u a l l y with i n d i v i d u a l i s m . B r i d g e - b u i l d e r s a r e needed t o connect t h e d i f f e r e n t
banks c o n t a i n i n g God's r i v e r of b l e s a i n g .
Movement i s
e a s i e r a s t h e S p i r i t flows f r e e l y ,
NOBLE b e l i e v e s t h a t t h e coming decade promises t o
b e a time o f h a r v a s t .
A l l k i n d s o f groups,
including
Roman C a t h o l i c s , a r e ready f o r a c t i o n . P r a y e r , a s w e l l as
c o o p e r a t i o n between e v a n g e l i s t s ,
p a s t o r s and church
planters,
is considered t o be e s s e n t i a l ,
A s e n s e of
purpose and b e i n g c l o s e t o God's time o f e s c h a t o l o g i c a l
consumation concludes t h e book.
James R. GOFF, Jr. F i e l d s White Unto Harvest. Charles F.
Parham and t h e Missionary O r i g i n s o f P e n t e c o s t a l i s m
(Fayetteville/London:
The U n i v e r s i t y o f Arkansas
Press,
1988), 263 pp,
Reviewed by Walter J,
HOLLENWEGER, K r a t t i g e n , S w i t z e r l a n d ,
This is a long awaited, well w r i t t e n ,
superbly
and
beautifully
printed,
Xntelligantly
footnotad
i l l u s t r a t e d biography o f C h a r l e s Fox PARHIM, one o f t h e
p i o n e e r s o f P e n t e c o s t a l i s m , H i s s o c i a l and e d u c a t i o n a l
background,
l i f e and work,
s p i r i t u a l and k h e o ~ o g i c a l
development,
a r e m e t i c u l o u s l y t r a c e d on t h e b a s i s of
PARHAM s
own
written
evidence,
interviews
with
eye-witnesses and o t h e r documentation, Care is taken t o
a s s e s s the h i s t o r i c a l v a l i d i t y o f each document used.
G Q F F I ~main t h e s i s is:
"It was PARHAM a l o n e who
formulated t h e d i s t i n g u i s h i n g i d e o l o g i c a l formula of
tongues a s i n i t i a l evidence f o r Holy S p i r i t b a p t i s m * 'That
discovery, i n e f f e c t ,
c r e a t e d t h e P e n t e c o s t a l mmvement"
( p . 164). GOFF d e s c r i b e s i n d e t a i l how PARHAM came t o
t h i s i n s i g h t . I n f a c t a l l a u t h e n t i c glossolalia was f o r
PARHAM xenoglossa, Xenoglossa was t o become b o t h t h e
llsealfl of a m i s s i o n a r y ' s c a l l t o a p a r t i c u l a r m i s s i o n
f i e l d and a l s o t h e d i v i n e e n a b l i n g g i f t t o c a r r y t h i s
c a l l out. GOFF shows convincingly t h a t g l o s s o l a l i a d i d n o t
" f a l l from heavenu ( a s it is o f t e n d e s c r i b e d i n
p e n t e c o s t a l books).
"There can be l i t t l e doubt t h a t
PARHAM was consciously m o t i v a t i n g h i s s t u d e n t s toward
t h i s mission tongues concept" ( p . 75)
GOFF d i g s up f u r t h e r d e t a i l s which have n o t been
taken s e r i o u s l y enough i n t h e p a s t , e.g. PARHAM'S s t r i c t
and l i f e - l o n g o p p o s i t i o n t o medicine and v a c c i n a t i o n (pp.
28, 41, 43, 8 3 ) , h i s p a c i f i s m d u r i n g World War I , h i s
sympathy f o r s o c i a l i s m ,
h i s doctrine of ltconditional
t h e f t D e s t r u c t i o n o f t h e Wicked" ( p .
i m r n ~ r t a l i t y , ~i.
' e.
1%).
On t h e homosexuality charge,
GOFF comes t o t h e
conclusion t h a t Itin t h e f i n a l a n a l y s i s t h e PARHAM s c a n d a l
remains a mystery" ( p . 141). Too many q u e s t i o n s remain
open. Where d i d t h e rumors come from? VOLIVA o f Zion C i t y
of course was highly motivated t o d e s t r o y PARHAM b e c a u s e
he was h i s a r c h - r i v a l , But he could n o t have i n v e n t e d t h e
charges,
although he "produced" evidence which nobody
e l s e could confirm, Why was PARHAM a r r e s t e d and t h e n t h e
charges dropped, and why can no evidence b e found i n t h e
It seems t o me t h a t ,
until further
court records?
evidence is p r e s e n t e d , PARHAM should b e c o n s i d e r e d " n o t
g u i l t y a s charged. I' Furthermore,
t h e PARHAM s t o r y (and
o t h e r s i m i l a r s t o r i e s ) might sometime
stimulate a
p e n t e c o s t a l t h e o l o g i c a l re-examination
o f t h e whole
homosexual approach e s p e c i a l l y i n t h e l i g h t of newer
t h e o l o g i c a l and medical evidence.
Of
g r e a t e s t i n t e r e s t i s GOFFts t r e a t m e n t of
PARHAMts r a d i c a l ideology and p r a x i s ,
He p r o p a g a t e d
Anglo-Israel t h e o r i e s and Zionism (p. 1 0 1 ) . I n t h e l i g h t
of l a t e r r a c i a l t h e o r i e s t h e d e t a i l s of PARHAMVs
r a c e - i d e o l o g y a r e important. PARHAM: "The Old Testament
d i s t i n c k i o n of t h e p e o p l e s of t h e e a r t h remain almost t h e
same t o d a y .
The Hebrews,
Jews,
and t h e v a r i o u s
t h e Anglo-Saxons,
High
d e s c e n d a n t s of t h e t e n t r i b e s
Germans, Danes a an), Swedes, Hindoos , Japanese and t h e
~ i n d o o - J a p a n e s e of Hawaii, and t h e s e p o s s e s s about all
t h e s p i r i t u a l power of t h e world.
The G e n t i l e s
French,
S p a n i s h , I t a l i a n , Greek, Russian and T u r k i s h , These a r e
f o r m a l i s t i c , and s o a r e t h e i r descendants i n a l l p a r t s of
t h e world. Heathen 'are mostly heathen s t i l l
t h e Negro,
Malay, Mongolian and Indian" (p. 1 0 2 ) .
PARNAMvs r a c i a l a t t i t u d e f i t t e d w e l l i n t o t h e
background o f t h e S o u t h e r n US a t t h a t t i m e , I n f a c t some
p e o p l e were much more r a c i s t t h a n he ( e . g . CAROTHER), b u t
o t h e r s r e j e c t e d a l l r a c i s t t h e o r i e s and a t t i t u d e s (e.g.
J . A , DOWIE and p a r t s of t h e H o l i n e s s Movement),
That PARMAM allowed W . J .
SEYMOUR t o follow h i s
B i b l e s t u d i e s i n an a d j o i n i n g room through t h e half-open
i s by now w e l l known,
and,
seen against h i s
door,
s t a t e m e n t a b o u t Negroes, no doubt PARHAM thought t h i s t o
be a c o n s i d e r a b l e concession. GOFF c a l l 8 t h i s a benign
p a t e r n a l i s t i c approach. However, when SEYMOUR no longer
a c c e p t e d PARHAM1s a u t h o r i t y w i t h o u t q u e s t i o n , t h e benign
p a t e r n a l i s m changed i n t o h o s t i l i t y .
PARHAM s a i d t h a t
SEYMOUR was llpossessed with a s p i r i t of l e a d e r ~ h i p ,N~ow~
the
black
Pentecostals
were
lfspook-drivenff
and
"hypnotizedv (p. 130). "The p a t e r n a l i s t i c racism which he
had p r a c t i s e d p r i o r t o Aeusa S t r e e t gave way t o a
h a r s h e r , more b l a t a n t racismt1 ( p , 132, ) ,
F i n a l l y GOFFts claim t h a t PARHAM and PARHAM alone
is t h e f o u n d e r of P e n t e c o s t a l i s m because he formulated
t h e d o c t r i n e of t h e I t i n i t i a l evidencew f o r t h e f i r s t time
h a s t o b e examined.
I do n o t want t o d i s a g r e a w i t h GOFF on f a c t s
( a l t h o u g h I suppose t h e r e a r e o t h e r s who would make t h e
, However, GOFF dismissed W. J,
same c l a i m f o r TOMLINSON)
SEYMOUR a s t h e p i o n e e r of P e n t e c o s t a l i s m because h i s
ecumenical, race- and c l a s s - t r a n s c e n d i n g understanding of
P e n t e c o s t was by and l a r g e u n s u c c e s s f u l i n t h e United
-
-
-
p e n t e c o s t a l e x p e r i e n c e of P e n t e c o s t a s seen by SEYMOUR
(which o f c o u r s e i n c l u d e s g l o s s o l a l i a and g i v e s it an
important r o l e ) 7
I n my o p i n i o n GOFF made t h e wrong t h e o l o g i c a l
decision.
But t h a t h a r d l y diminishes t h e importance of
h i s book.
By g i v i n g u s a l l t h e d e t a i l s of PARHAWqs l i f e
f a i r l y and s q u a r e l y , he makes it e a s i e r f o r t h e r e a d e r t o
make up h i s mind.
'
S t a t e s . Therefore t h e only c a n d i d a t e l e f t is t h e r a c i s t
Ch. F. PARHAM. With t h i s kind o f argumentation one c a n o f
course prove t h a t J e s u s C h r i s t i s n o t t h e f o u n d e r of
C h r i s t i a n i t y , because t h e C h r i s t i a n church v e r y s o o n gave
up c e r t a i n a s p e c t s of C h r i s t ' s example and d o c t r i n e . The
t h a t if one a p p l i e s
most i r o n i c conclusion is however,
GOFF1s c r i t e r i a t o PARHAM h i m s e l f , he t o o f a i l s b a d l y .
H i s understanding of g l o s s o l a l i a a s m i s s i o n a r y xenog1ossa
did not s u r v i v e much longer than SEYMOUR'S i n t e r r a c i a l
understanding of P e n t e c o s t , Even t h e " i n i t i a l s i g n " is
now questioned. Russ SPITLER, an American Assemblies o f
God p a s t o r , New Testament s c h o l a r and d i r e c t o r o f t h e
David Du P l e s s i s Center a t F u l l e r T h e o l o g i c a l Seminary,
says: I'Glossolalia is a human phenomenon, n o t l i m i t e d t o
C h r i s t i a n i t y nor even t o r e l i g i o u s behaviour ,
The
b e l i e f t h a t d i s t i n g u i s h e s t h e movement can o n l y wrongly
be thought of a s d e s c r i b i n g t h e e s s--e n c e of Pentec o s t a l i ~ m ~( D
~ i c t i o n a r y of P e n t e c o s t a l and C h a r i s m a t i c
Movements, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1988, p, 340.)
PARHAM1s p a c i f i s m , h i s d o c t r i n e on t h e " D e s t r u c t i o n
of t h e Wicked," h i s animosity t o medicine,
h i s AngloI s r a e l t h e o r i e s , h i s sympathy w i t h t h e Ku-Klux-Klan
a11
t h i s has been d i s r e g a r d e d by P e n t e c o s t a l i s m ,
What i s
more, American P e n t e c o s t a l i s m is n o t t h e o n l y k i n d o f
Pentecostalism.
Take away SEYMOUR'S u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f
the
statistical
hallelujas
of
Pentecost
and a l l
Pentecostalism a r e s i l e n c e d , because t h e r e is h a r d l y a
p e n t e c o s t a l movement i n t h e Third World t h a t d o e s n o t
hold SEYMOUR1s understanding o f P e n t e c o s t .
Furthermore,
Pentecostalism has n o t y e t come t o i t s m a t u r i t y . It c o u l d
very w e l l be t h a t it o f f e r s t h e key t o overcoming r a c i s m
i n t h e world today.
I am c o n f i d e n t t h a t American
P e n t e c o s t a l s a l s o w i l l d i s c o v e r t h a t P e n t e c o s t is more
than PARHAM'S narrow ideology.
I n t h e f i n a l a n a l y s i s t h e d e c i s i o n between PARHAM
and SEYMOUR is not an h i s t o r i c a l b u t a t h e o l o g i c a l one,
Where does one s e e t h e d e c i s i v e
contribution
of
Pentecost:
i n the r e l i g i o u s experience o f speaking i n
tongues a s seen by PARHAM,
or i n the reconciling
. .
-
-
J,L.
GRESHAM, Jr. C h a r l e s Gi. F i n n e y l s Doctrine of t h e
Baptism o f t h e Holy S p i r i t (Peabody, MS: Hendrickson P u b l i s h e r s , 1 9 8 7 ) , 106 pp. Reviewed by John L.
KARSTEN, Z e i a t , t h e Netherlands.
-
GRESHAM p r o v i d e s t h e d e f i n i t i v e study on t h i s
subject.
Aimed a t h i s t o r i a n s and contemporary c h a r i s t h e o l o g i c a l and inm a t i c s t h e book is i n f o r m a t i v e ,
spiring,
FINNEY may b e c o n s i d e r e d a g r a n d f a t h e r of the
P e n t e c o s t a l movement, H i s i n f l u e n c e on American Evangeli c a l i s m , i n c l u d i n g t h e H o l i n e s s movement, is c e r t a i n , A
c o n v e r t e d lawyer,
he became a t r a v e l l i n g e v a n g e l i s t , a
w r i t i n g t h e o l o g i a n and l a t e r founder and p r e s i d e n t of
Oberlin College.
H i s thought f i t s i n with t h e "rugged
i n d i v i d u a l i s m and t h e i d e a of p r o g r e s s , lV c h a r a c t e r i s t i c
o f t h e p e r i o d o f P r e s i d e n t JACKSON (1829-1837), FlCMVEY
wanted n o t o n l y t o save i n d i v i d u a l s , b u t t o transform
society.
H i s post-millenialiam
was c o n s i s t e n t w i t h the
s u c c e s s o f t h e "second Great awakening,'! H i s Calvinsim
was d e f i n i t e l y "New School," not Old P r i n c e t o n .
He
employed r e a s o n t o j u s t i Q God and considered r e l i g i o n t o
be experiential.
God was an i n f l u e n c i n g moral governor
and t h e atonement s a t i s f i e d p u b l i c j u s t i c e , He s e e s t h e
r e v i v a l i s t c o o p e r a t i n g with God i n convincing t h e r e b e l
s i n n e r and i n c l i n i n g him t o submit,
FINNEY's philos o p h i c a l b a s e was common-sense r e a l i s m ,
GRESHAM c o r r e c t s a number of m i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s o f
FINNEYts thought. For i n s t a n c e , FTNNEY h e l d t h a t man was
n a t u r a l l y capable of keeping t h e law, b u t he a l s o t h o u g h t
t h a t man was morally i n c a p a b l e , t h u s r e q u i r i n g t h e h e l p
of t h e Holy S p i r i t , Furthermore, he b e l i e v e d e v a n g e l i s t s
could hold r e v i v a l s , b u t he a l s o i n s i s t e d t h a t p r a y e r was
e s s e n t i a l t o t h e work of t h e Holy S p i r i t .
He b e l i e v e d
t h a t t h e Baptism of t h e Holy S p i r i t was an e x p e r i e n c e
subsequent t o conversion,
b u t t h a t t h i s e x p e r i e n c e was
r e p e a t a b l e . I n h i s own l i f e , h i s f i r s t flBaptismu was j u s t
a f t e r conversion and o t h e r a n n o i n t i n g s f o l l o w e d , On t h e
o t h e r hand, FINNEY d i d not hold tongues t o b e t h e i n i t i a l
evidence of t h e Baptism of t h e Holy S p i r i t , a l t h o u g h he
acknowledged t h e p o s s i b i l i t y of u n u t t e r a b l e g r o a n i n g s . He
held t h a t t h e Baptism gave power f o r p r e a c h i n g and
s a n c t i f i c a t i o n . The Holy S p i r i t e f f e c t e d ,
according; t o
FINNEY, an e x p e r i e n t i a l union w i t h J e s u s and l e d t o u n i t y
of purpose i n p r a y e r .
T h i s pneumatological g r a c e was
r e c e i v e d through
faith,
revealing
itself
through
obedience, p e r s i s t e n t p r a y e r and y i e l d i n g .
GRESHAM f i n d s f a u l t w i t h FINNEYts p e r f e c t i o n i s t
i d e a s , which d e r i v e from h i s i n t e l l e c t u a l i s t d e f i n i t i o n
of s i n a s l!conscious t r a n s g r e s s i o n o f known law." The
Keswick p o s i t i o n is t h e r e f o r e c o n s i d e r e d t o be more
b i b l i c a l i n r e c o g n i z i n g t h e depth o f s i n .
T h i s book is v a l u a b l e f o r i t s h i s t o r i c a l e x a c t n e s s
and f o r i t s t h e o l o g i c a l depth.
Frank
M.
MATRE,
Som
em
M a e t i ~ Flod
(Oslo:
F i l a d e l f i a f o r l a g e t a / s , 1 9 8 7 ) , 1 7 0 pp. Reviewed by
L i s SORENSEN, Mariager, Denmark,
Som en Maetig Flod ( L i k e a Mighty R i v e r ) i s w r i t t e n
by Frank M. MATRE, a Norwegian p e n t e c o s t a l p a s t o r . Some
time ago,
he s p e n t two y e a r s a t F u l l e r T h e o l o g i c a l
Seminary, Pasadena, CA, s t u d y i n g church growth.
T h i s book r e f l e c t s i n s i g h t s from t h a t p e r i o d a s
w e l l as p e r s o n a l o b s e r v a t i o n s ,
and,
most importantly,
MATRE Is t r y i n g t o a d a p t and apply church growth t h e o r i e s
i n t h e S c a n d i n a v i a n / p e n t e c o s t a l c o n t e x t , T h i s is a11
t h e more s i g n i f i c a n t ,
because n o t much h a s y e t been
w r i t t e n on t h i s s u b j e c t i n Scandinavian languages. The
a u t h o r f r e q u e n t l y mentions American examples, b u t then
a l s o compares i d e a s w i t h e x p e r i e n c e s i n Norway, Sweden
and Denmark.
Frank Matre does n o t o n l y speak about numerical
growth, f o r s p i r i t u a l m a t u r i t y i s a l s o h i s concern. He
p o i n t s o u t t h a t e v e r y g e n e r a t i o n must t e s t i t s e l f with
r e g a r d t o c h r i s t i a n t r a d i t i o n s t o s e e i f they no longer
!'A t h i n g t h a t is dead w i l l
s e r v e a m i n i s t e r i a l purpose.
remain t h e same y e a r a f t e r y e a r , b u t t h a t which i e a l i v e
w i l l change and b e renewed or it w i l l d i e , A s it is i n
n a t u r e , s o it is i n t h e church o f God" (p. 2 1 ) .
The c h a p t e r t h a t I found e s p e c i a l l y h e l p f b l is
e n t i t l e d 'IReasons f o r Stagnation1!. Here, MATRE provides
s u g g e s t i o n s t o problems such a s "when l e a d e r s h i p f a i l s ' !
o r "when t h e church i s l i k e a clubf1. Personal problems,
problems o f h i e r a r c h y , s a t i s f a c t i o n with t h e s t a t u s quo,
l a c k of e v a n g e l i s t i c z e a l a r e j u s t a few o f t h e t o p i c s
d i s c u s s e d . The a u t h o r p o i n t s o u t t h a t n e x t t o t h e g i f t of
pastoral leadership,
every church member i s a p r i e s t
b e f o r e God and h a s g i f t s and a m i n i s t r y Ephesians 4: 11,
"If t h e l e a d e r s h i p goes ahead and p r a y s f o r growth, works
f o r growth,
t r a i n s and i n s p i r e s church members f o r
growth, t h e n t h e church w i l l be renewed and w i l l grow1!
(p* 112).
The l a a t c h a p t e r i n t h e book i s about t h e g i f t s of
t h e S p i r i t , t h e f r u i t of t h e S p i r i t and Church growth.
The p a s s a g e s d i s c u s s e d are found i n I ~ o r i n t h i a i s 12,
Romans 1 2 , and Ephesians 4 ,
The book i s very w e l l w r i t t e n , thought provoking,
i n s p i r i n g and p r a c t i c a l , I t d e a l s w i t h g o a l s e t t i n g and
s p i r i t u a l p r i n c i p l e s , With t h e l a y person i n mind, MATRE
h a s n o t i n c l u d e d heavy t h e o l o g i c a l m a t e r i a l , Subj e c t s a r e
covered adequately, although n o t i n g r e a t d e p t h , A l l t h e
same, it is a book worth while t o have i n o u r Scandinavian p e n t e c o s t a l l i t e r a t u r e .
e d i t o r i n c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h B e r n a r d McGINN
and John MEYENDORFF, C h r i s t i a n S p i r i t u a l i t y : Hiah
Middle Ages and Reformation,
Volume 17 of World
Spirituality :
An Encyclopedic H i s t o r y o f t h e
R e l i g i o u s Quest (London: Routeledge and Kegan P a u l ,
1987) 479 pp.
Reviewed by Donald Dean SMEETON,
Rhode S t . Gen&se, Belgium.
.Ti11
- --- -RAITT.
...-
This volume is p a r t o f a very a m b i t i o u s m u l t i volume p r o j e c t i n v o l v i n g more t h a n 500 c o n t r i b u t i n g
s c h o l a r s from a l l p a r t s of t h e world i n an a t t e m p t t o
survey mankind's s p i r i t u a l wisdom from p r e h i s t o r i c t i m e s ,
through a l l major r e l i g i o u s t r a d i t i o n s , t o modern t i m e s .
Like a l l encyclopedias, t h i s work i a d e s i g n e d more
f o r r e f e r e n c e and s e r i o u s s t u d y t h a n f o r c a s u a l r e a d i n g .
It covers schools and movements (mendicants,
medieval
devotions,
scholasticism,
r e l i g i o u s women,
devotio
moderna, mysticism, Orthodox p r a c t i c e , and P r o t e s t a n t i s m )
a s w e l l as themes ( t h e p a s s i o n of C h r i s t ,
Mary,
the
E u c h a r i s t , and t h e concept o f t h e c h u r c h ) . Each c o n t r i b u t i o n is supported by e x t e n s i v e n o t e s and c o n c l u d e s w i t h
a current bibliography.
What it t r e a t s ,
it c o v e r s
thoroughly, b u t one looks i n v a i n f o r a c h a p t e r o n , f o r
example, English r e f o r m a t i o n s p i r i t u a l i t y , Even i f such
t o p i c s a r e t o be considered i n a subsequent volume, t h e
arrangement of t h e d e s i r e d m a t e r i a l would
demand
unnecessary
searching,
This
problem
is
further
accentuated by t h e d e c i s i o n t o u t i l i z e a broad d e f i n i t i o n
of " s p i r i t u a l i t y 1 ' and allow each c o n t r i b u t o r t o develop
h i s t o p i c independently.
T h i s approach h a s obvious
advantages, b u t it r e s u l t s i n a patchwork o f c o n f l i c t i n g
terms and assumptions. N e v e r t h e l e s s , t h i s work d e s e r v e s a
p l a c e on t h e l i b r a r y s h e l f as a s o u r c e of understanding
C h r i s t i a n s p i r i t u a l i t y through t h e ages.
Of
p a r t i c u l a r significance t o readers of t h i s
j o u r n a l is t h e a r t i c l e on ZWINGLI, f o r according t o the
a u t h o r F r i t z BUSSER,
t h e reformer of Zurich gave
d i s t i n c t i v e a t t e n t i o n t o i n t e r i o r s p i r i t u a l i t y as the
ZWINGLIC,
and h i s successor
work o f t h e Holy S p i r i t .
BULLINGER, understood t h e i r t a s k o f reforming t h e Church
t o b e e s s e n t i a l l y t h e work of t h e Holy S p i r i t and they
p l a c e d pneumatology a t t h e c e n t e r o f t h e i r understanding
of t h e s a l v a t i o n covenant. The Zurich reformers d i f f e r e d
w i t h t h e C a t h o l i c s when they a s s e r t e d t h a t t h e S p i r i t was
n o t r e s t r i c t e d t o t h e sacraments and t h e y departed from
L u t h e r when t h e y t a u g h t t h a t t h e S p i r i t was not bound t o
t h e Word,
I t was Z W I N G L I 1 s c o n v i c t i o n t h a t t h e S p i r i t
compelled t h e r e f o r m a t i o n o f s o c i e t y . He was c o n t e n t t o
l a y down h i s l i f e f o r t h a t k i n d o f s p i r i t u a l i t y .
Oddvar
TEGNANDER,
Kongen kommer (Oslo:
F i l a d e l f iaf o r l a g e t , 1987)" 173 pp. Reviewed by David BUNDY,
Lexington, KY, U.S,A,
Eschatology haa been a c e n t r a l concern t o Norwegian
pentecostal theological r e f l e c t i o n since the e a r l i e s t
days o f t h e movement, This emphasis and p e r s p e c t i v e is
p a r t o f t h e s h a r e d h e r i t a g e o f t h e p e n t e c o s t a l churches
i n Europe and t h r o u g h o u t t h e world. T . B , BARRATT spoke
f r e q u e n t l y of t h e pentecostal eschatological expectation
i n Byposten and K o r s e t s S e i e r , He devoted a t t e n t i o n to
t h e i s s u e s i n Sandheden om pinsevaekkelsen ( K r i s t i a n i a :
K r i ~ t t e l i gBok- og ' ~ r a k t a t f o r l a g , 1 9 1 0 ) ~I n o t h e r p a r t s of
S c a n d i n a v i a , t h e same i s s u e was i m p o r t a n t ; i n Sweden f o r
example, Lewi PETHRUS began h i s book p u b l i s h i n g c a r e e r
w i t h J e s u s kommer (Stockholm: F o r l a g e t F i l a d e l f i a , 1912).
BARRATT c o n t r i b u t e d Komnende b e a i v e n h e t e r ( K r i s t i a n i a :
Korsets S e i e r Forlag,
1920) which i n c l u d e d among the
8tsirrns
of t h e times" both t h e League of N a t i o n s and
socialism. H i s volume, S t a r J e s u a j e n s k o m s t f o r dtiren?
Tusendrsriket oe; de s i s t e t i n g (Oslo: F i l a d e l f i a f o r l l a g e t ,
1935)
mentioned b o t h MUSSOLINI and HITLER i n t h e same
-.
way. A s a r e s u l t , t h e book was c o n f i s c a t e d by t h e N a z i s
during t h e i r occupation o f Norway. BARRATT' s Dak d t d o
~v
( 0 s l o : F i l a d e l f i a f o r l a g e t , 1939) f o c u s e d more on t h f
i n d i v i d u a l , personal eschatology. The v i s i o n was updated
by o t h e r s , i n c l u d i n g , f o r example, E r l i n g STRgM B i b e l e n s
r o f e t i e r o p p f y l l e s i I s r a e l i daq (Oslo: F i l a d e l f i a f o r - bombene i B i b e l e n s l y s (Oslo:
!aget, n.d.) and A.H.K.
Filadelfiaforlaget, n,d.).
T h i s book c o n t i n u e s t h a t t r a d i t i o n .
TEGNANDER
d e s c r i b e s t h e moral decadence o f modern c u l t u r e ,
the
as w e l l a s t h e
frequency of d e v a s t a t i n g e a r t h q u a k e s ,
phenomena of atomic energy, chemical w a r f a r e a n d g l o b a l
war. He a l s o discussed a l c o h o l abuse, t h e S t a t e o f I s r a e l
and i t s r o l e i n b i b l i c a l prophecy
(pp. 61-71)
and
r e f l e c t s on t h e r e l a t i a n s h i p between ISRAEL and t h e
S o v i e t Union (pp. 33, 72-82,
e t passim). These a r e a l l
seen t o be s i g n i f i c a n t f o r t h e parousia o f C h r i s t .
TEGNANDER is n o t one t o advocate a r a d i c a l r e s p o n s e
t o t h e perceived sign^.^ He i n s i s t s on t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f
t h e b i b l i c a l theme of n o t knowing t h e t i m i n g of t h e
parousia, d e s p i t e a u s p i c i o u s s i g n s .
The C h r i s t i a n , h e
argues, i s t o w a i t p a t i e n t l y f o r t h e r e t u r n o f C h r i s t b u t
is t o w a i t i n a s t a t e o f p e r p e t u a l r e a d i n e s s ,
This
r e a d i n e s s is t o b e t y p i f i e d by l i v i n g a c c o r d i n g t o a
b i b l i c a l - e t h i c a l paradigm.
The s t r u g g l e t o l i v e and
witness w i l l end w i t h t h e parousia which s h a l l i n a u g u r a t e
peace f o r t h e b e l i e v e r . It is a p r e - m i l l e n n i a 1 v i s i o n i n
which t h e b e l i e v e r s w i l l r e i g n w i t h C h r i s t d u r i n g t h e
rnilleniurn of
s t a b i l i t y and peace c h a r a c t e r i z e d by
s p i r i t u a l and material w e a l t h and t h e p r i e s t h o o d o f
Israel,
The volume i s w r i t t e n i n p o p u l a r s t y l e , r e f l e c t i v e
of its e a r l i e s t form a s B i b l e s t u d i e s and t a l k s a b o u t t h e
ttend-timestt i n Norwegian p a r i s h e s such a s K l i p p e n , Sandes
and S t j o r d a l where it was recorded and t r a n s f e r e d t o
t e x t . TEGNANDER does n o t make e x p l i c i t h i s d i a l o g u e w i t h
'a
more r a d i c a l views o f eschatology p r e v a l e n t i n c h a r i s m a t i c and p e n t e c o s t a l c i r c l e s . H i s is a d i s c r e t e e f f o r t
t o keep t h e d i s c u s s i o n w i t h i n t h e parameters e s t a b l i s h e d
by decades of r e f l e c t i o n on t h e b i b l i c a l t e x t s w i t h i n the
European p e n t e c o s t a l churches.
TEGNANDER is w e l l q u a l i f i e d t o t a k e on t h i s
a p o l o g e t i c and t h e o l o g i c a l t a s k .
H e is r e c t o r of the
~ e t h e l - I n s t i t u t t e t i n Trondheim, a t a s k wich b r i n g s him
i n t o c o n t a c t w i t h p e n t e c o s t a l congregations throughout
t h e country.
P r i o r t o t h i s engagement, he served as a
p a s t o r f o r t h i r t y y e a r s , seven of which were devoted to
m i s s i o n s i n Japan. TEGNANDERYabook w i l l not compete with
s c h o l a r l y a n a l y s e s of e s c h a t o l o g y . It was n o t intended a s
such.
I t w i l l s e r v e t o c o n t i n u e t h e t r a d i t i o n of
Norwegian p e n t e c o s t a l r e f l e c t i o n about eschatology. A
b i b l i o g r a p h y o f e a r l i e r works by Norwegian p e n t e c o s t a l
w r i t e r s and a s c r i p t u r e index would have f a c i l i t a t e d the
u s e o f t h e volume.
I V , NOTES
The American Theological L i b r a r y Association has
s e l e c t e d t h e EPTA BULLETIN f o r indexing a r t i c l e s i n
R e l i g i o n Index One:
One : P e r i o d i c a l s ( ~ 1 0 ) and book reviews
i n Index t o Book Reviews i n R e l i g i o n ; published by the
A ss s o c i a t i o n ,
American T h e o l o g i c a l L i b r a r y A
820 Church
S t r e e t , 3 r d f l o o r , Evanston , I l l i n o i s 60201. The indexes
a r e a l s o a v a i l a b l e on l i n e through BRS Information
Technologies
and
DIALOG
Information
Services
and
Wilsonline.
G.F.D.
,
D.L,
BLACK,
A Layman's Guide t o t h e Holy S p i r i t . A
P e n t e c o s t a l P e r s p e c t i v e ( C l e v e l a n d , Tenn: pathway
P r e s s , 1988) 131 pp.
This
guide
is
excellent
in
clarity
and
comprehensiveness.
The a u t h o r is a t h i r d g e n e r a t i o n
p e n t e c o s t a l m i n i s t e r of t h e Whurch o f God" ( C l e v e l a n d ,
Tenn, ) with good academic c r e d e n t i a l s (B *The, M.Th.,
D . T ~ ,). P a r t one surveys b i b l i c a l d o c t r i n e , s t a r t i n g w i t h
A l l s c r i p t u r e r e f e r e n c e s are
t h e Athanasian Creed.
systematized,
with t h e d e i t y and p e r s o n a l i t y o f t h e
S p i r i t c l e a r l y affirmed. The probably n o n - a u t h e n t i c v e r s e
i n I John 5:7 is n e i t h e r quoted nor r e j e c t e d ,
P a r t two covers p e n t e c o s t a l p r a c t i c e , P e n t e c o s t a l s
a r e , first of a l l , considered t o be E v a n g e l i c a l s , T h e i r
only d i s t i n c t i v e is S p i r i t baptism w i t h s p e a k i n g i n
tongues a s i n i t i a l evidence. The C h a r i s m a t i c movement is
a l s o described i r e n i c a l l y .
The c o n c l u d i n g c h a p t e r s pose
t o the reader questions p e r t a i n i n g t o s a l v a t i o n , S p i r i t
Baptism,
speaking i n tongues,
exercising charismatic
g i f t s and bearing s p i r i t u a l f r u i t .
d i s a p p o i n t m e n t i n t h e r e l a t i v e d e a r t h of
serious
c h a r i s m a t i c m a t e r i a l concerning t h e Holy S p i r i t , d e s p i t e
t h e movement Is i n f l u e n c e on t h e s p i r i t u a l l i f e o f so many
Christians.
He concludes w i t h an a p p e a l f o r more
t h e o l o g i c a l i n v e s t i g a t i o n i n t h i s a r e a of study.
C e l e b r a t i o n Songs ( G l o u c e s t e r :
1988) 24 pp.
T h i s c o l l e c t i o n of s o n g s , hymns and choruses was
p r e p a r e d j o i n t l y b y t h e E l i m Assemblies and Assemblies of
although t h e i r
God i n G r e a t B r i t a i n and I r e l a n d ,
c o l l a b o r a t i o n is n o t noted i n t h e b o o k l e t , The song book
c o n t a i n s t h e wards of 155 songs l i s t e d i n a l p h a b e t i c a l
o r d e r by f i r s t l i n e r a t h e r t h a n by t i t l e . T h i s design was
followed t o f a c i l i t a t e t h e l o c a t i n g o f songs d u r i n g a
meeting,
Authors and c o p y r i g h t h o l d e r s are i n d i c a t e d s o it
is p o s s i b l e t o t r a c e s o u r c e s . Eleven
t h e h i g h e s t number
a r e by Graham KENDRICK,
who i s
from any one a u t h o r
i n t e r v i e w e d a b o u t h i s music and h i s m i n i s t r y i n
Redemption ( J a n u a r y 1 9 8 9 ) , pages 5-7.
There a r e e i g h t
c o n t r i b u t i o n s by C h r i s BOWATER of t h e Assemblies of God
B i b l e C o l l e g e i n Mattersey and f i v e by Charles WESLEY,
The o t h e r songs come f r o m a wide v a r i e t y of c o n t e x t s ,
i n c l u d i n g t h e R e s t o r a t i o n movement.
-
Gerald BRAY, "Recent Trends i n Pneumatology," E v a n g e l 7 , l
(Spring 1989), 13-15.
S t a r t i n g w i t h a few comments a b o u t t h e renewed
t h e o l o g i c a l i n t e r e s t i n t h e Holy S ~ i r i tt h a t h a s been
Dr.
s t i m u l a t e d by t h e ~ e n t e c o s t a l / ~ h a r i s m a t i movement.
c
BRAY s u r v e y s r e c e n t t h e o l o g i c a l l i t e r a t u r e on pneumatology
Among t h e C a t h o l i c s , BRAY s e e s Yves C O N G A R t s t h r e e
volume I ~ e l i e v e i n t h e Holy S p i r i t t o b e t h e most
comprehensive study a v a i l a b l e , b u t h e a l s o comments on
DURWELL and Donald GELPI,
Among
t h e works of F.X.
Protestants,
BRAY f i n d s b r o a d e r i n t e r e s t s and more
v a r i e t y i n conclusions.
The a u t h o r
expresses h i s
.
S t o a t e & Bishop P r i n t e r s ,
-
P e t e r HOCKEN,
"Dialogue E x t r a o r d i n a r y f v One i n C h r i s t 3
( 1 9 8 8 ) , 202-213.
The a u t h o r h a s succeeded i n t h e double t a s k of
book
Roman, C a t h o l i c /
reviewing
Jerry
SANDIDGE s
P e n t e c o s t a l Dialogue (1977-1982):
A Study i n Developing
Ecumenism 2 v o l s . ( F r a n k f u r t a.M,: P e t e r Lang, 1 9 8 7 ) , and
r e f l e c t i n g on t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e of
these b i l a t e r a l
meetings between P e n t e c o s t a l s and Roman C a t h o l i c s ,
HOCKEN, himself a roman c a t h o l i c p r i e s t , d e l i c a t e l y draws
a contextual p i c t u r e of t h e
dialogue,
clarifying
p e c u l i a r i t i e s , a t t i t u d e s , and h i g h - l i g h t i n g t h e i m p o r t a n t
c o n t r i b u t i o n s of k e y f i g u r e s l i k e David DU PLESSXS , K i l i a n
McDONNELL, and SANDIDGE h i m s e l f .
Stanley JOHANNESEN,
"The Holy Ghost i n S u n s e t P a r k , "
H i s t o r i c a l R e f l e c t i o n s / R e f l e x i o n s H i s t o r i q u e s , 15,3
(1988), 543-577
6
In this a r t i c l e a history professor a t the
University of Waterloo i n Canada r e f l e c t s on h i s own
p e n t e c o s t a l h e r i t a g e given by t h e p i o n e e r s o f t h e r e v i v a l
message among t h e Norwegian immigrants t o America. I n t h e
process o f e v a l u a t i n g t h e p a s t , JOMNNESEN a l s o p r e s e n t s
an i n t e r e s t i n g s t u d y of c u l t u r a l change and a s s i m i l a t i o n
of t h e new a r r i v a l s i n t o t h e North-American mainstream,
The Zion c o n g r e g a t i o n , which is t h o u g h t t o have
s t a r t e d t h e i n f l u e n c e of Thomas B a l l BARRATT
consisted
mainly o f Norwegians who came t o America s e e k i n g a b e t t e r
l i f e . Much of t h e r i s e and d e c l i n e o f t h i s c h u r c h is
t r a c e d t o t h e work o f p a s t o r s Arne DAHL and A r t h u r M,
JOHNSON. The congregation was i n f l u e n c e d by t h e L a t t e r
Rain movement b u t it was weakened most s e v e r e l y by t h e
economic p r o s p e r i t y t h a t r e s u l t e d i n upward s o c i a l
m o b i l i t y and t h e movement of many t o t h e s u b u r b s o f New
York and elsewhere.
,
George Davis K I N G , Lessons on t h e Holy S p i r i t ( N a s h v i l l e ,
TN: Broadman P r e s s , 1 9 8 8 ) , 221 pp.
t h i s s t u d y manual
Targeted t o t h e layperson,
p r o v i d e s an overview of t h e work of t h e Holy S p i r i t from
a b a p t i s t viewpoint. It is d i v i d e d i n 52 l e s s o n s so t h a t
even by w r i t i n g o u t each l e a r n i n g e x e r c i s e an average
r e a d e r c o u l d complete a l e s s o n i n a b o u t h a l f an hour.
an i n t r o d u c t i o n ,
and
Each l e s s o n h a s a a t a t e d a i m ,
s e v e r a l pages of e x p l a n a t i o n with a c t i v i t i e s i n t e r spersed.
According t o h i s own c o n f e s s i o n ,
t h e author has
borrowed much from B i l l BRIGHT, B i l l y GRAHAM,
and J.
Oswald SANDERS,
s o p r e d i c t a b l y t h e t e x t adopts the
a c c e p t e d p o s i t i o n s of many Southern B a p t i s t churches in
North America ( e , g , ance-saved-always-saved, one-baptiamfruit-more-important-than-gifts,
and
many-fillings,
tongues,
although not forbidden,
a r e dangerous.) The
g i f t s o f tongues and i n t e r p r e t a t i o n a r e discussed a t some
l e n g t h i n f o u r c h a p t e r s b u t much a t t e n t i o n i s g i v e n t o
c a u t i o n s and l i m i t a t i o n s .
L i k e many s i m i l a r works,
t h i s book expresses the
d e s i r e t h a t b e l i e v e r s might experience more of t h e Holy
S p i r i t ' s r e a l i t y i n t h e i r l i v e s , b u t then proceeds to
i n d o c t r i n a t e f e a r s and phobias t h a t f n h i b i t y i e l d i n g t o
t h e Holy S p i r i t .
-
Gary S. SHOGREN, " W i l l God Heal Us
A Re-Examination of
James 5 :5-14-16a,
E v a n g e l i c a l Q u a r t e r l ~ , 6l,2
( A p r i l 1 9 8 9 ) , 99-108.
A b a p t i s t p a s t o r examines t h e views concerning the
s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e o i l c i t e d by James i n t h e c o n t e x t s f
physical healing.
He a p p e a l s f o r t h e a p p l i c a t i o n of
normal h e r m e n e u t i c a l p r i n c i p l e s by which he r e je c t s the
o i l a s p u r e l y m e d i c i n a l , a a r i t u a l o r sacramental, and a s
a mere p s y c h o l o g i c a l reinforcement,
SHOGREN concludes
-
t h a t t h e o i l is a symbol o f d i v i n e f a v o r ,
that the sick
should c a l l t h e i r own e l d e r s , t h a t i n q u i r y s h o u l d b e made
concerning s i n s ,
and t h a t t h e a n o i n t i n g by t h e e l d e r s
should accompany b e l i e v i n g p r a y e r and m e x p e c t a n t : f a i t h ,
..
la
E v e r t e t Helene VELDHUIZEN, Dans l a France E n t i a r e ,
Communaut6 C h r e t i e n n e du P o i n t du J o u r ( P a r i s :
Communaut6 du P o i n t du J o u r , 1 0 , r u e de Musset.
75016 P a r i s , 1988) 64 pp,
T h i s d i r e c t o r y of churches a s s o c i a t e d w i t h the
Communaut6 Chr6tienne du P o i n t du J o u r was prepared f o r
t h e N a t i o n a l B i b l e Convention,
h e l d October 29
November 1, 1988, 'in P a r i s . It lists b a s i c d a t a on each
church i n c l u d i n g name,
l o c a tion,
pastor,
telephone
numbers and a s c h e d u l e of r e g u l a r s e r v i c e s . Each e n t r y
a l s o i n c l u d e s a d e s c r i p t i v e paragraph t h a t comments on
t h e c h u r c h t s n a t u r e , h i s t o r y and/or p r e s e n t m i n i s t r i e s ;
same even have a photograph o f t h e f a c i l i t i e s o r people,
Although t h e d i r e c t o r y does n o t claim t o be compreh e n s i v e , it lists 17 e n t r i e s f o r t h e a r e a o f P a r i s , 1 5 in
t h e n o r t h and e a s t o f France, 13 i n t h e s o u t h and 9 i n the
west.
-
Max
TURNER,
N E c c l e s i o l o g y i n t h e Major A p o s t o l i c
R e s t o r a t i o n i s t Churches i n t h e U n i t e d Kin
Evangelica 19 (1989), 83-108.
A f t e r a survey of t h e h i s t o r y and major f a c e t s o f
t h e R e s t o r a t i o n i a t ( a term which t h e a u t h o r p r e f e r s o v e r
"the house church") movement,
M a x TURNER sets f o r t h
r e s t o r a t i o n i s t d o c t r i n e and p r a c t i c e ,
He s e e a R e s t o r a t i o n i s t ecclesiology as s i m i l a r t o t h e t r a d i t i o n a l f r e e
church understanding but d e f i n e s it a s d i s t i n c t i v e i n i t s
theology and i n i t s i m p l i c a t i o n s f o r r a d i c a l d i s c i p l s s h i p
in practice.
The term l t r e s t o r a t i o n i s t " d e s c r i b e s a view of
s a l v a t i o n h i s t o r y and demands a r e t u r n t o New Testament
soots.
Such e c c l e s i o l o g y i s e s s e n t i a l l y c h a r i s m a t i c i n
l i f e a s well a s m i n i s t r y . The movement s e e s i t s e l f as a
f o r c e both i n s i d e and o u t s i d e t h e e s t a b l i s h e d c h u r c h e s
through which God is r e s t o r i n g a l l b e l i e v e r s t o u n i t y ,
The author o f f e r s an extended e x c u r s u s t o d e f i n e
t h e r o l e of t h e a p o s t l e and p r o p h e t s , f o r t h e y a r e s e e n
as an on-going f u n c t i o n i n t h e l i f e o f t h e c h u r c h t h a t
can be i d e n t i f i e d by s p e c i f i e d c r i t e r i a .
TURNER a l s o
d e s c r i b e s t h e movementts concept of d i s c i p l i n e , d e l e g a t e d
a u t h o r i t y and shepherding.
D.D.S.
tlWords, Works and Wonders : Papers from an I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Dialogue
between
the
Pentecostal/Charismatic
Renewal and E v a n g e l i c a l S o c i a l Action,Iq Transf o r m a t i o n 5,4 ( ~ c t o b e r / D e c e m b e r1 9 8 8 ) , pp. 1-46.
-
Almost t h e e n t i r e i s s u e o f t h i s j o u r n a l which
describes i t s e l f
a s "An I n t e r n a t i o n a l Dialogue on
E v a n g e l i c a l S o c i a l E t h i c s , I t is d e d i c a t e d t o exploring the
P e n t e c o s t a l / C h a r i s m a t i c r e n e w a l ' s r e l a t i o n s h i p t o evang e l i c a l s o c i a l a c t i o n , A l l of t h e a r t i c l e s o r i g i n a t e d a t
a c o n f e r e n c e convened by Ranald SIDER and Michael HARPER
i n S i e r r a Madre, C a l i f o r n i a , during January 1988. The
f o r t y participants came from a l l t h e c o n t i n e n t s and many
denominations,
w i t h t h e s t a t e d purpose of bringing
" t o g e t h e r Pentecostal/Charismatics and e v a n g e l i c a l s o c i a l
activists f o r c r o s s - f e r t i l i z a t i o n
and encouragement
toward f u l l e r obedience t o C h r i s t and t h e t o t a l i t y o f the
S c r i p t u r e s , '1
The Conference F i n d i n g s Report (P. If.) s t a t e s t h a t
a concern f o r t h e Kingdom o f God h a s become c e n t r a l i n
t h e theology of b o t h t h e s o c i a l a c t i v i s t s and t h e
Charismatic renewal, The former have t e n d e d Lo emphasize
t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f t h e kingdom t o t h e p o o r ,
while the
l a t t e r tended t o s t r e s s t h e importance o f miracles, The
Conference found b o t h were c e n t r a l i n S c r i p t u r e a n d t h e r e
was a need f o r both camps t o l e a r n from e a c h o t h e r *
Building around t h e terms 'IWords,
Works and
Wonders," Roger FORSTER ( p p . 3-6) showed t h a t t h e two
With h i s t o r i c a l
groups can l e a r n from each o t h e r .
s t u d i e s , Donald W , DAYTON ( p p , 7-13) and N o r b e r t o SARACCO
(pp.
14-18) formulated some o b s e r v a t i o n s from t h e
experiences of t h e awakenings i n Narth America a n d L a t i n
America r e s p e c t i v e l y .
L a r r y CHRISTENSON ( pp.
19-20)
c a l l e d on t h e s o c i a l a c t i v i s t s t o t h i n k d i s c r i m i n a t e l y i n
order t o d i s t i n g u i s h between b i b l i c a l p r i n c i p l e s and
s o c i a l opinions, and t h e n t o a c t c o u r a g e o u s l y .
He s a i d
t h a t i f one wants t o change t h e s t r u c t u r e a of' s o c i e t y ,
one should not look t o t h e gavernment f o r f a v o r s b u t f a r
freedom. Thus,
t h e s o c i a l a c t i v i s t needs t o p u t h i s
u l t i m a t e t r u s t i n God.
W i l l i a m PANNELL c r i t i q u e d
(pp. 20-23) t h e Charismatic renewal from t h e p e r s p e c t i v e
of t h e black E v a n g e l i c a l because of t h e d a n g e r s h e f i n d s
its s p i r i t u a l individualism,
it a financial
i n it:
affluence,
its s e d u c t i o n by a p o l i t i c a l . s y s t e m and i t s
pre-occupation with e x p e r i e n c e . The l a s t major a r t i c l e is
a perceptive p r e s e n t a t i o n e n t i t l e d ItA theology o f t h e
24-31) by Graham GRAY who a p p l i e s t h e
Kingdomtt (pp.
"already / n o t y e t " motif t o h i s theme and e x p l o r e s how
t h e kingdom i s understood by t h e C h a r i s m a t i c s . He warnes
t h a t concern f o r t h e S p i r i t t s r o l e i n t h e kingdom c a n n o t
simply be added t o t h e theme of t h e kingdom's demand f o r
j u s t i c e . The remaining a r t i c l e s i n t h i s i s s u e p r e s e n t e d
case s t u d i e s based on t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f a C h a r i s m a t i c
p r i e s t i n L a t i n America,
an i n n e r c i t y c h u r c h i n
P h i l a d e l p h i a ( U S A ) , an Open B r e t h r e n Assembly i n New
Zealand and a development program i n Kenya.
CONTRIBUTORS: G.F.D. = G. Fay DICKERSON; J.L.K. = John L.
KARSTEN; J.D.P.
= Jean-Daniel PLUESS;
D.D.S. =
Donald D. SMEETON
V , CHRONICLE
GERMANY.
Mary MORRIS o f t h e EUROPEAN BIBLE SEMINARY has r e c e n t l y
S i x c h o r a l e C a n t a t a s o f John S c h e l l e (Madison: A-R ~ d i t i o n a ;
Inc.; R e c e n t Researches i n t h e M u s i c o f t h e Baroque Era, Volumes LX and
1x1, 1988), x x i v + 4ms f a c s i m i l i e s + 202 pp,
The EUROPEAN BIBLE SEHINARY i n Rudersberg c e l e b r a t e d PENIECOSTAL
HERITAGE DAY i n A p r i l 1989 w i t h g u e s t s p e a k e r s f r o i n v a r i o u s c o u n t r i e s .
Andrk HEBER o f F r a n c e , R o l f - D i e t e r RRAUN o f Germany, and O a v i d PETTS o f
E n g l a n d r e p r e s e n t e d C e n t r a l Europe w h i l e J s s e f BRENKUS and Ronan BILAS
Tuo v i s i t o r s from
spoke a b o u t t h e s i t u a t i o n I n E a s t e r n Europe.
S c a n d i n a v i a , Dr. M a r i t LANDRO and S t i g HEDSTROM, d e s c r i b e d t h e h i s t o r y
o f t h e movenent i n t h a t p a r t o f Europe, E v e n t s were c o - o r d i n a t e d b y the
s t u d e n t s i n a c o u r s e e n t i t l e d t h e H i s t o r y o f t h e Hodern P e n t e c o s t a l
Movement, ( C o r r e s p o n d e n t : Donald D. SHEETON)
THE NETHERLANDS.
UTRECHT UNIVERSITY h o s t e d t h e f i f t h CONFERENCE ON
PENTECOSTAL AND CHARISMATIC RESEARCH I N EUROPE f r o n June 2 8 t h t o J u l y
l s t , 1989. The p a r t i c i p a n t s came f r o n t e n d i f f e r e n t European c o u n t r i e s ,
as w e l l as f r o n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s o f America and South A f r i c a , i n order
t o l e a r n , s h a r e and s t i m u l a t e r e s e a r c h on p e n t e c o s t a l a s p e c t s o f church
l i f e and h i s t o r y .
P r o f e s s o r Jan A.0,
JONGENEEL u n d e r l i n e d i n h i s opening address
t h a t p n e u m a t o l o g y n o t o n l y needed a v a l i d d o c t r i n a l approach, b u t also
a sound u n d e r l r t a n d i n g o f s p i r i t u a l e x p e r i e n c e s , t h u s d e l i n i a t i n g t h i s
y e a r ' s o v e r a l l theme,
ITxperiences o f the Spirit."
P r o f e s s o r W.J.
HOLLENWEGER s t r e t c h e d t h e p a r t i c i p a n t s V minds b y emphasizing t h e need
f o r an a d e q u a t e h e r m e n e u t i c a l approach i n view o f t h e e x i s t i n g
p l u r a l i s m i n t h e w o r l d w i d e p e n t e c o s t a l / c h a r i s m a t i c scene,
Other papers p r e s e n t e d covered v a r i o u s p n e u a a t o l o g i c a l , t h o u g h t
~ o d e l s( e a s t e r n orthodox, a n a l y t i c ) , t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p and d i a l o g u e w i t h
o t h e r churches (pentecostal/charisnatic w i t h ro@an c a t h o l i c , r e f o r a e d ,
and f r e e church t r a d i t i o n s ) , t h e n a t u r e o f p e n t e c o l r t a l h i a t o r i o g r a p h y
as r e f l e c t e d i n t h e b i o g r a p h i e s of e a r l y l e a d e r s ,
aocio-ethical
r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s ( a p a r t h e i d ) , a s w e l l as t h e phenomenon o f h e a l i n g ( a a
a parainedical a l t e r n a t i v e , t h e i n f l u e n c e of t h e BLUMHARDTS),
The
conference was enriched by p a r t i c i p a n t s frolr P o l a n d ,
Runania and
Czechoslovakia r e p o r t i n g on p e n t e c o s t a l / c h a r i s a a t f c a c t i v i t y i n t h e i r
countries.
The papers will soon be p u b l i s h e d i n t h e s e r i e s ~ ~ S t u d i eien t h e
I n t e r c u l t u r a l History of C h r i s t i a n i t y 1 ' by P e t e r Lang ( ~ r a n k f u r t ) , and
t h e next "Conference on P e n t e c o s t a l and C h a r i s ~ a t i cR e s e a r c h i n Europen
will be h e l d i n 1991 i n S w i t z e r l a n d . ( C o r r e s p o n d e n t ; C o r n e l i a VAN BER
LAAN)