Damian Thompson
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- September 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195178562
- eISBN:
- 9780199785070
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195178564.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This book explores how members of one religious group with a strong apocalyptic tradition — Kensington Temple, a large Pentecostal church in London — reconciled doctrines of the end of the world with ...
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This book explores how members of one religious group with a strong apocalyptic tradition — Kensington Temple, a large Pentecostal church in London — reconciled doctrines of the end of the world with the demands of their everyday lives. It is shown that they subjected these doctrines to a process of scrutiny, moderating and marginalizing them in response to a so-called the “Problem of the End”, the tendency of apocalyptic discourse to predict things that do not happen. In doing so, they employed the same subjective rationality that they applied to all manner of risky religious claims, such as those relating to miraculous healing. In effect, they were testing hypotheses not in a scientific fashion, but according to the dictates of common sense. These findings are difficult to reconcile with the notion that there is a single psychological or material cause of millenarianism.Less
This book explores how members of one religious group with a strong apocalyptic tradition — Kensington Temple, a large Pentecostal church in London — reconciled doctrines of the end of the world with the demands of their everyday lives. It is shown that they subjected these doctrines to a process of scrutiny, moderating and marginalizing them in response to a so-called the “Problem of the End”, the tendency of apocalyptic discourse to predict things that do not happen. In doing so, they employed the same subjective rationality that they applied to all manner of risky religious claims, such as those relating to miraculous healing. In effect, they were testing hypotheses not in a scientific fashion, but according to the dictates of common sense. These findings are difficult to reconcile with the notion that there is a single psychological or material cause of millenarianism.
Damian Thompson
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- September 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195178562
- eISBN:
- 9780199785070
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195178564.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter examines how Pentecostal churches are pulled toward and away from accommodation with society as they seek to exercise ministries of miraculous healing and non-eschatological prophecy. It ...
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This chapter examines how Pentecostal churches are pulled toward and away from accommodation with society as they seek to exercise ministries of miraculous healing and non-eschatological prophecy. It describes the millenarian traditions that Pentecostalism inherited from fundamentalism. Pentecostal attitudes to the End Times, which range from enthusiastic participation in the prophecy subculture to a complete lack of interest in it are discussed, including a more recent, optimistic belief in the coming restoration of God’s kingdom.Less
This chapter examines how Pentecostal churches are pulled toward and away from accommodation with society as they seek to exercise ministries of miraculous healing and non-eschatological prophecy. It describes the millenarian traditions that Pentecostalism inherited from fundamentalism. Pentecostal attitudes to the End Times, which range from enthusiastic participation in the prophecy subculture to a complete lack of interest in it are discussed, including a more recent, optimistic belief in the coming restoration of God’s kingdom.
Damian Thompson
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- September 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195178562
- eISBN:
- 9780199785070
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195178564.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter examines the significance of the year 2000 for Western society, evangelical Christianity, and Kensington Temple. It argues that in all three arenas, the millennium raised hopes that had ...
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This chapter examines the significance of the year 2000 for Western society, evangelical Christianity, and Kensington Temple. It argues that in all three arenas, the millennium raised hopes that had already been disappointed by the time it dawned. At Kensington Temple, a scheme to create a network of 2,000 churches by 2000, heavy with apocalyptic resonances, had to be abandoned in 1999; the theological maneuvering that followed illustrates what can happen when a charismatic strategy fails.Less
This chapter examines the significance of the year 2000 for Western society, evangelical Christianity, and Kensington Temple. It argues that in all three arenas, the millennium raised hopes that had already been disappointed by the time it dawned. At Kensington Temple, a scheme to create a network of 2,000 churches by 2000, heavy with apocalyptic resonances, had to be abandoned in 1999; the theological maneuvering that followed illustrates what can happen when a charismatic strategy fails.
Damian Thompson
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- September 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195178562
- eISBN:
- 9780199785070
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195178564.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter is divided into two sections. The first examines the wider lessons to be drawn from the study of millenarianism at Kensington Temple. The second section argues that although the Problem ...
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This chapter is divided into two sections. The first examines the wider lessons to be drawn from the study of millenarianism at Kensington Temple. The second section argues that although the Problem of the End has manifested itself throughout the history of millenarianism, it is becoming more acute. It concludes that secularization weakens millenarianism in a more direct way than it weakens other forms of religious consensus.Less
This chapter is divided into two sections. The first examines the wider lessons to be drawn from the study of millenarianism at Kensington Temple. The second section argues that although the Problem of the End has manifested itself throughout the history of millenarianism, it is becoming more acute. It concludes that secularization weakens millenarianism in a more direct way than it weakens other forms of religious consensus.
Anderson Blanton
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- May 2016
- ISBN:
- 9781469623979
- eISBN:
- 9781469623993
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of North Carolina Press
- DOI:
- 10.5149/northcarolina/9781469623979.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religious Studies
In this work, Anderson Blanton illuminates how prayer, faith, and healing are intertwined with technologies of sound reproduction and material culture in the charismatic Christian worship of southern ...
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In this work, Anderson Blanton illuminates how prayer, faith, and healing are intertwined with technologies of sound reproduction and material culture in the charismatic Christian worship of southern Appalachia. From the radios used to broadcast prayer to the curative faith cloths circulated through the postal system, material objects known as spirit-matter have become essential since the 1940s, Blanton argues, to the Pentecostal community's understanding and performances of faith. Hittin' the Prayer Bones draws on Blanton's extensive site visits with church congregations, radio preachers and their listeners inside and outside the broadcasting studios, and more than thirty years of recorded charismatic worship made available to him by a small Christian radio station. In documenting the transformation and consecration of everyday objects through performances of communal worship, healing prayer, and chanted preaching, Blanton frames his ethnographic research in the historiography of faith healing and prayer, as well as theoretical models of materiality and transcendence. At the same time, his work affectingly conveys the feelings of horror, healing, and humor that are unleashed in practitioners as they experience, in their own words, the sacred, healing presence of the Holy Ghost.Less
In this work, Anderson Blanton illuminates how prayer, faith, and healing are intertwined with technologies of sound reproduction and material culture in the charismatic Christian worship of southern Appalachia. From the radios used to broadcast prayer to the curative faith cloths circulated through the postal system, material objects known as spirit-matter have become essential since the 1940s, Blanton argues, to the Pentecostal community's understanding and performances of faith. Hittin' the Prayer Bones draws on Blanton's extensive site visits with church congregations, radio preachers and their listeners inside and outside the broadcasting studios, and more than thirty years of recorded charismatic worship made available to him by a small Christian radio station. In documenting the transformation and consecration of everyday objects through performances of communal worship, healing prayer, and chanted preaching, Blanton frames his ethnographic research in the historiography of faith healing and prayer, as well as theoretical models of materiality and transcendence. At the same time, his work affectingly conveys the feelings of horror, healing, and humor that are unleashed in practitioners as they experience, in their own words, the sacred, healing presence of the Holy Ghost.
Peter Berger
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195188356
- eISBN:
- 9780199785247
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195188356.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This essay examines the very idea of civil society in an era of globalization and questions religions’ relationship to it. Using Pentecostalism, resurgent Islam, and Catholicism as examples, it ...
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This essay examines the very idea of civil society in an era of globalization and questions religions’ relationship to it. Using Pentecostalism, resurgent Islam, and Catholicism as examples, it argues that religion fosters both civility and incivility, though it tends to lead to the latter more often.Less
This essay examines the very idea of civil society in an era of globalization and questions religions’ relationship to it. Using Pentecostalism, resurgent Islam, and Catholicism as examples, it argues that religion fosters both civility and incivility, though it tends to lead to the latter more often.
William Kostlevy
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195377842
- eISBN:
- 9780199777204
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195377842.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Church History
This book is the story of the Metropolitan Church Association (MCA) an intentional religious community founded in Chicago and later Waukesha, Wisconsin in the early 1890s. A product of the holiness ...
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This book is the story of the Metropolitan Church Association (MCA) an intentional religious community founded in Chicago and later Waukesha, Wisconsin in the early 1890s. A product of the holiness revival of the late nineteenth century and an important catalyst for Pentecostalism the MCA played a significant role in the twentieth century growth of Pentecostal Christianity and were one of the dozens of evangelical communal societies that flourished between 1890 and 1917. As one of the most controversial communal societies of the era, its members were commonly known as ‘holy jumpers’ because of their acrobatic worship style, or ‘Burning Bushers’ because of their acerbic periodical the Burning Bush. The book shows the MCA’s impact on the lives of such key figures in twentieth century Evangelism as popular evangelists Bud Robinson and Seth C. Rees, and self designated first women bishop, Alma White; and such key figures in Pentecostalism as A. G. Garr and Glenn Cook. The book makes three crucial contributions to an understanding of American religion and culture. First, it provides important background material on the origins of Pentecostalism. Secondly it clarifies the internal struggles within the Holiness Movement. It is precisely these currents that came to dominate in the new churches being organized in America, Africa and Asia. Thirdly, this book demonstrates the ease that holiness radicals embraced and created elements of modern culture from gospel music, art calendars (Scripture Text Calendar) to communication.Less
This book is the story of the Metropolitan Church Association (MCA) an intentional religious community founded in Chicago and later Waukesha, Wisconsin in the early 1890s. A product of the holiness revival of the late nineteenth century and an important catalyst for Pentecostalism the MCA played a significant role in the twentieth century growth of Pentecostal Christianity and were one of the dozens of evangelical communal societies that flourished between 1890 and 1917. As one of the most controversial communal societies of the era, its members were commonly known as ‘holy jumpers’ because of their acrobatic worship style, or ‘Burning Bushers’ because of their acerbic periodical the Burning Bush. The book shows the MCA’s impact on the lives of such key figures in twentieth century Evangelism as popular evangelists Bud Robinson and Seth C. Rees, and self designated first women bishop, Alma White; and such key figures in Pentecostalism as A. G. Garr and Glenn Cook. The book makes three crucial contributions to an understanding of American religion and culture. First, it provides important background material on the origins of Pentecostalism. Secondly it clarifies the internal struggles within the Holiness Movement. It is precisely these currents that came to dominate in the new churches being organized in America, Africa and Asia. Thirdly, this book demonstrates the ease that holiness radicals embraced and created elements of modern culture from gospel music, art calendars (Scripture Text Calendar) to communication.
Robert Eric Frykenberg
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780198263777
- eISBN:
- 9780191714191
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198263777.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Church History
This book explores and enhances historical understandings of Christian communities, cultures, and institutions within the Indian world from their beginnings down to the present. As one out of several ...
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This book explores and enhances historical understandings of Christian communities, cultures, and institutions within the Indian world from their beginnings down to the present. As one out of several manifestations of a newly emerging World Christianity, in which Christians of a Post-Christian West are a minority, it focuses upon those trans-cultural interactions within Hindu and Muslim environments which have made Christians in this part of the world distinctive. It seeks to uncover various complexities in the proliferation of Christianity in its many forms, and to examine processes by which Christian elements intermingled with indigenous cultures and which resulted in multiple identities, and also left imprints upon various cultures of India. Thomas Christians believe that the Apostle Thomas came to India in 52 AD/CE, and that he left seven congregations to carry on the Mission of bringing the Gospel to India. In our day, the impulse of this Mission is more alive than ever. Catholics, in three hierarchies, have become most numerous; and various Evangelicals/Protestant communities constitute the third great tradition. With the rise of Pentecostalism, a fourth great wave of Christian expansion in India has occurred. Starting with movements that began a century ago, there are now ten to fifteen times more missionaries than ever before, virtually all of them Indian. Needless to say, Christianity in India is profoundly Indian.Less
This book explores and enhances historical understandings of Christian communities, cultures, and institutions within the Indian world from their beginnings down to the present. As one out of several manifestations of a newly emerging World Christianity, in which Christians of a Post-Christian West are a minority, it focuses upon those trans-cultural interactions within Hindu and Muslim environments which have made Christians in this part of the world distinctive. It seeks to uncover various complexities in the proliferation of Christianity in its many forms, and to examine processes by which Christian elements intermingled with indigenous cultures and which resulted in multiple identities, and also left imprints upon various cultures of India. Thomas Christians believe that the Apostle Thomas came to India in 52 AD/CE, and that he left seven congregations to carry on the Mission of bringing the Gospel to India. In our day, the impulse of this Mission is more alive than ever. Catholics, in three hierarchies, have become most numerous; and various Evangelicals/Protestant communities constitute the third great tradition. With the rise of Pentecostalism, a fourth great wave of Christian expansion in India has occurred. Starting with movements that began a century ago, there are now ten to fifteen times more missionaries than ever before, virtually all of them Indian. Needless to say, Christianity in India is profoundly Indian.
Ogbu Kalu
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195340006
- eISBN:
- 9780199867073
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195340006.003.0013
- Subject:
- Religion, World Religions
The interdisciplinary approach to interpreting African Pentecostalism could gain much from the discourses on modernity and globalism. This chapter profiles the globalization discourse as a version of ...
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The interdisciplinary approach to interpreting African Pentecostalism could gain much from the discourses on modernity and globalism. This chapter profiles the globalization discourse as a version of the modernity discourse writ large, and points to its limitations. It illustrates the application of the instrumentalist discourse in the work of one of the avid commentators, Paul Gifford. Finally, it builds the backdrop for a different understanding of Pentecostal practice by arguing that the practice is a response to the substratum of African political culture.Less
The interdisciplinary approach to interpreting African Pentecostalism could gain much from the discourses on modernity and globalism. This chapter profiles the globalization discourse as a version of the modernity discourse writ large, and points to its limitations. It illustrates the application of the instrumentalist discourse in the work of one of the avid commentators, Paul Gifford. Finally, it builds the backdrop for a different understanding of Pentecostal practice by arguing that the practice is a response to the substratum of African political culture.
Ogbu Kalu
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195340006
- eISBN:
- 9780199867073
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195340006.003.0014
- Subject:
- Religion, World Religions
This chapter examines Pentecostal political practices. Tembisa is the name of a neighborhood in South Africa's East Rand, on the outskirts of Johannesburg. Tembisa was one of the neighborhoods ...
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This chapter examines Pentecostal political practices. Tembisa is the name of a neighborhood in South Africa's East Rand, on the outskirts of Johannesburg. Tembisa was one of the neighborhoods surveyed by the Center for Development and Enterprise (CDE) in 2006. Over the past two years, the CDE has been part of an international research project to explore the role of Pentecostalism in developing nations. It is shown that Tembisa is a shocking assertion that Pentecostalism exudes a proactive social consciousness and political theology. Pentecostal political practice runs in four interlocking grooves: (i) rebuilding the individual, thus bestowing the power to be truly human; (ii) a predominantly covert form of social activism, attacking sociopolitical and moral structures; (iii) an increasing assertion for the rule of saints and the politics of engagement; and (iv) building the new Israel by empowering communities to participate in the foretaste of God's reign. It thus breaks the dichotomy between the various categories — individual/society, private/public — using the resources of the gospel to weave a multifaceted and holistic response to the human predicament in the African ecosystem.Less
This chapter examines Pentecostal political practices. Tembisa is the name of a neighborhood in South Africa's East Rand, on the outskirts of Johannesburg. Tembisa was one of the neighborhoods surveyed by the Center for Development and Enterprise (CDE) in 2006. Over the past two years, the CDE has been part of an international research project to explore the role of Pentecostalism in developing nations. It is shown that Tembisa is a shocking assertion that Pentecostalism exudes a proactive social consciousness and political theology. Pentecostal political practice runs in four interlocking grooves: (i) rebuilding the individual, thus bestowing the power to be truly human; (ii) a predominantly covert form of social activism, attacking sociopolitical and moral structures; (iii) an increasing assertion for the rule of saints and the politics of engagement; and (iv) building the new Israel by empowering communities to participate in the foretaste of God's reign. It thus breaks the dichotomy between the various categories — individual/society, private/public — using the resources of the gospel to weave a multifaceted and holistic response to the human predicament in the African ecosystem.
Ogbu Kalu
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195340006
- eISBN:
- 9780199867073
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195340006.003.0015
- Subject:
- Religion, World Religions
The intensified level of religious violence around the world and especially in Africa is a disconcerting dimension of the 21st century. Some argue that religions have an innate affirmation of ...
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The intensified level of religious violence around the world and especially in Africa is a disconcerting dimension of the 21st century. Some argue that religions have an innate affirmation of violence; that, in spite of the many levels of meaning given to the word jihad, it demands the use of force, and especially violence, to protect religion, and that Christianity's track record is no better in this aspect than any other religion's. Using Nigeria as a case study, this chapter examines the discourses used by scholars to explain the rising crescendo of religious violence, the radicalization of Islamic politics amid the competition for dwindling economic resources, responses to modernity, the dilemma of pluralism in a modern African state, and especially the “clash of fundamentalisms” induced by the insurgence of Pentecostalism and charismatic forces into Islamic strongholds. The reassertion of local identities and the manipulation of religion as a cultural signifier is reflected by the demonization of Islam in Pentecostal rhetoric.Less
The intensified level of religious violence around the world and especially in Africa is a disconcerting dimension of the 21st century. Some argue that religions have an innate affirmation of violence; that, in spite of the many levels of meaning given to the word jihad, it demands the use of force, and especially violence, to protect religion, and that Christianity's track record is no better in this aspect than any other religion's. Using Nigeria as a case study, this chapter examines the discourses used by scholars to explain the rising crescendo of religious violence, the radicalization of Islamic politics amid the competition for dwindling economic resources, responses to modernity, the dilemma of pluralism in a modern African state, and especially the “clash of fundamentalisms” induced by the insurgence of Pentecostalism and charismatic forces into Islamic strongholds. The reassertion of local identities and the manipulation of religion as a cultural signifier is reflected by the demonization of Islam in Pentecostal rhetoric.
Ogbu Kalu
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195340006
- eISBN:
- 9780199867073
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195340006.003.0017
- Subject:
- Religion, World Religions
This chapter begins with a discussion of the relationship between African Pentecostalism and fundamentalism. It then discusses prosperity theology, prosperity in African imagination and theology, ...
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This chapter begins with a discussion of the relationship between African Pentecostalism and fundamentalism. It then discusses prosperity theology, prosperity in African imagination and theology, healing, and hermeneutics and homiletics.Less
This chapter begins with a discussion of the relationship between African Pentecostalism and fundamentalism. It then discusses prosperity theology, prosperity in African imagination and theology, healing, and hermeneutics and homiletics.
Ogbu Kalu
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195340006
- eISBN:
- 9780199867073
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195340006.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, World Religions
This chapter begins with a description of charismatic flares in missionary churches from 1920 to 1960. It then considers the typology of classical Pentecostalism in African from 1901 to 1960, and ...
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This chapter begins with a description of charismatic flares in missionary churches from 1920 to 1960. It then considers the typology of classical Pentecostalism in African from 1901 to 1960, and early Pentecostalism in Southern Africa from 1908 to 1958. It argues that Pentecostalism emerged from an indigenous response of Africans to the missionary message; the missionary input from evangelical ministries such as Scripture Union and Campus Crusade; from the increasing missionary forays of Pentecostals from the holiness tradition and Pentecostal denominations from various countries who utilized the labors of African agents; and from interdenominational parachurches, bolstered by the educational institutions of many American Bible colleges and many evangelical evangelistic outreaches.Less
This chapter begins with a description of charismatic flares in missionary churches from 1920 to 1960. It then considers the typology of classical Pentecostalism in African from 1901 to 1960, and early Pentecostalism in Southern Africa from 1908 to 1958. It argues that Pentecostalism emerged from an indigenous response of Africans to the missionary message; the missionary input from evangelical ministries such as Scripture Union and Campus Crusade; from the increasing missionary forays of Pentecostals from the holiness tradition and Pentecostal denominations from various countries who utilized the labors of African agents; and from interdenominational parachurches, bolstered by the educational institutions of many American Bible colleges and many evangelical evangelistic outreaches.
Ogbu Kalu
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195340006
- eISBN:
- 9780199867073
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195340006.003.0009
- Subject:
- Religion, World Religions
This chapter examines the changing face and emphases of Pentecostalism over time. It argues that the explosive growth of African Pentecostalism intensified in the 1990s through a vigorous ...
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This chapter examines the changing face and emphases of Pentecostalism over time. It argues that the explosive growth of African Pentecostalism intensified in the 1990s through a vigorous evangelization program, and thereby created a very complex religious environment. The aftereffect of the movement's growth is also considered.Less
This chapter examines the changing face and emphases of Pentecostalism over time. It argues that the explosive growth of African Pentecostalism intensified in the 1990s through a vigorous evangelization program, and thereby created a very complex religious environment. The aftereffect of the movement's growth is also considered.
William Kostlevy
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195377842
- eISBN:
- 9780199777204
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195377842.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Church History
The defection of the MCA mission in Los Angeles to Pentecostalism in 1906 played an important role in the Azusa Street Revival. MCA evangelist A. G. Garr urged MCA adherents in Los Angeles to attend ...
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The defection of the MCA mission in Los Angeles to Pentecostalism in 1906 played an important role in the Azusa Street Revival. MCA evangelist A. G. Garr urged MCA adherents in Los Angeles to attend nearby revival meetings led by William Seymour. A. G. and Lillian Anderson Garr embraced the Pentecostal experience and spread the message to India where Garr played a key role spreading Pentecostalism and in the reinterpretation of the meaning of the Pentecostal his experience. Other central emphasize of the MCA entered early Pentecostalism including the notion of restitution and the rejection of divorce and remarriage. In Wisconsin F. M. Messenger invented the Scripture Text Calendar, a decorative art calendar, to fund the MCA and spread the gospel.Less
The defection of the MCA mission in Los Angeles to Pentecostalism in 1906 played an important role in the Azusa Street Revival. MCA evangelist A. G. Garr urged MCA adherents in Los Angeles to attend nearby revival meetings led by William Seymour. A. G. and Lillian Anderson Garr embraced the Pentecostal experience and spread the message to India where Garr played a key role spreading Pentecostalism and in the reinterpretation of the meaning of the Pentecostal his experience. Other central emphasize of the MCA entered early Pentecostalism including the notion of restitution and the rejection of divorce and remarriage. In Wisconsin F. M. Messenger invented the Scripture Text Calendar, a decorative art calendar, to fund the MCA and spread the gospel.
James K. Wellman Jr.
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195300116
- eISBN:
- 9780199868742
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195300116.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter defines and outlines the development of the American evangelical subculture, beginning with the fundamentalists of the early twentieth century, paralleled by the Holiness and Pentecostal ...
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This chapter defines and outlines the development of the American evangelical subculture, beginning with the fundamentalists of the early twentieth century, paralleled by the Holiness and Pentecostal movement, followed in turn by the mid‐20th century neoevangelicals, led by Billy Graham, which culminates in an American evangelical culture that supports a strong civic gospel. This civil religion emphasizes the Christian origins of the US; the difficulty of being Christian and politically liberal; the importance of a strong military that deters evil, and finally the support of religious, economic, and political freedoms at home and abroad.Less
This chapter defines and outlines the development of the American evangelical subculture, beginning with the fundamentalists of the early twentieth century, paralleled by the Holiness and Pentecostal movement, followed in turn by the mid‐20th century neoevangelicals, led by Billy Graham, which culminates in an American evangelical culture that supports a strong civic gospel. This civil religion emphasizes the Christian origins of the US; the difficulty of being Christian and politically liberal; the importance of a strong military that deters evil, and finally the support of religious, economic, and political freedoms at home and abroad.
Amos Yong and Estrelda Y. Alexander (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- March 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780814797303
- eISBN:
- 9780814789070
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9780814797303.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
In 2006, the contemporary American Pentecostal movement celebrated its 100th birthday. Over that time, its African American sector has been markedly influential, not only vis-à-vis other branches of ...
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In 2006, the contemporary American Pentecostal movement celebrated its 100th birthday. Over that time, its African American sector has been markedly influential, not only vis-à-vis other branches of Pentecostalism but also throughout the Christian church. Black Christians have been integrally involved in every aspect of the Pentecostal movement since its inception and have made significant contributions to its founding as well as the evolution of Pentecostal/charismatic styles of worship, preaching, music, engagement of social issues, and theology. Yet despite its being one of the fastest growing segments of the Black Church, Afro-Pentecostalism has not received the kind of critical attention it deserves. This book examines different facets of the movement, including its early history, issues of gender, relations with other black denominations, intersections with popular culture, and missionary activities, as well as the movement's distinctive theology. The chapters reflect on the state of the movement, chart its trajectories, discuss pertinent issues, and anticipate future developments.Less
In 2006, the contemporary American Pentecostal movement celebrated its 100th birthday. Over that time, its African American sector has been markedly influential, not only vis-à-vis other branches of Pentecostalism but also throughout the Christian church. Black Christians have been integrally involved in every aspect of the Pentecostal movement since its inception and have made significant contributions to its founding as well as the evolution of Pentecostal/charismatic styles of worship, preaching, music, engagement of social issues, and theology. Yet despite its being one of the fastest growing segments of the Black Church, Afro-Pentecostalism has not received the kind of critical attention it deserves. This book examines different facets of the movement, including its early history, issues of gender, relations with other black denominations, intersections with popular culture, and missionary activities, as well as the movement's distinctive theology. The chapters reflect on the state of the movement, chart its trajectories, discuss pertinent issues, and anticipate future developments.
Rebecca Samuel Shah and Vinay Samuel
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- May 2021
- ISBN:
- 9781474439824
- eISBN:
- 9781474465366
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Edinburgh University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3366/edinburgh/9781474439824.003.0025
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
In most South and Central Asian countries, while Christians account for 1–2% of the population, the region has the fastest-growing Evangelical population in the world. South Asian Evangelicalism can ...
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In most South and Central Asian countries, while Christians account for 1–2% of the population, the region has the fastest-growing Evangelical population in the world. South Asian Evangelicalism can be traced back to the 1706 arrival in Tranquebar of two Pietist German missionaries. Fearing what they called the ‘proselytising zeal’ of Christians, the East India Company forbade missionaries into Company-ruled territories. Evangelicalism in South Asia succeeds in hostile environments because it embraces any space available for its mission. Healing and exorcism have been the key impetus bringing people to Christ in South Asia. While many Evangelical Protestant churches have adopted Pentecostal beliefs, Charismatic influences have been minimal in certain institutions. Still, the proportion of South Asia’s Evangelical Pentecostal or Charismatic population is steadily rising. Among villages are the ubiquitous ‘Independent churches’ separate from mainstream denominations. Evangelicalism in South Asia is rooted in a commitment to the care of the poor. From very early, eschatological urgency was at the heart of missions. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Evangelical churches became aware of moral destruction after decades of communism. Across Central Asia, Evangelical missionaries continue to spread the gospel but remain vigilant about when and how they evangelise.Less
In most South and Central Asian countries, while Christians account for 1–2% of the population, the region has the fastest-growing Evangelical population in the world. South Asian Evangelicalism can be traced back to the 1706 arrival in Tranquebar of two Pietist German missionaries. Fearing what they called the ‘proselytising zeal’ of Christians, the East India Company forbade missionaries into Company-ruled territories. Evangelicalism in South Asia succeeds in hostile environments because it embraces any space available for its mission. Healing and exorcism have been the key impetus bringing people to Christ in South Asia. While many Evangelical Protestant churches have adopted Pentecostal beliefs, Charismatic influences have been minimal in certain institutions. Still, the proportion of South Asia’s Evangelical Pentecostal or Charismatic population is steadily rising. Among villages are the ubiquitous ‘Independent churches’ separate from mainstream denominations. Evangelicalism in South Asia is rooted in a commitment to the care of the poor. From very early, eschatological urgency was at the heart of missions. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Evangelical churches became aware of moral destruction after decades of communism. Across Central Asia, Evangelical missionaries continue to spread the gospel but remain vigilant about when and how they evangelise.
David W. Kling
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- April 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780195130089
- eISBN:
- 9780199835393
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195130081.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
This book examines the dynamic interplay between scripture and society. Kling traces the story of how specific biblical texts have at different times emerged to be the inspiration of movements that ...
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This book examines the dynamic interplay between scripture and society. Kling traces the story of how specific biblical texts have at different times emerged to be the inspiration of movements that have changed the course of history. He selects eight specific texts (sometimes a single verse, other times a selection of verses or chapters, even books) and demonstrates how each shaped the direction of Christian history. These texts include the story of the rich young ruler (Matthew 19: 16–22) as an inspiration for Anthony and the beginnings of monasticism; the “Petrine text” (Matthew 16:18) as the basis for the papacy; the centrality of the Song of Songs in medieval Christendom, particularly as interpreted through the mystical leanings of Bernard of Clairvaux; Romans 1:17 and its influence upon Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation; Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, embraced by Anabaptists as a call to radical discipleship, including pacifism; the varied applications of the exodus motif and Moses figures in African-American history, from slavery to Martin Luther King to liberation theology; the Book of Acts with its references to the outpouring of the Spirit and speaking in tongues as the basis for the rise of modern Pentecostalism; and Galatians 3:28, which has been adopted by feminists as a rallying cry for women’s ordination. Kling’s study demonstrates that scripture has functioned in a dialectical interplay of influences; texts have shaped history and history has shaped the interpretation of texts. Specifically, texts have functioned in at least five ways: (1) as transforming agents to another way of thinking and acting, believing and behaving; (2) as recreated meaning, undergoing multiple interpretations and applications; (3) as comprehending sources, drawing other biblical texts into their thematic orbit; (4) as hermeneutical keys unlocking the essential meaning in or resolving tensions within scripture; and (5) as secondary justifications, legitimizing after the fact to support existing historical realities.Less
This book examines the dynamic interplay between scripture and society. Kling traces the story of how specific biblical texts have at different times emerged to be the inspiration of movements that have changed the course of history. He selects eight specific texts (sometimes a single verse, other times a selection of verses or chapters, even books) and demonstrates how each shaped the direction of Christian history. These texts include the story of the rich young ruler (Matthew 19: 16–22) as an inspiration for Anthony and the beginnings of monasticism; the “Petrine text” (Matthew 16:18) as the basis for the papacy; the centrality of the Song of Songs in medieval Christendom, particularly as interpreted through the mystical leanings of Bernard of Clairvaux; Romans 1:17 and its influence upon Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation; Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, embraced by Anabaptists as a call to radical discipleship, including pacifism; the varied applications of the exodus motif and Moses figures in African-American history, from slavery to Martin Luther King to liberation theology; the Book of Acts with its references to the outpouring of the Spirit and speaking in tongues as the basis for the rise of modern Pentecostalism; and Galatians 3:28, which has been adopted by feminists as a rallying cry for women’s ordination. Kling’s study demonstrates that scripture has functioned in a dialectical interplay of influences; texts have shaped history and history has shaped the interpretation of texts. Specifically, texts have functioned in at least five ways: (1) as transforming agents to another way of thinking and acting, believing and behaving; (2) as recreated meaning, undergoing multiple interpretations and applications; (3) as comprehending sources, drawing other biblical texts into their thematic orbit; (4) as hermeneutical keys unlocking the essential meaning in or resolving tensions within scripture; and (5) as secondary justifications, legitimizing after the fact to support existing historical realities.
Virginia Garrard‐Burnett
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195379648
- eISBN:
- 9780199869176
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195379648.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Using newly available church and guerrilla records, this chapter first discusses the radicalization of the Catholic Church in Guatemala and the alliances formed by the religious and armed Left. ...
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Using newly available church and guerrilla records, this chapter first discusses the radicalization of the Catholic Church in Guatemala and the alliances formed by the religious and armed Left. Second, it explores the charges that Guatemalan evangelicals were the handmaidens of the Ríos Montt regime. This chapter finds that the binary of radical Catholics and conservative Protestants, though not altogether inaccurate, is also not entirely true, as many Protestants, Pentecostals in particular, interpreted the exigencies of the era in apocalyptic terms, believing the scorched‐earth campaign to be the “time of trials” described in the Book of Revelation. This chapter relies on primary sources from evangelical and Catholic Church archives. In particular, it utilizes newly available sources to explore the development of liberation theology in Guatemala and the radical church’s relationship with the militant indigenous movement, the CUC. The chapter also uses evangelical popular publications, interviews, and church records.Less
Using newly available church and guerrilla records, this chapter first discusses the radicalization of the Catholic Church in Guatemala and the alliances formed by the religious and armed Left. Second, it explores the charges that Guatemalan evangelicals were the handmaidens of the Ríos Montt regime. This chapter finds that the binary of radical Catholics and conservative Protestants, though not altogether inaccurate, is also not entirely true, as many Protestants, Pentecostals in particular, interpreted the exigencies of the era in apocalyptic terms, believing the scorched‐earth campaign to be the “time of trials” described in the Book of Revelation. This chapter relies on primary sources from evangelical and Catholic Church archives. In particular, it utilizes newly available sources to explore the development of liberation theology in Guatemala and the radical church’s relationship with the militant indigenous movement, the CUC. The chapter also uses evangelical popular publications, interviews, and church records.
