A Short Review of the Society for Pentecostal Studies 2018 Conference
On Saturday morning, I was able to sit in for Jacqui Grey’s (Alphacrucis College) presentation on “Social Justice in First Isaiah: A Pentecostal Perspective.” She suggested ways in which Pentecostals, who have tended to disregard even the idea of a “First Isaiah” (chapters 1-39), might in fact benefit in Pentecostal ways from noting the movements of each part of Isaiah. She further pressed that response to social injustices in First Isaiah offer Pentecostals appropriate ways of conceiving how God is in the world in the midst of redemptive community.
The Saturday evening banquet was well attended. A number of awards were given away including one for William Kay’s George Jeffreys: Pentecostal Apostle and Revivalist (CPT, 2017). Several of the features of this year’s banquet included honoring the well-deserved lifetime achievement of Cheryl Bridges Johns (Pentecostal Theological Seminary). Chris Green (Pentecostal Theological Seminary) presented on “Seeing the Visible Word: Art and/as Theology” where he offered his spirited drawings and paintings as another imagining toward theological reflection rooted in response to the Spirit.
We ended our travels with stopping by the Temple of Deliverance Church of God in Christ in Memphis, TN, so that my students could have a further experience of diverse Pentecostal expressions of worship and community. Bishop Milton R. Hawkins preached a powerful message on 1 Kings 17 and the provisions of the Lord after the choir and worship team led in rousing choruses of praise.
Category: In Depth, Spring 2018