The Globalization of Pentecostalism: A Review Article, by Paul Elbert
Harvey Cox, like Powers, also responds refreshingly to ideas and issues in this philosophically stodgy third section on Postmodernism. Building on his earlier thesis,[51] he calls for a rebirth of an ethic of simplicity, of being suspicious of the things of this world, warning that we cannot serve both God and mammon (394). Indeed, the Pentecostal tradition has never developed a stiff rationalistic piety; the Pentecostal paradigm being basically non-Enlightenment and biblically based.[52] One of the main roots of the global renewal/revival goes back to Azusa Street[53] where the things of this world were not sought, “The Azusa Street Revival sparked the Pentecostal and Charismatic movement. The movement is an emotional movement, with behavior ranging from moaning and shouting in the Spirit to the more sophisticated, ordinary behavior like reading the Bible, especially Acts 2:4, and praying.”[54]
As this global movement heads out into the next millennium, perhaps Anderson’s glance backward might be good advice for all Great Commission Christians going forward who prayerfully seek the empowerment of the Holy Spirit with Lukan expectations: “Pentecostal missionaries often had a sense of special calling, of ‘divine destiny’ that thrust them out in the face of stiff opposition. But in spite of the inevitable cultural and religious indiscretions, it must be acknowledged that these methods were astonishingly successful. Pentecostals claim that the rapid growth of the movement vindicates the apostle Paul’s statement that God uses the weak and despised to confound the mighty. Pentecostal churches were missionary by nature and the dichotomy between ‘church’ and ‘mission’ that for so long plagued other Christian churches did not exist in Pentecostalism. This ‘central missiological thrust’ was clearly a ‘strong point in Pentecostalism’ and central to its existence.”[55]
The editors are to be commended for their initiative in bringing these sixteen essays on three categories and the three dialogue responses together. However, to travel comfortably with them along the road of world evangelization might mean occasionally jettisoning some excess secular baggage. A characteristic breakthrough of Pentecostal piety does exist but it is sometimes beclouded by the insular relativistic worldview of modern sociology and philosophy departments, wherein the hidden axiomatic presupposition of the non-existence of God is seldom examined. A biblical worldview is there, but often muted by scholarship both subservient to and unengaged in challenging stale humanistic thought and secular characterizations, thought life known to encrust and encumber the vitality of Christian influence. Several of these essayists might do well to be more trusting of their own instinctive Pentecostal reflections and think a little more independently from their recent academic histories and professional traditions. Perhaps the editors might have given more emphasis to the productive biblically based paradigms which are building the movement, as illustrated in the contribution by Grant McClung, and focused a bit less on analyses coupled to naturalistic-leaning presuppositions. Nevertheless the volume is informative, offering a selective glimpse into a thin slice of the academic sector of an evangelistic movement that is heuristic, personal, experiential, and vibrant.
Category: In Depth
Followers
Fans
