William L. De Arteaga, “Fr. Zakaria Botros – Apostle to the Muslims” Anglican Pentecostal (July 13, 2013).

Father De Arteaga introduced his article on October 1, 2014 by saying: “Many of us are deeply troubled by the rise of ISIS and the destruction of the Christian communities in Syria and Iraq. The short term answer may be forceful military action, but in the long term the only solution is spiritual – the conversion of the Muslim peoples. Here is a posting on the person who is in the lead of this. He has led to the conversion of millions of Arabs. He deserves our prayers and support.”

Margaret Poloma, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of Sociology at University of Akron.

Margaret M. Poloma, “The Spirit Bade Me Go: Pentecostalism and Global Religion.”

This paper by esteemed Pentecostal/charismatic sociologist Margaret Poloma is by no means recent, it was presented at the Association for the Sociology of Religion annual meeting which ran August 11-13, 2000, in Washington, D.C. However, if you have never read it, you should make time to do so.

Michelle Van Loon, “The History We’d Prefer to Forget: Why we pass on pain to the next generation” ChristianityToday.com (October 13, 2014).

William De Arteaga writes: “Excellent article from CT on the current controversy over advanced placement history standards.”

Hal Knight

Henry H. Knight III, “On Knowing God: Wesley and the Methodists” Catalyst Online (October 22, 2014).

Hal Knight writes, “The central point Wesley makes … is that we are intended not just to know about God, but to know God.”

Diane Reynolds, “Holy Spirit Hunger: Amos Yong” Publishers Weekly (October 21, 2014).

Jeremy Weber, “InterVarsity Will ‘Reinvent’ Student Ministry on California State Campuses: Christian fellowship finds silver lining in being booted from America’s largest university system” Christianity Today (September 9, 2014). 

This brief article brings together all of the latest information (as of September 9, 2014) about what is happening in the wake of campus ministry InterVarsity Christian Fellowship being derecognized by the largest university system in America.

Timothy George, “Reformation Day” First Things (October 31, 2014). 

William De Arteaga writes: “This is a gracious appreciation of Martin Luther’s work from the preeminent Catholic journal in America. It is nice to know we don’t insult each other any more!”

Shane Clifton, “The Dark Side of Prayer for Healing” Pneuma 36 (2014), pages 204–25.

Shane Clifton offers an introduction to the article and a link to the full article on his blog: http://shaneclifton.com/2014/07/02/the-dark-side-of-prayer-for-healing/  

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In the love of the Father,

Raul Mock

Fred Sanders, “John Wesley on Experiencing the Trinity” Seedbed (February 10, 2014).

J. Lee Grady, “Don’t Let Super-Spiritual People Hurt Your Church” CharismaNews (July 24, 2014).

Kenneth J. Archer says, “I think this is fairly accurate and worth reading.”

Matthew Schmitz, “How I Evolved on Gay Marriage: On Life’s Tightly Woven Meanings” First Things (August 2014).

William De Arteaga writes: “I commend this article as a very thought provoking Christian piece.”

Carl Westerlund, “‘The Perfect’ Argument for Continuationism” Calvary Chapel Church Planting Network (July 7, 2014).

Tony Richie, “Pentecostalism’s Wesleyan Roots & Fruit” Seedbed Blog (March 14, 2014).

John King, “Success” Personal Thoughts: A Weekly Introspection (April 11, 2014).

John Lathrop says, “Read an article by my friend John King (he wrote one of the reviews of Authentic Fire), I think it is quite good.”

“7 Warnings for Church Leaders on Social Media” ChurchInfluence.com (August 11, 2014).

A brief, practical article on social media etiquette.

Calvin L. Smith, “Christians and Modern Israel: Theologically complicated? Maybe. Ethically? Not so much” (August 14, 2014).

Calvin Smith writes that this a piece he’s written that takes a slightly different slant regarding how Christians should perceive Israel, from a theological to a more basic ethical argument. At a time when narrative rather than theology seems to take precedence in some Christian circles, this may help some look at the issue in a different way.

“Ten Books on Racial Reconciliation and the Church”, compiled by Christianity Today’s Amy Julia Becker (August 14, 2014).

Julie Anderson, “Death, the great equaliser: Christianity on the Middle Nile” The British Museum (August 8, 2014).

Scott McKnight tweeted: “Good story about ancient Christian kingdoms – no longer kingdoms, no longer even Christian.”

A report from the 2014 Anglican Diocese of the South Intercessory Prayer conference by William De Arteaga. The conference was convened at Holy Cross Anglican Church in Loganville, Georgia, from August 27 – 28, 2014.

I had the privilege of speaking and participating in the intercessory prayer conference sponsored by the Anglican Diocese of the South (ADOTS). This is a diocese within the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). I will describe he conference below, but need first to clarify what ACNA is and how it formed.

The ACNA is made up mostly of ex-Episcopalians who were fed up with the heresy and apostasy of the Episcopal Church. The lamentable state of the Episcopal clergy came about (as with other mainline denominations) because the seminaries accepted de-mythologizing and other liberal theologies as normative. At the same time they increasingly disdained and marginalized the views that the scriptures are true. This implied that the supernatural world pictured in the Bible, as in angels, demons, healing and exorcisms, is also mythological. As liberalism gutted the Gospels and the creeds, what remained were various fashions of psychology and philosophy which were self-labeled as “progressive” theology. This liberal cluster of non-beliefs attached to traditional forms of liturgy, vestments, feast days, etc., and passed itself off as Christianity. The steady, and now, precipitous decline the Episcopal Church and other mainline denominations is the natural result of the triumph of liberal theology over Bible orthodoxy.

But within the Episcopal Church there were many laypersons and clergy who were orthodox, read the scriptures naturally (without de-mythologizing) and who practiced an evangelical faith. This was often combined with the gifts of the Spirit which came into many Episcopal Churches via the ministry of Agnes Sanford and the Charismatic Renewal of the 1960s. The evangelical and Spirit-filled congregations battled to keep the rest of the denomination orthodox. As the 1970s turned into the 1980s it was apparent that the battle was turning against orthodoxy. The Seminaries remained stubbornly liberal and dismissed the Charismatic Renewal as a passing fancy, and continued to churn out apostate or weak-faith clergy.

The 1990s saw many Episcopal clergymen and congregations leave the church into continuing churches. That is, churches which retained the liturgy and Book of Common Prayer as the basis of their worship but separated from the Episcopal church and hierarchy.^[1] After 2003, the exodus became a torrent. At that time there was no single entity to receive these orthodox exiles.

When this author left St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Marietta Georgia, in 2003, with about a third of the congregation, we were received for Episcopal cover by the Anglican Bishop of Bolivia, the Very Rev. Francis Lyons. He was an American missionary, orthodox and highly charismatic. He ultimately took under his wing dozens of exiled congregations. It was understood that this was a temporary and abnormal situation, waiting for a better resolution. Then ACNA was formed under the leadership of Bishop Robert Duncan, from the diocese of Pittsburgh, and the congregations under Bishop Lyons transferred to ACNA. Bishop Lyons subsequently handed over his charge to a Bolivian Anglican bishop, and joined Archbishop Duncan’s staff in Pittsburgh.

See the report from William De Arteaga:

Anglican Diocese Of The South Intercessory Prayer Conference 2014

Wednesday, August 27, 2014 at 7:30 AM – Thursday, August 28, 2014 at 12:00 PM (EDT)

Beginning at 9:00 am Wednesday, you can live stream the conference.

Long instructions: point your browser to hcanglican.org. Find the “WORSHIP” drop down menu (near the top of the page, second tab on the far right). Then click “Live Streaming.” To get full screen, tap maximize.

Event to be held at:

Holy Cross Anglican Church
3836 Oak Grove Rd SW
Loganville GA 30052
Eventbrite

What is the Anglican Diocese Of The South?

The Anglican Diocese of the South (ADOTS) is part of the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA). This body came about through the disenchantment that many orthodox Episcopalians felt with their mother church. A large faithful remnant of Episcopalians left around 2003 and joined with others who had left even earlier. By 2008, the ACNA was full formed and functioning under its own presiding Bishop (the Very Rev. Robert Duncan) of the diocese of Pittsburgh. The ACNA takes a strong stand on biblical orthodoxy, as expressed in adherence to the traditional creeds. It terms itself a “convergence church.” This means it values and adheres to three streams of Christianity: the liturgical, the evangelical and the charismatic. Individual churches have differing manifestations of convergence. Some are very traditional and liturgical, others more charismatic/Pentecostal. All are evangelical.

The 2014 Black Theology and Leadership Institute

Candace Laughinghouse sent these highlights with her report of the 2014 annual Black Theology and Leadership Institute at Princeton.

From right to left: Worship in the chapel. In the midst of a great conversation within my cohort for the week. Me and Prof. Dr. John W. Kinney – Dean of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University.

From Left to right: Dr. Stacey Floyd-Thomas of Vanderbilt Divinity School lecturing on Social and Gender Justice. My cohort led by Pastor Dr. Leslie D. Callahan. Dr. Walter Fluker signs books at the end of class.

As a wife, mother and doctoral student, my children attend every conference with me. Here, my daughters are saying their goodbyes to Dr. Yolanda Pierce – conference host.

Highlights from Black Theology and Leadership Institute 2014

Yolanda Pierce

This summer, I was selected to attend the annual Black Theology and Leadership Institute (BTLI) at Princeton Theological Seminary. Dr. Yolanda Pierce – the Elmer G. Homrighausen Associate Professor of African American Studies and Literature and Liaison with the Princeton University Center for African American Studies – has managed to create a think-tank of fellow leaders and theologians within the black church. The week-long event consisted of lectures, nightly chapel services fully inspired by the Holy Spirit, cohort sessions with theologians-in-residence, and more.

Gregory Ellison

“If we want people to receive water from our overflowing fountain of knowledge and ideas, then we have to bring it in a cup they recognize.”
—John W. Kinney

Dr. Pierce began the session with her lecture entitled, “The Occasion: ‘Telling the Truth and Shaming the Devil’”. She confronted the expectation that a prophet does not and should not face persecution. Of course, we are familiar with the Scriptural adage that ‘we are not to touch God’s anointed’ (Psalm 105:15 and 1 Chronicles 16:22). However, there are times the prophet experiences the persecution within him/herself. The battle is accepting the fact that God is the God of the oppressed, as well as the oppressor. How do we preach this tension? Well, this tension is where God resides. In the end, the entire world is suffering because the prophets will not get in their place and call forth liberating theologies instead of the stain-glassed doctrine and steepled theology that relies on the hopelessness of the people that enter the door.

Jonathan Walton

Bishop Yvette Flunder’s lecture on sexual justice involved challenging leaders to rethink the praxis that limits who can sit at the table theologically. What I enjoy most about BTLI is that there were varying positions on major issues but we all had respect for one another’s evolving theology. The following day, Prof. Dr. John W. Kinney confronted the agendas of black theologians and preachers who are completely out of touch. He admonished preachers who ignored the advancement of the people within the pews. He then went on to suggest that “If we want people to receive water from our overflowing fountain of knowledge and ideas, then we have to bring it in a cup they recognize.” If black leaders and theologians are going to solve the issues of racial injustice in society, then we must restructure our presentation and attitude towards the congregation. How can this occur when we get mad at the congregation for not receiving the sermon, instead of questioning our own delivery? Prof. Dr. Gregory Ellison decided to shake things up. We participated in what he calls “Fearless Dialogues” (www.fearlessdialogues.com). This involved the entire group engaging in a role-play experience that created space for hard conversations concerning varying situations that effect everyone. The goal was to help us see the gifts in others, hear values in stores and work toward transformation and change in self and others. Prof. Dr. Jonathan Walton challenged our hermeneutical lens and dared us to construct a genuine approach to reading and preaching the biblical text. Prof. Dr. Stacey Floyd-Thomas lectured on the problems of Social and Gender Justice in the black church. While teaching young girls to remain abstinent and being lax on the same issues for young boys, we are indeed perpetuating a rape culture within the pews. She maintains that “Our clarifying task as leaders is: will you be on the side of right or popular? Make up your mind.” We ended the week with Dr. Walter Fluker’s lecture on the beloved community and our responsibility as leaders to navigate the traffic at the intersection that requires a skill set that leaders must learn – “we must look, listen and learn.”

BLTI14 was a huge success. The conversations continued into the late hours and most of us remain in conversation daily via social media. I highly recommend fellow Pentecostals to apply and glean from the knowledge, networking and resources available at BTLI – July 11-18, 2015. You will not be the same.

Yvette Flunder

Walter Earl Fluker

Stacey Floyd-Thomas

See also: Highlights from Black Theology and Leadership Institute 2014

Image: Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855) by Franz Roubaud / Wikimedia Commons

Philip Jenkins, “The 160-Year Christian History Behind What’s Happening in Ukraine: How we have misunderstood Russia, the Crimean Peninsula, and supposedly secular Europe” Christianity Today (March 5, 2014).

Dale M. Coulter, “Pope Francis and the Future of Charismatic Christianity” First Things (Feb 2014).

William De Arteaga writes: “A wonderful article of special interest to those of us who are charismatic.”

Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra, “When Sexual Abuse Comes to Light: How a generation of children, sexually abused overseas, aims to protect others before it happens” Christianity Today (March 2014).

Andrew Schmutzer writes: “Christianity Today just released an article on the sexual abuse of MKs. For those who work in missions or with abused children, this is an important read and should be required for all missionaries in training. Thanks Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra, for writing this piece.”

Peter J. Leithart, “Micro-Christendoms: Realistic, locally based, ecumenically charged rebuilding” First Things (April 11, 2014). 

William De Arteaga writes: “How about this as an example of effective prayer for our cities!”

Lorna Dueck, “The Enduring Revival: The ‘Toronto Blessing’ in 1994 was odd and controversial—but its benefits have lasted” Christianity Today (March 7, 2014).

George Weigel, “The Great War Revisited: Why it Began, Why it Continued, and What All that Means for Today” First Things (May 2014).

William De Arteaga writes: “For history buffs out there: this is how you weave history with spiritual insights into one great piece.”

See also: Stories from Bible Society: “Bible was ‘defining influence’ during WW1”

“Andrew White: Being Jesus in the Kill Zone: Amid Baghdad’s daily carnage, 2014 Wilberforce Award winner models reconciliation to Muslims, Christians, and Jews” Christianity Today Online (May 6, 2014).

William De Arteaga writes: “This article should help us guide and focus our prayers for the Christians in Iraq, and inspire us to help those who have fled to the US.”

EE sent this comment in email in May 2014, before ISIS had captured Mosul:

I read this and I thought, when was the last time I heard about Iraq in the news?
Before the invasion there were 1.5 million Christians in Iraq. Now, only 260,000 remain. Andrew White says things are worse than ever. He cannot walk down a street in Bagdad because he would be gunned down. 2,100 people have died in Bagdad since March through sectarian violence.

I thought this quote was particularly interesting:

CT: “Do you have second thoughts about the 2003 invasion of Iraq?”

Andrew White: “I may have supported the need for the invasion. What happened after was totally wrong and you never go into a country, bring about change and then leave it in total utter mess and that’s what America did. They left us in tragedy and violence and in a desperate state and we are now worse than when Saddam was there. We have thousands of dictators.”

I think a strong argument could be made that numerous politicians are culpable for the failure of will to bring stability to post-invasion Iraq. Maybe the “drawdown” was a way of cutting our loses, but that doesn’t make it right. It didn’t make it just. This failure is going to haunt our nation in ways Vietnam never could.

Nevertheless, in the midst of all this:

CT: “Christians doing ministry in conflict zones sense the Holy Spirit and angels around about them. They see things from the heavenly realm. This must have happened to you many times perhaps?”

AW: “Every day, all day, I mean incredible things; angels, resurrections, and healings. Nobody would probably believe it if we told what our daily life was like. It is so wonderful.”

Michael Brown speaking at CLF 2014

For this year’s conference the main speaker was Dr. Michael Brown, who has become the ad hoc voice of the Charismatic Renewal to the media. His daily radio talk show is nationally syndicated and attracts and even increasing audience. Dr. Brown, who converted in his youth from a drug-driven, non-observant Jew, is also a noted apologist of the Gospel to the Jews.

Dr. Brown gave two talks at the CLF conference, both reflecting recent books he has published. The first talk was on the “hyper-grace” controversy which has broken out in recent years among charismatic churches, principally those influenced by the Word of Faith movement. This grace teaching exalts the role of God’s grace and mercy to the point that the Christian no longer needs to experience guilt for sin nor repentance after salvation. Similarly, the Old Testament, whose rules define sin, is considered irrelevant by certain hyper-grace teachers. I and Dr. Brown agree that hyper-grace is a reappearance of the old Marcion heresy—the 2^nd Century heretic who denied that the Old Testament was scripture.

Dr. Brown stressed that there is much insight on the grace of God in hyper-grace writers, even as they drift into extremes. Dr. Brown has striven for, and in fact established, communications with some of the hyper-grace authors.  His book on the subject is: Hyper-Grace: Exposing the Danger of the Modern Grace Message (Lake Mary: Charisma House, 2014).

Dr. Brown’s second talk described John MacArthur’s self-declared “war” on Pentecostalism and the Charismatic Renewal in, Strange Fire. Pneuma Review readers are mostly aware of this controversy and have access to multiple reviews of MacArthur’s awful work on this website.  Dr. Brown’s book length critique of MacArthur’s Strange Fire is his own Authentic Fire, a very fine work that maintains a generous tone towards MacArthur throughout.  My review of Dr. Brown’s book is also found on this website. It should be noted that the Catholic participants at the CLF had not much followed either the MacArthur or hyper-grace controversies and were both informed and appalled by them. Catholics generally have much wisdom on the issue of post-salvation sin, and the hyper-grace position seemed incredible to them.

I was honored to have been given the opportunity to do two presentations at this year’s CLF. The first was titled “What is left for Pentecostals and Charismatics to do?” I first suggested that Christians of all denominations are negligent in their intercessions for the conversion of Islam. What is the worth of all the books and teachings on power intercession and territorial spirits if we don’t put it to use?

My second talk was on the importance of recognizing the “discernment heresies” that have plagued the Church through the ages, but are often ignored: Gnosticism, Phariseeism and Sadduceeism. I pointed out that concentration on the doctrinal facets of heresy has incapacitated the Church in recognizing the attitudes of discernment that restrict revival. For instance, Phariseeism and Sadduceeism combined to destroy the Scottish revivals of the 18^th Century. [1]

Dale M. Coulter and PneumaReview.com editor Raul Mock at the Society for Pentecostal Studies convention March 8, 2014.

Dale M. Coulter, “The Demons of African Pentecostalism” First Things (Jan 19 2014).

http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2014/01/pentecostals-and-the-demonic

Dale M. Coulter, “Evangelicals, Pop Culture, and Mass Culture” First Things (Feb 2014).

Monte Lee Rice pointed out this quotation: “by emphasizing the Spirit’s role in creation and redemption evangelical revivalism and its offshoot of the Pentecostal and charismatic movement have advanced a program that both democratizes Christianity and inculturates it in a way that preserves and fosters folk culture.”

http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2014/02/evangelicals-pop-culture-and-mass-culture

Gary Gutting, “Is Atheism Irrational?: Skeptics may not have the evidence (or the arguments) on their side” New York Times (Feb 9, 2014).

William L. De Arteaga writes: “This is a wonderful interview article with America’s greatest Christian philosopher, Alvin Plantinga. It is from the New York Times – do not be surprised to see more articles like this out of the Times, as the new owner is a Christian. Share and email this link to your agnostic and atheist friends.”

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/09/is-atheism-irrational/

Jason Margolis, “This African church hopes to spread across America ‘like Starbucks': European and American missionaries have gone to Africa for centuries to spread the word of Christ. That trend is now working in reverse.” PRI’s The World (February 12, 2014).

In the Pentecostal Theology Worldwide Facebook group, BF wrote: “A great story about Pentecostal Nigerian missionaries to the USA.”

http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-02-12/african-church-hopes-spread-across-america-starbucks

Tony Richie speaking at the Society for Pentecostal Studies convention March 7, 2014.

Tony Richie, “Pentecostalism’s Wesleyan Roots & Fruit” Seedbed.com (March 14, 2014).

http://seedbed.com/feed/pentecostalisms-wesleyan-roots-fruit