The very mention of holiness can conjure up images of dower saints dressed in black garb, expressionless countenances, and a total lack of joy or fun. Think American Gothic without the pitchfork. The Holy River of God points to a picture of Christian holiness that is living, vibrant, engaged, and filled with joyous expectation. In the opening sentences, the holiness stream of Christian faith is described as “wide and deep,” “full of life and inspires life wherever it goes” (page 3). The book is a collection of chapters written by authors representing a wide variety of Christian denominations. The entire work is edited by Barry Callen faculty member of Anderson University, editor of the Wesleyan Theological Journal, and an editor at Aldersgate Press.

The vision of holiness that is characteristic of those who participate in the river is a work of the Spirit carried out as a “steady stream of purifying love” (page 6). It is “God’s holiness proceeding from love,” which “brings life wherever it goes in the world.” Wherever this holiness stream flows, those who choose to immerse themselves in it are transformed. They become the “reflection of God, … compelled by love, … to the end that lives are restored, systems are redeemed, and all of creation is being made new” (page 6).

The roots for this vision of holiness are found in the theology of John Wesley. However, Wesleyan holiness is by no means monolithic. How Wesleyan holiness is understood and implemented is widely diverse. This diversity is not viewed as an impediment, but is an asset. It deepens the movement to provide a “fuller vision of God’s holiness and love” (page 8).

The biblical basis of this holiness focus is based in God’s command for his people to be holy (1 Peter 1:14-16). “The entire biblical narrative is about holiness granted, lost, and recovered” (page 15). Throughout the Church’s history this holiness tradition has been manifested in Catholicism, both Roman and Orthodox, in the Radical Reformation, especially in Great Britain in the ministries of John and Charles Wesley, in the US in the 19^th century, and in the 20^th century with the rise of Pentecostalism. Each expression was a “fresh search for a credible Christian holiness that truly transforms lives and advances the kingdom of God on earth” (page 18).

After a few short chapters on the prominent characteristics of Wesleyan Holiness and the development of Wesley’s teachings in the US and internationally, the book goes on to describe the formation of the Wesleyan Holiness Connection and those denominations that are part. The Wesleyan Holiness Connection, or WHC, was principally founded by Kevin Mannoia. He describes the connection as an idea that formed over a long period of time through conversations, meetings, and study groups (page 143). The first of those conversations occurred in 2002 at a breakfast attended by Mannoia and a few friends. They realized that churches that possessed a holiness heritage lacked a means of sharing the common mission to spread scriptural holiness across the land (page 145). With the help of additional scholars, Mannoia formed the Wesleyan Holiness Study Project. The Project consisted of about 40 scholars from 13 different historical Wesleyan-Holiness denominations. Their objective was to “commit to a fresh articulation of holiness in the 21^st century” (page 145). The Project produced two significant documents: The Holiness Manifesto, and Fresh Eyes on Holiness: Living Out the Holiness Manifesto. In September of 2006, at the end of the Project, those who participated met to work out their next steps. They agreed that there was a future for the infant movement, and the Wesleyan Holiness Connection was born. The Connection has since grown to consist of several regional networks throughout the US, Brazil, Kenya, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom as well as a collection of associated ministries and a publishing house, Aldersgate Press.

With a group of Christians hovering around the 600 million mark worldwide¹, one would expect such a collective to have a substantial impact across a host of areas. That is the resounding reality within the Pentecostal and Charismatic branch of the church. Yet, while many might begin with the unique pneumatological perspective or the practical angle in regards to mass evangelism, and such factors should be noted as major contributions, there are other areas that might not be on one’s radar.

In particular, I would like to point out three positive, yet not as frequently discussed, offerings that Pentecostalism and the Charismatic movement have brought to the table.

1) Merging Theology & Practical Life

Today, there are still many leaders that see the Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches as more problematic than positive in their contributions, especially in regards to the practical theology. Such was highlighted in the latter part of 2013 as John MacArthur hosted his Strange Fire Conference², while subsequently releasing his book by the same name.³

Yet, even though there are noted theological problems within Pentecostalism and the Charismatic movement, as with every tradition, one must take interest in the growing theological, pastoral and historian giants within this movement. Such include: Amos Yong, Gordon Fee, Jack Deere, Craig Keener, James K.A. Smith, Sam Storms, Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, Vinson Synan, William Kay, Max Turner, Roger Stronstad, and that is simply a short list of names!

Still, what one will find amongst these theologians is that they do not simply desire to fill up books with theories on pneumatology and charismata. Rather one sees an aspiration to merge both theology and life together. This is particularly noted by Assembly of God theologian, Gordon Fee, in his magnus opum, God’s Empowering Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul:

“For Paul the Spirit, as an experience and living reality, was the absolutely crucial matter for Christian life, from beginning to end…For the contemporary church it seems less so, both in the academy, in its understanding of Pauline theology, and in the actual life of the church. I do not mean that the Holy Spirit is not present; he is indeed, or we are not in Christ at all. Nonetheless, despite the affirmations in our creeds and hymns and the lip service paid to the Spirit in our occasional conversations, the Spirit is largely marginalized in our actual life together as a community of faith.”⁴

Fee continues: “…the health of the contemporary church necessitates that its theology of the Spirit and its experience of the Spirit correspond more closely” (emphasis his).⁵