Daniel Tomberlin, Encountering God at the Altar: The Sacraments in Pentecostal Worship (Cleveland, TN: Center for Pentecostal Leadership and Care, 2006).

Since the beginning of the Pentecostal movement, experiencing the Spirit of God has been central to Pentecostals in both private and corporate worship. When it comes to congregational worship, Pentecostals have critiqued what they deem to be dead ritualism devoid of a personal experience of the Holy Spirit. As a result, Pentecostals have questioned many traditional practices relating to the sacraments (often viewed as theologically or historically suspect because of their relation to the Roman Catholic Church) and have opted for the term “ordinances” instead. The latter is often seen to be more of a faith-based means rather then a works-based means of experiencing the Spirit.

Daniel Tomberlin, pastor of Bainbridge Church of God (Bainbridge, GA) and chairman of Ministerial Development for the Church of God (Cleveland, TN) in South Georgia, has authored a book that will raise some eyebrows. In it, Tomberlin claims that Pentecostalism and sacramental worship are not mutually exclusive. Rather, he provides a stimulating discussion of how he believes Pentecostal worship is sacramental. This volume, which aims to provide an introduction to the subject for Pentecostal church leaders, is possibly one of the first educational resources of its kind published by a classical Pentecostal denomination.

Cover from the updated 2010 publication of Pentecostal Sacraments: Encountering God at the Altar.

Encountering God at the Altar touches on topics such as Pentecostal worship and spirituality. Tomberlin develops a Pentecostal theology of the sacraments and also explores the practice of the sacraments in Pentecostal worship. In following Church of God theologian Kenneth Archer, Tomberlin argues for the retrieval of the term sacrament over the term ordinance, claiming that the ordinances are sacramental—a “means of grace” where one encounters the Holy Spirit (p. 24). The author rightly points out that Pentecostal spirituality is centered on encountering the Holy Spirit. “Therefore,” Tomberlin states, “the center and focus of Pentecostal worship is the altar” (p. 19).

When addressing whether life in the church and the sacraments are essential to salvation, Tomberlin identifies the church and sacraments as “secondary salvific gifts,” compared to the Son and Spirit as “primary salvific gifts” from the Father. At the same time he ultimately admits “that participation in the sacramental life of the church may not be absolutely essential to salvation due to God’s prevenient grace” (p. 27). While being open to other sacramental means of encountering the Spirit of God, Tomberlin only addresses the significance of the three institutional ordinances his own denomination recognizes: water baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and foot washing. With a Pentecostal theology of the sacraments in place, Tomberlin then provides practical instruction and advice on how pastors can to implement the sacraments in the context of Pentecostal worship.

Harold Netland, Encountering Religious Pluralism: The Challenge to Christian Faith & Mission (Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2001), 368 pages.

Netland capably considers all the angles for a thorough study achieving an informed, sophisticated, and faithfully Evangelical theology of religions. This is a must read for anyone seriously studying theology of religions within the bounds of Evangelicalism or beyond. In the context of refuting radical religious pluralism Netland also presents a viable alternative retaining uncompromising Christian commitment but honestly respecting other religious traditions. He is personally well-prepared for this dual emphasis by a lifetime of Christian ministry in Japan. That he has lived what he writes shows in his work. The Trinity Evangelical Divinity School professor is particularly adept at setting the cultural stage for a deeper understanding of contemporary ideological currents involved in the rising popularity of religious pluralism.

Part One puts contemporary religious pluralism into context. Netland explores changing attitudes toward other religions by Christians, “the culture of modernity” and postmodernism as they pertain to pluralism, the nature of encountering and interacting with religious others, and the religious and spiritual aspects of contemporary culture. Notably, Netland analyses the theological journey of possibly the foremost pluralist theologian of our times, John Hick, as an example of cultural and theological dialectics going into the development of modern pluralism. Part Two constructively addresses issues involved in developing a satisfactory theology of religions compatible with Evangelical Christianity. Now Netland hits head-on questions of conflicting truth claims by different religions, problems in Hick’s pluralist paradigm, and challenges for Christian apologetics in answering issues raised by religious pluralism. He suggests criteria for evaluating alternate worldviews proposed by the fact of religious diversity today. Importantly, Netland’s work is not only critical but also constructive; he finishes with a foundation for building an Evangelical theology of religions.

Netland is an associate professor of philosophy of religion, and this shows in his methodology. His arguments are often tight, well-knit constructs requiring close attention to understand. Usually the reward is worth the work. His illustrations, examples, and analogies help. Nevertheless, this is not merely a philosophical treatise. Netland treats divine revelation as paramount. His abundant, reverent use of Scripture can be followed easily enough by anyone with a basic biblical background. Regarding content, Netland really does try to touch all the bases. One noteworthy exception is pneumatology. Typical of some Evangelicals but increasingly hard to understand in light of the modern Pentecostal/charismatic movements, Netland spends major time and space on Christology, necessary in itself of course, but does not even mention notable nuances an informed experience of the Holy Spirit brings to the theology of religions table. Even when discussing Clark Pinnock, who develops a dynamic pneumatological model of theology of religions (cf. Flame of Love: A Theology of the Holy Spirit, Downer’s Grove, ILL: InterVarsity, 1996), he misses (dismisses?) the chance to talk about the role of the Spirit and the religions. Given his usual thoroughness Netland’s negligence on pneumatology is disparate and disappointing.

That being said, two things really make this book a standout work. First, Netland’s discussion of John Hick’s pluralism is very helpful indeed. Hick is probably the leading pluralist of our day and coming to grips with his work is required in theology of religions research. That Netland studied under Hick and speaks of him with high regard yet respectfully disagrees with his pluralist paradigm lends his work added depth and dimension. His discussion on Hick really does help clarify several salient concepts of Hick’s philosophy and theology. In the process, Netland persuasively shows where and why religious pluralism went wrong. Second, Netland’s concluding proposal for an Evangelical theology of religions is exceptionally clear, concise, and constructive. His definition and clarification of the theology of religions task, goals, and tools give guidance on a road seriously needing such signposts for safe navigation. His continuing uncompromising commitment to the uniqueness of Christ and to Christian evangelism and missions in the context of theology of religions is commendable.

French L. Arrington, Encountering the Holy Spirit: Paths of Christian Growth and Service (Cleveland, TN: Pathway Press, 2003), 546 pages.

One hundred and four years ago (as of the time of this writing), two births took place: the birth of the twentieth century, and the birth of the Pentecostal movement. And in a little more than a century, that movement has become a global phenomenon, growing in size to the point where more than half of all Christians worldwide consider themselves to be Pentecostal/charismatics. This growth has helped to reawaken interest in and exploration of the person and work of the Holy Spirit, and Arrington’s new book is a welcome addition to that exploration. The recently retired professor of New Testament Greek and Exegesis at the Church of God Theological Seminary, Dr. Arrington expresses the importance of the Third Person of the Trinity very succinctly: “The critical element to the life, vitality and growth of the Christian church has been, and remains, the presence and power of the Spirit” (p. 19).

French L. Arrington

Arrington, no stranger to Pentecostal scholarship, presents us with an excellent volume on the subject of pneumatology, focusing mainly on the work of the Spirit in each believer, as well as in the local congregation and the Body of Christ as a whole. This focus occurs in an examination of seven main (and fairly comprehensive) topics (p. 20):

1. The Spirit in the Old Testament.

2. The Spirit’s role in conversion and the Christian walk.

3. Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

4. The relationship of glossolalia to baptism in the Spirit.

5. The results of baptism in the Spirit.

6. The gifts of the Spirit.

7. The challenge of living the Spirit-filled life in the church and in the world.

He concludes his book with a chapter filled with accounts of individuals’ experiences with the Spirit.