Pentecostal Lecture
Last worked on: 11/8/95
PENTECOSTALISM
Soc 257
New Religious Movements
Lecture Outline
- The Feast of Pentecost
- Development of the Pentecostal Movement
- Charismatic Renewal
- Holy Laughter as the Fourth Blessing
Part I
The Feast of Pentecost
Pentecost is Feast of Weeks
in Old Testament
- Pentecost is one of three Jewish pilgrimage
festivals
- Pentecost in greek means literally fifty
For Christians of the early church, Pentecost commemorates the
day the Holy Spirit decended in fulfillment of the promise of
Jesus [Acts 2: 1-4]
Acts 2: 1-4
"Seven weeks had gone by since Jesus' death and ressurection,
and the Day of Pentecost had now arrived. As the believers met
together that day, suddenly there was a sound like the roaring
of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them and it filled the
house where they were meeting. Then, what looked like flames
or tongues of fire appeared and settled on their heads. And everyone
present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in
other tongues, for the Holy Spirit gave them the ability."
Doctrine of the Trinity
This event marks the origin of the theological doctrine of
the trinity:
Birth of the Church
Pentecost is also traditionally recognized as the date of
the founding of the institutional church.
Part II
Development of the Pentecostal Movement
Death and Rebirth of the
Gifts of Pentecost
While there is evidence of early Christins being filled with
the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues, conventional wisdom
holds that this came to an end in the third century.
- In the 19th century many Christians began to
wonder why, if it happened in the early church, it couldn't happen
how.
January 1, 1902
Dateline: Topeka, Kansas
Charles F. Parham founded Bethel Bible School in
Topeka and with a samll group of students consciously sought to
recover the give of speaking in tongues.
- It occured on the first day of January, 190l
but had little immediate impact.
- In 1905 Parham preached at a revival in Houston,
Tx.
- William Seymour, a black holiness evangelist
attended and was baptized in the Holy Spirit.
- Seymour carried the message to Los Angeles
Azusa Street Mission
At the Azusa Street Mission in a run down section
of Los Angles, a revival commenced that would last several years
and spread around the world.
- Led by WIlliam Seymour, hundreds received the
gifts of the Holy Spirit.
- The press learned of this strange revival and
told the story to the world.
- Soon people were speaking in tongues the world
over and the Pentecostal Movement was born.
Distinctive Features of Pentecostalism
- Glossolia (speaking in tongues)
- Faith healing (and the belief that faith
can sustain health)
- The vivacity of miracles ("latter
rain")
- The vitality of worship
Growth and Institutionalization of the
Movement
- The growth and institutionalization of pentecostalism
is occurring in parallel with the growth of fundamentalism
- The two movements appeal to vastly different
audiences.
- Fundamentalism emerges from the core of culture.
- Pentecostalism emerges on the fringe and appeals
to lower classes and downtrodden
Pentacostal Church Growth in US
CHRUCH 1960s 1990s CHANGE
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assemblies of God 543,003 2,257,846 +416%
Church of God (And.) 144,145 214,743 +149%
Church of God (Clev.) 197,464 672,008 +340%
Church of God in Christ 413,000 5,499,875 +1,332%
Four Square Gospel 89,215 207,455 +232%
Pent. Assoc. of the World 42,000 500,000 +1,190%
United Pent. Int'l 150,000 550,000 +367%
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL 1,578,827 9,901,927 +627%
Phenomenal Success in Latin America
Evangelical Estimated
% of total pop %
1960 1985 2010
Brazil 4.4% 15.9% 57.4%
Chile 11.7% 21.6% 38.8%
Costa Rica 1.3% 6.5% 32.4%
El Salvador 2.5% 12.8% 66.5%
Guatamala 2.8% 18.9% 126.8%
Puerto Rico 5.8% 20.9% 75.1%
Part III
Charismatic Renewal
Outpouring of Holy Spirit
Goes Mainstream
More than a half century after its lowly beginnings, the gifts
of the Holy Spirit spread to the mainstream of American religious
life.
- The first evidence appeared in an Episcopalian
congregation in Van Neys Calif in the early 1960s.
Then, in the wake of the Second Vatican Council, it overtook
Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and quickly spread to Notre
Dame.
- They called it Charismatic Renewal
Distinctive qualities of Charismatic
Renewal
- Glossolia
- Healing with a different touch
- Worship as celebration.
Part IV
Holy Laughter as the Fourth Blessing
Toronto Life Magazine bills
"Toronto Blessing" the top tourist attraction of 1994!
Asusa Revisited?
Many say yes.