Full disclosure: As it says on my “About Me” Page. I am, for all intents and purposes, an ex-Pentecostal Christian. I attended a Pentecostal Church in Southwest Detroit from 1984 till 1993 and then attended several Pentecostal Churches in the Detroit Area from 1997 till April of 2004. I left for several very personal reasons that would take several pages worth of writing to explain. Anyhow…just letting you know. I am now a Independent Fundamental Baptist. I was converted to Christianity in a Baptist Church as 9 year old boy. I left that Church after the Pastor, of whom, I am told; I idolized, ran off with another woman. My mother removed me from that Church’s school and put me in one ran by Pentecostals. Thus my tenure in Pentecostalism.
It seems that Time Magazine is doing a piece on Sarah Palin’s relationship to Pentecostalism. However, in their effort to explain Pentecostalism and Pentecostal Theology, they missed the boat just a bit. I will attempt to correct the errors that I see.
Let me also just say for the outset that I do realize the article is basically an attack piece of Palin’s Religion, seeing the Right is making a huge issue about Obama’s Pastor problems and his relationship to Bill Ayers. I wish not to argue those points.
Anyhow, here’s the places that Time made a few errors, I will underline and bold the places where Time blew it…:
What is Pentecostalism? Pentecostals are named for the feast of Pentecost described in the New Testament Book of Acts as taking place shortly after Jesus’ ascension into heaven. During the feast, his followers were said to have been "filled with the Holy Spirit" and gained the ability to speak in many different languages, or "tongues." The modern Pentecostal movement is relatively new — just over 100 years old — and is usually dated to the Azusa Street Revival that began in Los Angeles in 1906. (The revival was a nine-year series of near continuous worship services that popularized Pentecostal worship and practices.) Pentecostalism can be best understood as a branch within evangelical Protestantism, characterized by a focus on the Holy Spirit and a belief in spiritual gifts, such as healing and speaking in tongues.
On it’s face, this is basically correct, but Pentecostalism can be traced back to a Cultish group of Christians in England that believed that the “Gifts” of the Spirit were for today, they existed around 1400’s, I believe. Also, the Quakers and the Newer Methodists tended to be more open to the “Gifts” of the Spirit as well. The Quakers were called just that, because of their strange way of worshiping. The Pentecostal movement can also trace it’s roots to the Holiness movement that swept through the south in the early 1900’s. Some of those meetings in the south became known as the old “Brush Arbor” Meetings.
Are Pentecostals the same as Charismatics? The Charismatic movement began around the 1960s when some Christians within mainline Protestant and Roman Catholic churches adopted certain Pentecostal beliefs, including the acceptance of gifts — or "charisms" — from the Holy Spirit, like speaking in tongues. While Pentecostals can be broadly described as Charismatic, what distinguishes Charismatics is their desire to remain within their original traditions.
Partially true, partially false. That was when the Pentecostal movement became very popular. The biggest difference between Pentecostals and the Charismatic’s of the 1960’s was the lack of the teaching of separation from the world. Anyone who has ever seen a historic picture of Kathryn Kuhlman knows this to be true. However, in this day of great evangelical compromise the words Charismatic and Pentecostal are nothing more than similar names to describe a particular group; albeit, very misguided group, of Christians.
How are Pentecostal beliefs different from Evangelical theology? Almost all Pentecostals are also Evangelical, meaning they put great emphasis on the authority of the Bible, believe in spiritual conversion, conceive of a personal relationship with God and follow an imperative to "share the Good News." They also tend to share theological beliefs regarding the End Times with fundamentalists and more conservative Evangelicals. But they also believe in a separate baptism of the Holy Spirit that is subsequent to and distinct from conversion by accepting Christ as the savior and son of God. This baptism is the core doctrine that separates Pentecostals from other Evangelicals, and it is seen as manifested by physical evidence such as healing powers, speaking in tongues and even bodily inhabitation. (Some Pentecostals take "being filled with the Holy Spirit" to mean that the spirit is actually in them and moves their limbs.)
The part I underlined is utterly and totally false. Pentecostals believe that God is still speaking to mankind today and that the Bible is nothing more than a well written guide. Despite what most Pentecostal Pastors say. Anyone who says that they believe that the “Signs and Wonders” gifts are for today, does not believe that the Bible is the FINAL Authority. The rest is correct factually. In fact, most Pentecostals believe that you can be filled more than once or “refilled”. There were some Pentecostals, like Rev. Finis Jennings Dake who rejected that teaching totally.
Anyhow, while Time magazine did a decent job on explaining Pentecostalism to their Liberal readers. They should have done much more research into the history. Then again, when you’re publishing a hatchet job on a Republican, thoroughness is not exactly on the list.
Some links and books on the subject:
The Strange history of the Pentecostal Church by David Cloud
The Roots of Pentecostalism by David Cloud
(Click the book to order)
Technorati Tags: Christanity, Conservative, Election ’08, Election 2008, John McCain, Opinion, Politics, Religion, Republican, Republicans, Sarah Palin, Time Magazine
I would like to add this to your blog. I couldn’t find a place to respond to their article too.
Maybe this will shed the light about Pentecosts. The word Petecost means the 50th day, when the apostles and 120 others were gathered in the upper room, after Jesus had risen from the dead and descended into Heaven. You will find that in the book of Acts 1st & 2nd chapters. This was called the day of Pentecost. That is when the Holy Spirit fell upon them & they began speaking in other tongues. That is when Pentecost first started. Many people come to America for the freedom of religon. People of the Pentecostal faith were among them. The word holiness & Pentecost were in the South years before the big revival in 1906 on Azusa Street. This revival put the Pentecost into the public.
First of all, Charismatic is not Pentecost. They have no connection to Pentecost because their beliefs are totally of the world. 1 John 2:15-16 versus Love not the world nor neither the things in the world. He that loveth the world the love of the Father is not in him. That is why the true Pentecostal people do not recognize Charismatic. The true Pentecost are not Trinity Pentecost but are oneness. The true Pentecost believes that there is only one God. 1 John 5-7 There are 3 that bearth record in Heaven, the Father, Son & Holy Ghost these 3 are one. The true Pentecost does not believe the Trinity because that the Trinity belief is saying Jesus Christ was a bastard because the Bible says that the Holy Ghost overshadowed Mary and she brought forth a son. First of all you say the Barak O’Bama has Pentecostal people that works on for him. A true Pentecost would not work for him because they can not back abortion or anyone that does. The Bible says if you bid them your speed that you are partakers of there evil deeds. James 4:17
1 John 3:8-10 He that sinneth is of the devil for the devil sinneth from the beginning. The son of man destroys all works of inquity.
When people & the media anymore are so far left they only look at part of the story that they are writing about. The Assembly of God church is Trinity Pentecost. They are one of the fastest growing religons in the world. They do not believe the true Pentecost beliefs. They go along the Charismatic line. Tammy & Jim Bakker were not Pentecost. People would like to connect them with Pentecost but they were far from being Pentecost. Jimmy Swaggart was Assembly of God. T.D. Jakes is the fartherest thing from the Pentecostal belief that Time has listed. He is only after one thing, money. A true Pentecost does not adorn him/herself with gold or costly apparel.
The true Pentecost history can be looked up under UPC (United Pentecostal Church). The Church of Jesus Christ & look up the word Holiness these are the true Pentecostal churches.
To the editor & reporter of Time magazine, 1st) you need to look up the word Christian means. He that believth in the word of God. People run out every Sunday to their church of worship. They all say I’m a Christian. A true Christian 100% Christian can not back the Democratic party or Barak O’Bama because of their stand on abortion. True Christians can not go along with gay marriages. Your own Catholic Arch Bishop of the US has called the Dems-the party of death. All the left wing people are about 75% reporters call for seperation of state & church. Our forefathers came to the US for freedom of religon. Everyone talks about the 1st & 2nd amendment. I have yet to see one of you write a report on what the Dems stand for. It is a written fact that the night O’Bama was nominated. His camp manager stood in front of Foxx newsreporters and said we can get abortion legalized. You are so worried about Sarah Palin’s religon & what she believes in. But I have not seen one report on Joe Biden & his Catholic beliefs when his Arch Bishop has called the Dems the party of death. I have not seen one story on CNN or Time or CBS or NBC the true story about a IL little hospital that Mr. O’Bama & Mr. Jones did everything in their power 4x to cut off funds because they took babies that survived abortions and gave them a chance to live. You & Mr. O’Bama say you are Christians. 2000 & 2004, you opposed many things and you were so far off in the polls that you really look DUMB. There is a group of people that say they are voting for O’Bama to keep the polls up and in reality they are not. You had better check it out. When I read things about people saying I’m a Christian, but they believe in doing anything they can to achieve their goals. They have forgot one thing, they can’t be a Christian & not live by the 10 commandments. I look at these people and I think, how they put a person down whom calls him/herself an atheist. The only difference is between them, he says he is an atheist but they live an atheist belief.
I AM A DEMOCRAT THAT VOTED FOR MR. O’BAMA IN THE PRIMARY, UNTIL I REALLY LEARNED THE TRUTH ABOUT HIM. I CAN PROVE THAT I VOTED FOR HIM. WHEN I SEARCHED OUT, THINGS ABOUT HIM THAT ARE TRUE THAT THE MEDIA LEFT OUT. I WILL NOT VOTE FOR HIM THIS FALL. I KNOW, MANY OTHERS THAT WILL NOT. ANYONE THAT IS A TRUE CHRISTIAN. I DON’T WANT TO HEAR THEM SAY THAT THEY ARE BECAUSE ABORTION IS MURDER.
I DO NOT BELIEVE IN ANY OF THIS RELIGOUS STUFF.
BUT I BELIEVE IN GOD!!
(David, I am approving this because I agree with some of it. But your views on the trinity, I very highly disagree with. I am a Christian who believes in the trinity and I do not wish to debate it at all. Thanks. -Pat