Jurgen Moltmann and Karl-Josef Kuschel, eds. Pentecostal Movements as an Ecumenical Challenge (London: SCM, 1996), ix + 143 Pps.
This book introduces readers to various phenomena of the Pentecostal churches that directly impact the religious situation of our time. It indicates that confessionally-based schemes to categorize beliefs is not a proper methodology in our time, as some of the P. beliefs have been subsumed into almost all of the various denominations worldwide. This title has representatives from multiple denominations weighing in on the analysis, inc. the P. denomination itself. They corporately see the P. movement as a challenge to all Christian church traditions to engage in self-critical inquiry into their theology, liturgy, and pastoral work. The editors note that the surprising find from their inquiries was that there are few fundamental differences, in reality, from P. churches and other church traditions, and many commonalities. All of the articles highlight the assertion that a theology of the Holy Spirit is ultimately a theology of life, understood as a theology of the renewal of the people of God and all creatures brought about by the Spirit.
In it, Hollenweger (“From Azusa Street to the Toronto Blessing”, pg. 3-13) delineates the 5 roots of P.: 1) the black oral root; 2) the Catholic root, mediated via Wesley (i.e. free-will, episcopal church structure, the natural and supernatural division, and the order of salvation); 3) the Evangelical root; 4) the self-critical root (i.e. in ecclesiology, theology and ethics); and 5) the Ecumenical root (they didn’t want to start a new church, but renew the ones they were in instead). The Ecumenical significance of the early P. movement consists in that it is a church of the poor and for the poor; the P. beliefs have been generalized to the larger Christian church at large, it gives third-world people an identity, dignity, and independence; and it confronts us with what theology in truth is at its heart. What unites P.’s is not doctrine but experience, Hollenweger states.
Cheryl Bridges Johns (“Healing and Deliverance: A Pentecostal Perspective”, pg. 45-62) describes the P. phenomena of healing and exorcism as reflective of a particular worldview that allows for transformational encounters. She also shows how P. breaks down the dualism so prevalent in modern Christianity by noting the P.’s insistence on the unity of spirit and body. She notes that P.’s see healing as that of the entire person, and not merely the body.
Frank Macchia (“Tongues and Prophecy: A Pentecostal Perspective”, pg. 63-69) states that tongues accent the general inadequacy of language to talk of the things of God; they dramatize an encounter with God that is filled with awe and wonder. Tongues have ecumenical significance, functioning to unite people together, much in the same way they uniting the experiences of gentiles and Jews together in Acts. Acts demonstrates that people must strive for unity and ecumenicity, as they do not happen easily. Hermann Haring (Office and Spirit: A Catholic Response”, pg 69-75) responds to Macchia and states that the charismatic gifts in general should be seen as ecumenically significant.
Michael Welker (Word and Spirit – Spirit and Word: A Protestant Response, pg. 77-84), who is of a Reformed background, asserts that it is impossible to play off the ‘power of the Spirit’ against the ‘helplessness of the Word’ (80). He notes also that it is the Word of God (not the Spirit?) that edifies people, comforts them, raises them up, enlivens them, delights them, strengthens them, liberates them, gives them hope, and gives them orientation and certainty. Moreover, it – at times – terrifies them, binds them, oppresses them, admonishes and judges them (80). He laments how the functions of the Word of God have become virtually synonymous with the Spirit of God. He highlights, over against subordinating t=either the Word or the Spirit to one another, the perichoresis of the two together, the ‘selfless reciprocal interpenetration” of the two (80).
James D.G. Dunn (“Born Again: A Protestant Response”, pg. 109-15) wants to remind us that the gift of the Holy Spirit is no more tied to baptism than it was to the rite of circumcision, and warns that we Christians should not make the same mistake over it that the Jews did over circumcision (115-16).
In his summary of the volume (“Pentecost and the Theology of Life,” pg 123-34), Moltmann notes that the Spirit communicates that out of which it comes from: 1) the shining countenance of God; 2) the cross and resurrection of Christ; 3) the crucified Christ; and the distinguishing marks of the name of Jesus and the sign of the cross (126-28).