Pentecostal Theology A Time Of Ferment

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PNEUMA

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Pneuma

The Pentecostal Theology

Aims & Scope

Pneuma is the Pentecostal Theology (SPS). Since its founding in 1970, the SPS has become an international society of scholars interested in Pentecostal and Charismatic studies. T ough many of the more than 600 members of the Society belong to one of the Pentecostal or Charismatic churches, a number of others are involved in the Society’s annual meetings from other churches or merely from university settings. In 1979, Pneuma ﬁrst appeared as the Journal of the SPS. The Journal became a major medium for the interna- tional discussion of scholarly issues related to Pentecostal and Charismatic studies. Articles have appeared over the years on matters related to the special interest groups of the SPS, namely, biblical studies, history, theology, missions, praxis, ecumenism, and religion and culture. The Journal has cherished an ecumenical and an inter- national vision as well.

The staﬀ at Pneuma trust that the Journal will bring the scholarship of the SPS and beyond to the broader awareness of the academy and the churches for the mutual beneﬁt of both.

Editor

Frank D. Macchia, Vanguard University of Southern California

Book Review Editor Amos Yong, Regent University

Book Review Editorial Assistant Pidge Bannin, Regent University

Managing Editor

Walter Alexander, Vanguard University

Copy Editor Nancy de Flon

Associate Editors

Edith L. Blumhofer, Wheaton College; Donald W. Dayton, Independent Scholar; Sherry Sherrod Dupree, Santa Fe Community College; Hannah K. Harrington, Patten College; Jeﬀ Hittenberger, Evangel University; Cheryl Bridges Johns, Church of God School of T eology ; Steven J. Land, Church of God School of T eology , Henry I. Lederle, Oral Roberts University; Leonard Lovett, Independent Scholar; Gary B. McGee, Assemblies of God T eological Seminary ; Doug Petersen, Vanguard University of Southern California; Margaret M. Poloma, University of Akron, and Vanguard University of Southern California; Cecil M. Robeck Jr., Fuller T eological Seminary; James K. Smith, Calvin College; Russell P. Spittler, Vanguard University of Southern California; Roger Stronstad, Western Pentecostal Bible College ; H. Vinson Synan, Regent University; Eldin Villafañe, Gordon- Conwell T eological Seminary ; Grant Wacker, Duke Divinity School; Everett A. Wilson, Vanguard University of Southern California.

Submission

Manuscripts submitted for consideration should be sent to the Pneuma Editor at Vanguard University, 55 Fair Drive, CostaMesa, CA 92626-9601, USA.

Books for review should be sent to the Pneuma Book Review Editor, Regent University, School of Divinity, 1000 Regent University Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23464, USA.

Instructions for Authors

Please refer to the fourth page of the Volume prelims or go to .

Abstracting & Indexing

Indexes: Articles published in Pneuma are indexed by New Testament Abstracts, Religion Index One: Periodicals, and Religion Index Two: Multi Author Works, published by the American T eological Library Association (ATLA), 250 S. Wacker Dr., 16th Flr., Chicago, IL 60606, E-mail: atla@atla.com, Web: http://atla.com/

Pneuma (print ISSN 0272-0965, online ISSN 1570-0747) is published 2 times a year by BRILL, Plantijnstraat 2, 2321 JC Leiden, The Netherlands, tel +31 (0)71 5353500, fax +31 (0)71 5317532.

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PNEUMA

The Pentecostal Theology

Volume 31 (2009)

LEIDEN • BOSTON

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Instructions for Authors

Manuscripts submitted for consideration should be sent to the Pneuma Editor at Vanguard University, 55 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626-9601, USA.

Manuscripts should be typed double-spaced with footnotes on separate pages following the text. The author’s names should appear only on a separate title page and no place else on the manuscript. Please include a short abstract of no more than 150 words as well as up to six or seven keywords.

Submit manuscripts on 8.5”×11” paper if possible. Include a copy of the manuscript on a 3.5” labeled disk. Indicate which word processor was used; a recent edition of MSWord is preferred. Normally, manuscripts exceeding thirty pages in length, including notes, will not be considered. Prospective authors should consult the SPS website for guidance on style: sps-usa.org.

Upon publication contributors will be granted access to Pneuma online.

A PDF ﬁle of your published article or book review will be downloadable for 60 days after notiﬁcation (by email). You will also receive one printed copy of the journal.

Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints BRILL, Hotei Publishing, IDC Publishers, Martinus

Nijhoﬀ Publishers and VSP.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or

otherwise, without prior written permission of the publishers.

Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by the publisher provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910,

Danvers MA 01923, U.S.A. Fees are subject to change.

Printed in the Netherlands (on acid-free paper)

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Pneuma 31 (2009) 1-2

Pentecostal T eology: A Time of Ferment

Frank D. Macchia

This is a time of ferment for theologians nourished by Pentecostal communi- ties of faith. It’s an exciting time to be writing theology from within these communities of faith that have given us so much. Born from the experien- tially-rich emphasis on Jesus as the one who imparts the Spirit of life within, the Pentecostals had a gospel that spoke to the deepest needs of folks from a variety of backgrounds, especially from those marginalized by the power bro- kers of this world. T ey used terms like “born again,” “sanctiﬁ ed,” and “bap- tized in the Holy Spirit.” T ey spoke of cleansing and power, of praise and witness. T eir spirituality was as physical as it was hidden in the deepest recesses of their souls, for the Spirit of God who heals and empowers will one day raise the dead. T ere was no dimension of life untouched by the Spirit of Christ and no boundary that the Spirit did not urge them to cross.

Some were able to (sometimes) neatly distinguish their salviﬁ c categories into a via salutis while others blurred the boundaries of these terms and allowed them to overlap in the most interesting ways. T roughout these eﬀ orts, how- ever, the ﬁ gure of Jesus as the one who imparts the life-transforming Spirit within was central. Every event in the story of Jesus had Pentecost and the eschatological victory yet to come at the horizon. Jesus’ experience of the Spirit at the Jordan empowered him for his mission to proclaim the good news, heal the sick, and raise the dead. The cross was the victory that heals the body and cleanses the soul. The resurrection defeated the dark powers so that the church could preach and heal. Pentecost simply brought all of this to fulﬁ llment by giving us the Spirit. The Spirit within brought us the power of Jesus’ ministry, the power of the cross, and the power behind the empty tomb. This Spirit gave us foretastes of the Kingdom to come. It was all about God drawing in ﬂ esh so that we might draw in the Spirit.

The plethora of Pentecostal testimonies was imprecise but the overall con- cern I think was clear enough (not that there is not plenty of room for debate about this). Now it’s up to the theologians to discuss how these accents (or

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F. D. Macchia / Pneuma 31 (2009) 1-2

possibly others) can be best preserved or perhaps even more meaningfully elaborated upon within a larger narrative framework or, perhaps, systematized into a more all-encompassing vision. T ere are certain to be tensions between us as we go these routes. Are we leaving something out that belongs or putting something in that doesn’t belong? A diversity of voices at the table is to be welcomed and not discouraged. The conversation that will occupy us in the future will certainly bless those around us who are interested in a robustly pneumatological theology (as many around us have already blessed us) and the next generation will have much to think about. The articles that follow should provide some further reason for healthy discussion and debate. May the con- versation continue.

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