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175
The
Experience
Pentecostal
of the Latin
Encuentro
American-
Roger
Cabezas*
The Latin American Pentecostal Movement
presently
constitutes one of the new
religious
movements of major
growth
and decisive
impact
in the Latin American situation. For some it is a blessing and
hope;
for
others, it is a dangerous
conspiracy undermining processes
of
change
and the search for solutions to the
principal
social,
economic and
political prob- lems of Latin America and the Caribbean.
These facts
bring
us to a discussion of the role of Pentecostalism in Latin America. This is an urgent and
indispensable
task which should be
accomplished by Pentecostals
themselves.
In the past, the Pentecostal Movement has been
underestimated,
deval- ued and
explicated
in pejorative terms. Some studies on Pentecostalism have left weak
presuppositions,
and in the
majority
of cases, have
given rise to distorted conclusions about
reality
and the
religious phenomenon called Pentecostalism. Dr. Martin E. Marty confirms: “Until a little while ago,
let’s
say
a
generation back,
Pentecostalism was seen as a move- ment of
illiterates,
the
‘disequilibrated,’ ‘ignorants,’
the ‘traumatized’ (sic),
or
‘trouble-making fanatics,’
who were on the cultural
periphery; they
would have remained
there,
without
requiring
nor even
leaving literature of importance. All this has
changed
Overall,
we Pentecostals were considered a poorly-represented per-
sometimes Latin American trans- .
spective
harmful to the interests of
planted
Protestantism. Some still maintain narrow and
simplistic posi- tions in their to one of the most
approach
important religious phenomena of this
century.2 .
He
*Roger Cabezas, ThM, MBA,
is a Costa Rican Pentecostal
serves
pastor.
as President of the Mision Pentecostal fe
y
Santidad of Costa
Rica, President of the Church
Council for
Emergencies
and the Reconstruction of Costa Rica Associate Coordinator of the
(C.I.P.E.R.),
Latin American Pentecostal Encuentro
(E.P.L.A.),
and is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Latin American Coun- cil of Churches
this article.
I want
to thank Anne White who trans- lated
(C.L.A.I.).
1″Hasta hace poco, digamos una generaci6n atras, se veia al pentecostalismo como un movimiento de analfabetos,
‘desequilibrados,’ ‘ignorantones,’ ‘taumaturgos’
o ‘fandticos bochincheros,’
que
estaban al margen de la cultura; quedarian alli, sin requerir ni tampoco dejar literatura de importancia. Todo eso ha cambiado.” Donald
Ralces teol6gicas del pentecostalismo, (Buenos Aires, Argentina: Editorial Nueva Creacidn, 1991), xiv. All quotations which appear in this article are translated Dayton,
from the Spanish version of the work unless otherwise noted.
2Bishop Gabriel Vaccaro’s exposition, entitled “Oaxtepec desde una perspectiva
1
176
Pentecostal movements its distinctive,
indigenous
together
(E.P.L.A.)
This effort
represents
In this article I will outline the experience of one of the Latin American
which,
in the
past thirty years,
has manifested
and
promising presence.
We will
point
out some
perspectives concerning
the fundamental
purposes
that this move- ment has
expressed
in diverse
documents,
in the
experience
of the Encuentro Pentecostal Latinoamericano
few historical, understanding
dynamics
of diverse geographical
zones-north,
unexpectedly
entered
and how
they
have come
addition to
many
other studies make this effort to contribute a and
missiological
elements
to
from a Latin American
result when the
thought
in distinct
joined
to the
experi- Pentecostal
experience
has vision that redeems distinctive
an intentional
about Latin American Pentecostals. We
theological, pastoral
the
significance
of Pentecostalism
perspective .
From this
perspective,
various
possibilities
Pentecostal sectors and
denominations,
south, east,
west-are
ence of
unity
of the
Spirit,
in which the
with a new
pastoral
and
original
classical Pentecostalism as a catalyst for social
change.
In transitional times like those in which we live, it is a dynamic and trans-
to confront an
obligation
of the Christian faith, to
the Church’s
mission,
and to search for alternatives that resolve the acute
personal, family
and
general
social
problems
of our time. This is done
principally
in pastoral
solidarity
with the
abandoned, the
helpless,
the
lowly
and the
poor
of the
earth, under
the
guidance
and with the consolation of the
Holy Spirit
at the
local, regional
and
global levels.
forming
motivation contribute to
.
Our
Heritage
us,
by
We are Latin Americans and
Caribbeans, people who live south of the Rio Grande. There are more than 360 million
women, men, youth, chil- dren,
elderly, whites, blacks, mestizos,
and
aborigines/Indians among
to indicate
only
some of the contrasts.
Approximately
80 percent are Roman
Catholics;
15-20
percent
are Protestants.
. We are
part
of a land that is about to culminate 500
years
of continu- ous
pillaging,
in which various
empires
have removed its
multiple
riches
force.
During
that
history,
thousands of our
aboriginal/Indian
ances- tors were massacred and exterminated because of ambition and
greed.
both
conquest
and domination were carried out within the context of a Christian and western
religion.
The cross arrived with the sword,
and therefore the
majority
of Latin Americans
today
are Roman
Moreover,
Catholics.
pentecostal,” Cuadernos de Teologta, 5:4 (1979), 289-292;
is interesting here. He relates part of his experience as an ecumenical Latin American Pentecostal leader at the
dices Assembly
of Churches in Oaxtepec in 1978, which precisely reflects the preju-
against Pentecostals that dominate in some small sectors of Latin American
Protestantism.
transplanted
2
177
Presently,
most Latin Americans and Caribbeans suffer from extreme
subsistence-level
living
conditions in all areas:
nutrition, health,
hous-
ing, clothing, employment,
etc. Discrimination because of
sex, race,
religion
and
age
are
bewildering
and shameful
experiences,
but
they
are
also
part
of this
history.
From what the World Economic
Organization
reports,
the
goal
of Latin American economic
stability
and
recovery
will
appear
further
away every day
if current
exchange
and international
commerce conditions remain as they are now.3
But we have
hope
in God’s
Kingdom,
the resistance of the
people
and
aboriginal/Indian nationalities,
and all of Christ Jesus’ true followers
who seek
peace
and justice in every comer of the earth.
We are also
part
of Latin American Protestantism characterized
by
various confessional
expressions.4
These
expressions
include those of
the
missionary
churches
partly typified by “transplant”
churches which
resulted from
European,
Asiatic and Caribbean
migratory
movements .
that established themselves as rural or
parallel
colonies to the
foreign
businesses, speaking
their own
languages
and
conserving
their customs
while
transplanting
their
expressions
of faith.5 There are also the con- .
fessions of the
independent missionary
movements
coming
out of the
“official churches” tied to the
European
States. Some of these arrived in
Latin America via the United States.
Two basic tendencies can be noted from
among
the fundamental char-
acteristics of these two
missionary
church movements. On the one
hand,
there are those that, in addition to building churches and
congregations,
concentrated on
erecting hospitals, schools, secondary schools,
radio
broadcasts,
etc. On the other
hand,
some concentrated
purely
on
prose-
lytism.
These two tendencies
may
be described as the
“civilizing”
ten-
dency
and the
“evangelizing” tendency.
Insistence on these tendencies
by
the two
missionary
church movements reflects the conflict and the
debate between fundamentalism and modernism transferred to Latin
America from the United States.6
The Latin American Pentecostal Movement is also a part of this reality
and is expressed in its own
right by
three
movements,
the
first,
of which
is a missionary movement with a clear
tendency
to “evangelize” with a ,
strongly
fundamentalist
emphasis.
.
.
.
.
3See Roger Cabezas, “La perspectiva del encuentro pentecostal.” Paper presented at the Pentecostal Encuentro, Buenos Aires, April 1989.
4Here we follow in part the analysis of Orlando Costas, “La realidad de la iglesia evangelica Latinoamericana,” in El protestantismo en America Latina hoy (San Jose, Costa Rica: Publicaciones INDEF, 1975) 1-40.
5julio de Santa Ana, Cristianismo sin religi6n, (Montevideo, Uruguay: Editorial Alfa, 1969) 44 as cited in Costas, El protestantismo en America Latina hoy, 8.
6jos6
Miguez Bonino,
“Cristianismo en Am6rica Latina,” Orientacidn, 19:1 1 (Enero-Marzo 1971) 9,
as cited in Costas, El protestantismo en America Latina hoy, 9.
.
.
3
178
The second movement consists of national churches
resulting
from a reaction to the institutionalization of the Pentecostal
missionary
churches in the United States between the 1930s and 1950s.7
Many
of these national churches broke off from
missionary
churches and were trans- formed into national churches.
Examples
include the Association of the Church of God of
Argentina
which
separated
from the Church of God, 8 the Venezuelan Pentecostal
Evangelical
Union which
separated
from the Assemblies of God, and the Faith and Holiness Pentecostal Mission which
separated
from the Pentecostal Holiness Church. The details of these situations await further historical
study.
The third movement includes
independent
churches9
arising
from evangerstic campaigns,
from divisions led
by
charismatic leaders of whatever
confession,
church or movement, or from the activities of the so-called electronic church and other similar entities.
Arguments
for and
against
these divisions exist. To us,
they
are the same
conditions-economic, social, political
and cultural-which
pro- voke and result in expressions of this
type
of religious confession. But here is one of the principal challenges to the
understanding, practice,
and perspective
of that which Latin American Pentecostalism calls
“unity
of the
Spirit.”
It
appears
to be the most relevant
component
of our Pentecostal heri- tage,
and it represents the
key
hermeneutical
principle
to understand the motivation,
depth, transforming impact
and
liberating perspective
of the Pentecostal Movement. It is the element in all Pentecostal
expression which makes it attractive to and popular
among
the peop1e.10
Here it is indispensable to reiterate what the so-called “scandal” of the Pentecostal
congregation
of the
Apostolic
Faith Mission of 312 Azusa Street meant and
expressedl
at the
beginning
of the
century,
when
7Donald Dayton, Hip6tesis, discussed in a small group work session (Brighton, England: Theological Section, July 1991).
8Bishop Gabriel Vaccaro, “Oaxtepec desde una perspectiva pentecostal,” 290.
‘
9For a wider perspective on this subject, the following study is of interest: Narciso Sepulveda Barra, “Sintesis hist6rica del movimiento pentecostal en Chile”; Ramon Castillo Rodnguez, “Elementos para una historia del pentecostalismo en Venezuela”; Adonis Nino Chavarria, “Breve historia del movimiento pentecostal: caso
Orlando Silva and
Nicaragua”;
Joel Stevanauo,”O Pentecostalismo no Brasil.” Papers presented at the Latin American Pentecostal Encuentro, Santiago de Chile, December 1990.
1°For a wider view of this argument, the following study is illustrative: Gamaliel
Bishop
Lugo, “Base social del pentecostalismo Latinoamericano.” at the
Pentecostal Encuentro in Buenos Aires
Paper presented
Argentina, 1989; Carmelo Alvarez, “Lo clave hermenedtica del movimiento
popular: pentecostal”; Bishop Gamaliel “Etica social Lugo,
pentecostal: santidad comprometida”; Miguel Angel Casco, “Liberaci6n: obra del
Espiritu.” Papers presented at the Pentecostal Encuentro, Santiago de Chile, December 1990.
I I Cecil M. Robeck, Jr., “The Holy Spirit in the Pentecostal/Charismatic Tradi- tion.” Unpublished paper presented at the North American Academy of Ecumenists, Washington, D.C., September 30, 1990, p. 8.
4
179
whites and blacks broke
segregationist
and discrimination structures and together spoke
in
angelic tongues.
The “biblical evidence,”12 was not just
the
speaking
in angelic
tongues,
but that the
blessing
fell on women and men of different races and socioeconomic conditions. It was the Holy Spirit’s expression manifesting
God’s
promises
for the mission of the Church-scandal and
uproar
for some, but a new
hope
for all humanity, principally
for
those,
both male and
female, who were mar- ginal, segregated,
discriminated
against,
and the
poor
of God’s earth.
On this
point
I agree with the thesis
expressed by
Dr. Donald
Dayton that
“glossolalia,
… cannot
by itself define Pentecostalism or distinguish it plainly from other Christian or religious
movements,”13 though
with a different
perspective.
In this case the Pentecostal
experience represents the vision of a new heaven and a new earth where
love, justice
and peace
in
social, economic,
political
and cultural structures are
plain everyday
realities in the lives of
children, youth,
the
elderly, women, blacks and whites. Neither discrimination nor
segregation exist,
nor is there limitation of any type, at any time.14
Here it is also
important
to
point
out what Professor Walter J. Hollenweger
considers the five fundamental roots of Pentecostalism. The
first, he calls the “oral black” root,
referring
to the oral
expression, memory,
and
symbols
that derive from a specific socioeconomic
experi- ence of
those,
both male and
female, who were black, discriminated against, segregated
and the
poor
of the earth. This
represents
one of the fundamental roots: human
beings-men;
women and children-whose Pentecostal
experience
relates to their concrete situation of poverty and gives
forth a word of
hope
and liberation. The second root he calls “evangelical.”
It
corresponds
to
taking
a front-line
position
in the war against violence,15
the
fight
for
emancipation,
and the search for true
l2Ceci1 M. Robeck, Jr., “William J. Seymour and the ‘Bible Evidence’,” in B.
Gary
McGee, ed. Initial Evidence: Historical and Biblical Perspectives on the Pente- costal Doctrine
of Spirit Baptism (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 72-95. 1991),
13″La glosolalia, … no puede por si sola definir el pentecostalismo o distinguirlo plenamente de otros movimientos cristianos o religiosos.” Donald Dayton, Raices teol6gicas del pentecostalismo, 3.
14The following studies are interesting and contribute to the universal understand- ing
of our argument in two distinct and different situations and times: David “T. B. Barratt’s Christiana
Bundy, tion of American
(Oslo)
and British
City Mission: A Study in the Intercultural Adapta-
Voluntary Association Structures”; and Nico Horn, Borders in Southern
“Crossing
Africa: A Lesson from History.” Papers presented at the Sixth
European
Conference of Pentecostal/Charismatic Research,
Kappel, Switzerland, July 1991. ..
15The study by Murray W. Dempster constitutes an important contribution to the discussion of this Borders: Used American Pentecostals in
subject, “Crossing Arguments by Early
Support of the Global Character of Pacifism.” Paper presented at the Sixth
European Conference of Pentecostal/Charismatic Research, Kappel, Switzer- land, July 1991.
‘
5
180
opportunities
and
equal
conditions for all. The third root he identifies as “ecumenical.” It is a renewal movement that transcends the traditions and the social structures of race,
sex, language, location, religion, eco- nomics,
politics
and culture. The fourth root, which he calls
“critical,”
is a critical
point
in relation to society’s adjustment to the economic, social, political
and cultural structures that
produce misery
and
death,
discrimi- nation and
segregation,
and
manipulation
and
corruption.
In
explicit form,
this
point signals
new life
experiences
in churches
just
as it does in
society.
The fifth root Professor
Hollenweger
calls “catholic.” Its clearest
expression
manifests itself in the
baptism
in the
Holy Spirit.
It is a truly universal
experience,
in every sense of the word-the boundaries of absolute and
vague separations
do not exist. Dr.
Hollenweger goes on to affirm that these
specific
manifestations did not exist
together before in the
history
of
Christianity.
This collection is distinct from the diverse traditions
flowing
out of the Reformation-neither is it a simple variation of some element of Protestant tradition-it is something totally new.16 .’ ‘
If we
dig deeply
into
history
we
find,
for
example,
that one of the transforming
movements in the
epoch
of the sixteenth
century religious reformation-what some have called the “radical
reformation,”
move- ment with Thomas Muntzer as one of its most famous
expositors-was more than a
simple power
structure
change
between the
papacy
and princes
and feudal lords of those
days.
It was a search for the total emancipation
of the
peasant
and lower class social base that sustained the
upper
class
privileges
of those times. From a Pentecostal faith
expe- rience,
we would
say they
were in search of a new
socioeconomic, political
and cultural
situation, principally
for the lower
classes,
and therefore,
a new faith
experience
and
peace
in the here and now.
‘ founded
in hope,
justice,
One
may
also seek
insights among
the
prophets.
Their
message
recall- ed and
strongly emphasized
a faith
experience
united to a life
practice that
directly
and
indispensably
related socioeconomic,
political
and cul- tural structures to illuminating
justice
and
peace. 17
We can affirm in this
sense, therefore,
that the
Spirit’s
manifestation as a fountain of
justice, peace
and
joy
is an
ongoing experience throughout
time and
history.
We can also
emphasize
that the Pentecostal phenomenon
in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries
corresponds
to the outpourings
of God’s
power
in our
days.
In the
early
1960s three Pentecostal churches of Chile became mem- bers of the World Council of Churches. Those
pioneers
were
harshly criticized
by
other Pentecostals. Later, other Pentecostal churches
16Walter Hollenweger, “The Five Roots of Pentecostalism.” Paper presented at the Sixth
European
Conference of Pentecostal/Charismatic Research,
Kappel, Switzerland, July 1991.
17Cf.. Amos, Micah, Nathan, and others.
6
181
_
became members and united with the Council
programs.
All this
began
a series of Pentecostal relations in Latin America, with the Ecumenical Movement.
The first encuentro
(encounter group meeting)
of Pentecostal
unity occurred in October
1971,
in Buenos Aires,
Argentina.
Fifteen South American Pentecostal and charismatic leaders were
present.
Due to the fraternal
spirit
that
flowed, the Organizing Committee
of a future en- cuentro was named. The
meeting
concluded with
joyful public worship with the assistance of local Pentecostals of Buenos Aires.
Taking advantage
of the convocation of the Latin American
Assembly of Churches, Pentecostals had another encuentro and
participated signif- icantly
in
founding
the Latin American Council of Churches in 1978 in Oaxtepec,
Mexico.18 Three
Pentecostals, Bishop
Gabriel O.
Vaccaro, Bishop Enrique Chavez,
and the Reverend
Roger Cabezas,
formed the Board of Directors of the
emerging
Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI).
In March
1979,
in Santa
Fe, Bogota, Colombia,
the Bolivian Pente- costal
Congress emphasized
“The Pentecostal
community’s unity
and growth.”19
The leaders established as fundamental themes:
1.
“The
urgency
of Pentecostal church
unity
in Latin
America,”20
2. “The function of gifts and
ministry
in that
task,”21 and
3. “The Church’s situation in Latin America
today.”22
The
participants
determined that the Pentecostal
Movement, “should persist
in a justice ministry moving towards
facing
our world
crisis,”23 to
“respond
to the
challenge
of
poverty.”24
This
Congress
birthed a pressing
need for Latin American Pentecostal
unity.
In
November, 1979,
in
Huampani, Lima, Peru, thirty-one
South American Pentecostal leaders met in another encuentro
during
the Sec- ond Latin American
Congress
for
Evangelization.
At that
time, they affirmed in a letter to South American churches:
… We have come with our hearts open to the Holy Spirit’s guidance and
to profound reflection on our existence as the Church … We declare our desire to be united as the Lord’s Church, without
disposed
our different
disregarding
doctrinal, liturgical, organizational, etc. positions. We con- fess our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and our conviction that the Holy Spirit continues to work in our day baptizing men with His
.
18jos6 Miguez Bonino, “Hacia un protestantismo ecumdnico” in Oaxtepec 1978 (San Jose, Costa Rica: Editorial Consejo Latinoamericano de Iglesias, 1980) 69.
19″La unidad y crecimiento del pueblo pentecostal.”
20″La urgencia de la unidad de la iglesia pentecostal en Amdrica Latina”
21″La funci6n de los dones y ministerios en esa tarea”
_
22″La situaci6n de la Iglesia hoy en Amdrica Latina.”
23″debe persistir en un ministerio por la justicia, tendiente a encarar la crisis de nuestro mundo”
7
182
power, and enabling the Church through gifts and ministry in order to fulfill His
redeeming mission for all humanity: prisoners of their sonal per-
sin, suffering the of
victims of violence and
of their oppression
poverty,
suffering, degradation being as children of God, as a of consequence
unjust systems. We urge our Latin American brothers and sisters to
participate
in this new step …25
In
1982, again reaffirming
their ecumenical
calling,
Pentecostals had a new encuentro in Huampani,
Lima,
Peru
during
the Constituent Assem- bly
of the Latin American Council of Churches and formed its Board of Directors.
In
January 1988,
in
Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, thirty
Latin American Pentecostal leaders
participated
in another encuentro and reflected on the following
fundamental themes: “Pentecostal
Identity
and
Diversity”26 and “New Pentecostal
Experiences
in the
Sphere
of Social Service.”27 The encuentro culminated in true
spiritual
celebration and with the firm decision to continue what had
happened
there. The
primary practical results of this
activity
were a newborn consciousness of the
size, vitality and
potential
of Latin American
Pentecostalism,
and the continental
day of prayer for the
unity
of the
Spirit
that
gathered July
31 with
positive results in churches of various countries.
In November 1988 in
Indaiatuba, Brazil,
another encuentro occurred during
the Second General
Assembly
of the Latin American Council of Churches. Latin American Pentecostals reiterated their ecumenical call- ing, although
with much
difficulty
because of
prejudices
that exist in some sectors of the
missionary
churches.
In February-March 1989 in Havana,
Cuba, a new encuentro
material- ized,
with
sixty
Pentecostal leaders
represented-fifty-four
came from twenty
Cuban Pentecostal churches and six came from Pentecostal churches in other Latin American countries. This encuentro
engaged
the
.
24″respnder
al desafio de la pobreza.”
‘
25″… Hemos venido con el coraz6n abierto a la del
a la
guianza Espiritu Santo y dis- puestos
reflexi6n profunda sobre nuestro ser como Iglesia … Declaramos nuestro deseo de estar unidos como Iglesia del Senor, sin desconocer nuestras diferentes ciones
posi-
doctrinales, litdrgicas, organizacionales, etc. Confesamos nuestra fe en Jesu- cristo como Senor y Salvador y nuestra conviccic5n de que el Espiritu Santo obrando en nuestro dias
sigue
bautizando a los hombres con su poder, y capacitando a la Iglesia por
medio de los dones y ministerios, para que cumpla su misi6n redentora para
con todos los hombres: los cautivos de su pecado personal, los que sufren la opresifin
de su ser como hijos de Dios, como consecuencia de sistemas Instamos a, nuestros hermanos latinoamericanos a compartir esta nueva
injustos.
etapa …” Various, Pastoralia (San José, Costa Rica: Centro Evangdlico Latinoamericano de Estudios Pastorales, Year 2, 4-5, Nov. 1980) 240.
2″Identidad
y diversidad pentecostal.” The paper presented at this encuentro and on this subject had a powerful impact and required various editions. Bishop Gabriel O. Vaccaro, Identidad pentecostal, (Quito, Ecuador: Editorial del Consejo Latinoameri- cano de Iglesias, 1990) 61 pages.
27,?4uevas experiencias pentecostales en el campo del servicio social.”
8
183
themes, “Sharing Experiences
of the Latin American Encuentro in Brazil”28 and “The
Challenges
of Cuban Pentecostalism: Christian Edu- cation, Pastoring
and Pentecostal Ethics in this Context.”29 The
practical contributions of this encuentro were an important
response
to the
gather- ing
on the
part
of the official
representatives
of the Cuban Pentecostal churches and the positive dialogue between the Pentecostal churches and the Cuban
government.
In Buenos
Aires, Argentina,
a second encuentro was held in
April
of 1989. One hundred
twenty-five
leaders from
twenty-nine
Pentecostal denominations and sixteen Christian entities met, recounted the social, economic, political,
cultural and
religious
conditions of Latin
America, and affirmed
hope
in
unity, brotherly love,
and the
fellowship
and soli- darity
in which Jesus Christ unites us.30
A third encuentro was held in October-November, 1990, in
Santiago de Chile. It reflected on the principal historical,
sociological, theological, pastoral
and
missiological emphases
of the Latin American Pentecostal Movement and set
up
a Coordinating Commission for the Latin Ameri- can Pentecostal
Encuentro (E.P.L.A.).31
1
.
28″Compartir experiencias del Encuentro de pentecostales latinoamericanos cele- brada en Brasil.”
29Los desafios del pentecostalismo cubano: la educaci6n cristiana, la pastoral y la £tica pentecostal en ese contexto.”
3QThe principal papers and subjects of this encuentro compile some of the princi- ple
reflections of the new generations of Latin American Pentecostalism, for exam-
Gabriel Vaccaro, “La misi6n del pentecostalismo latinoamericano en la construcci6n de la
ple, Bishop
unidad de los
esperanza”; Miguel A. Petrella, “El espiritu del encuentro:
la
pentecostales”; Roger Cabezas, “La perspectiva del encuentro pente- costal” ; Gamaliel Lugo, “Base social del pentecostalismo latinoamericano”; Juan
“Reflecciones sobre el aporte pentecostal a la misi6n de la Iglesia en Am6rica Latina”; Bernardo Campos, “De la experiencia a la teologia pentecostal; Sepulveda,
Daniel Vaccaro and Daniel Oliva, “Misidn,” (Bible study); Miguel Petreca, “Poder,” (Bible study);
Cdsar Soriano, “Unidad,” (Bible study); Enriqueta Chavez, “Pueblo,” (Bible study);
Adonis Nifio Chavarria, “Comunidad,” (Bible study). Papers and Bible studies from the perspective of Latin American Pentecostalism presented at the Latin American Pentecostal Encuentro, Buenos Aires, Argentina, April 1989.
3 1 Latin American Pentecostal Encuentro (E.P L.A.) Coordinating Commission:
Bishop Gamaliel Lugo, General Coordinator
Bishop-President,
Union Evang6lica Pentecostal Venezolana
Apartado #388; Marcaibo, Zulia,
Venezuela .
Tel./Fax : (061) 22-2323
.
.
.
Rev. Roger Cabezas, Associate Coordinator
President, MisicSn Pentecostal Fe y Santidad de Costa Rica Apartado
Postal #136; Cartago, Costa Rica
– Tel./Fax : (506) 51-3886
‘
–
Rev. Juan Sepdlveda, Associate Coordinator Misi6n Iglesia Pentecostal
Casilla 238/3; Santiago de Chile, Chile Tel. : 34-6785/34-6787, Fax: 34-3686
.
– –
.
‘ . .. –
–
9
184
‘
Our Mission
We Latin American Pentecostals understand our
integral
mission to be the Church’s
integral
mission. We cannot
speak
of a Pentecostal mission of the
Church,
but rather a Pentecostal contribution to the Church’s mission and
struggles
for the
poor
to find new
dignified
life conditions measuring up
to God’s
Kingdom. Therefore,
we have drafted the fol- lowing proposals:
1. To
study
and delve into the historical
origins
of Pente-
costal faith, with the
goal
of characterizing the
particular
Pentecostal
identity
as a
catalyzing agent
for social
change.
2. To review the
theological heritage
received in
general
from Western Protestantism which has been character-
ized
by confronting
social
problems
from an individual
ethical
standpoint.
3 . To attend to the
growing
demand for Christian formation
that
embraces
biblical-theological, pastoral,
and missio-
logical aspects
and the
particular
contextual situations in
which Pentecostal churches
develop
their tasks. 4. To
deepen
in the
unity
of the
Spirit experience
that is
intrinsic to the
Gospel.32
All
things
are made one in
Bishop Gabriel O. Vaccaro
La Iglesia de Dios
Avellaneda 3765, Primer Piso; Buenos Aires, Bishop-President,
Tel.: 67-0867
Argentina Rev. Orlando Silva
President, 0 Brasil para Cristo
‘
Rua 7 de abril 235-d
Andar conjunto 407; SAo Paulo, Brazil
Tel.: (011) 257-614/(011)297-0226
Rev. Adonis Nino
President, Misi6n Cristiana
. Apartado #3967; Tel.: Managua, Nicaragua
67-4105 (Ofrice)/31-407 (Home)
.
..
Rev. Narciso
Misi6n
Sepdlveda
Iglesia Pentecostal
Pasaje Apolo
4405 San Miguel
Casilla 238, Correo 3; Santiago de Chile, Chile Tel.: 55-18948
.
.
32Here, studies that deepen and widen perspectives on the subject are of interest: Bishop
Gabriel O. Vaccaro “Aportes del pentecostalismo al movimiento ecumdnico”; Senia Pilco, “Movimiento
pentecostal,
movimiento de renovaci6n carismdtica
y movimientos contemporaneos.” Papers presented at the Latin American Pentecostal
10
185
Jesus Christ.
Unity
of the
Spirit
is
unity
in
diversity,
church
growth
and edification, and a living
community
experience
that
implies
the
solidarity
and
participation
of
each and
every
one. It has to do with all of Creation and
flows forth from
personal
and
community experience
of
the
Holy Spirit’s gifts.
5. To raise awareness that Pentecostalism constitutes a
numerically
and
spiritually
immense
community,
funda-
mentally consisting
of impoverished masses that
require ,
contextualized
shepherding
and
evangelization
conducive
to meeting basic necessities and in which the fruits of the
Spirit-justice, peace
and love-manifest themselves. 6. To know
experientially
the
everyday
conditions, feelings
and views of the Pentecostal
people
in
every
situation:
their faith
testimony, living, preaching
and testimonies of
hope
in God’s
Kingdom.
7. To examine the mass effect of
televangelism
and radio
that in many senses mutilates a great part of the richness
communal faith
..
.
of
experience
and
personal testimony
characteristic of the Pentecostal Movement.
.
‘
.
, ‘
.
8. To redouble efforts in
including
and
sharing
the task of
unity
of the
Spirit
with other
sisters,
brothers and Pente-
costal denominations that still have not
participated
in the
renewal
experience
of the Pentecostal Movement. .
9. To
enjoy
Pentecostal encuentros with critical and con-
structive reflection as the central hub of the Latin Ameri-
can Pentecostal
experience
with the end of contributing to ., the enrichment Pentecostal
identity
and its contribution to
ecumenism and the Church’s mission.
.
..
10. To
propose settings
for
debating problems, challenges .
and contributions of the Pentecostal Movement in the
Latin American context.
‘
11. To share the Latin American Pentecostal
theological
task
that
grows
out of everyday experience and is developed
in
testimonies,
praise, healing, prayer, worship, baptism
in the
Holy Spirit,
with the soul and
body
as an indivisi-
ble
unity
in the Church’s mission.33
‘
,
Encuentro, Santiago de Chile, 1990; Cecil M. Robeck, Jr., “Pentecostals and Ecu- menism : An Expanding Frontier.” Paper presented at the Sixth European Conference of Pentecostal/Charismatic
Research, Kappel, Switzerland,
“Somos
July 5, 1991; Roger Cabezas, ecumdnicos,” “La perspective del encuentro pentecostal.”
33These reflections are part of what was expressed in the Letter to the Churches,
.
11
186
Reflecting
on Pentecostal
identity,
the
growth
of the Pentecostal Move- ment has
produced
substantial
changes
in the form of
living
the faith. This
developing growth represents
one of the most
dynamic expressions of Latin American
Christianity through
a wealth of
spiritual experiences that
provide
a way toward
personal
wholeness and communal recon- struction. Pentecostalism has become one of the most
dynamic expres- sions of South American
Christianity.
As
part
of the
process
of
searching
for
identity
and Latin American indigenization,
we believe it is
indispensable
to
strengthen
efforts to recover and
appropriate
our historical roots in each of our
countries
as well as in the sub-continent. This
recovery
will
permit
us to understand our role as co-laborers in God’s mission to redeem and make each
man, each woman, and all Creation whole.
The Pentecostal Movement is located
mostly
within the most
impover- ished areas of our
countrysides
and cities. Since this was also the reality in which Jesus
placed
his
ministry (Luke 4:18),
Pentecostalism chal- lenges
a society in sin and an outright decomposition process while it is challenged by
the need for
justice
and for restoration of our communi- ties, where the
unimportance
of women, Indians, blacks,
youth
is evi- dent. The answers
given
to these
challenges
are hopeful, but
many
times also
escapist.34
The fractionization and
fragmentation
still
present
in
many
of our Pentecostal denominations worries and saddens us. Such a
grievous reality challenges
us to deepen our work of
extending
communication bridges
and
pastoral
action with all Christian men and
women,
and men and women of good will in the
Spirit’s
work of reconciliation.35 We affirm with
joy
how the
renewing
breath of the
Holy Spirit gives us
greater
wisdom to discern the
signs
of the
times, offering
us anoint- ing
and
power
to confront the enormous tasks of social-ethical order that
“Peregrinaje hacia la unidad de la fe,” Latin American Pentecostal Encuentro, Buenos Aires, Argentina, April 1989.
34Here it is important to analyze some studies that support these theses, for example:
Ramdn Castillo Rodriguez, “Elementos una historia del
ismo en Venezuela”; Joel Stevanatto and Orlando para
pentecostal-
Silva, “0 Pentecostalismo no Brasil”; Adonis Nino Chavarria, “Breve historia del movimiento pentecostal, caso: Nicaragua”;
Carmelo Alvarez, “Lo popular: clave hermenedfica del movimiento
Gamaliel “Etica social santidad
pen- tecostal” ; Bishop Lugo, pentecostal: comprometida”; Narciso Sepulveda, “Sintesis hist6rica del movimiento pentecostal en Chile”; Juan Sepulveda,
“Pentecostalismo y teologia de la liberaci6n: dos manifestaciones del tra- bajo
del Espiritu Santo por la renovaci6n de la iglesia.” Francisco Cartaxo Rolim, 0 que i Pentecostalismo, (SRo Paulo, Brazil: Editora.Brasiliense S A., 1987) 95 pages.
35In order to know two perspectives on this subject the following studies can be analyzed: Miguel
Guerrero Mendez, “La iglesia: fuerza del Espiritu: su unidad y diver- sidad” ; Juan Sepdlveda, “El crecimiento del movimiento pentecostal en Amdrica Latina”
Papers presented at the Latin American Pentecostal Encuentro, Santiago de Chile, 1990.
12
187
present
us with the
striking reality
of Latin American and Caribbean
poverty.
In this perspective the Pentecostal
pastorate
enters the daily
experience of
ordinary
life.36
Living
the
faith, preaching,
and
testifying
of
hope
in God’s
Kingdom
is done there. It starts with conversion to Jesus Christ. This
produces
a life
change
in such a
way
that
personal testimony,
a privileged
means of
Gospel proclamation,
converts others.37 The wor- ship
service is the moment to
express
faith
experiences
and
blessings, and under the
Holy Spirit’s guidance,
to
participate
with sisters and brothers in joy and faith of “God with us”
living
in each
moment,
in every place, every day.
As a result, the
cares, progress,
and
struggles
of the lower classes find an
expression
of filial
hope
in the Pentecostal worship service,
even when
going through
times of fear and pain. In the last decades numerous Latin American Pentecostal churches
have
appeared.
One
glimpses
with
greater clarity
a pastorate that has its roots in the life and the
feeling
of the
people.
The
indigenous
cultural expressions
are reflected in the
singing, melodies,
musical instruments and cultural
creativity.
The
indigenous ministry
of the Pentecostal
pastorate
roots each brother and each sister in a
community.
All believers are
fully
valued and become active
participants
in pastoral
ministry.
Sisters exercise diverse ministries,
but a challenge to the Pentecostal
community
in relation to women is to esteem their work as Jesus Christ’s
disciples
and to recog- nize the particular characteristics of women’s
pastoral ministry.
We must work for
equality
of men and women in Pentecostal
pastoral ministry.38 As a result of this
experience,
conviction in the
Holy Spirit’s work, manifested in diverse
gifts, persists
and is reafflrmed Faith
experiences impact personal, family
and
community life,
and all creation, transform- ing
and
filling
them with God’s
wholeness,
which is demonstrated in the Lord’s multifaceted
grace.39
Pentecostal 36Concerning
this subject, it is appropriate to be acquainted with the Chilean
experience, and one of the interesting studies is that of Narciso Sepul- veda, “La pastoral pentecostal: un caso de ministerio aut6ctono.” Paper presented at the Latin American Pentecostal Encuentro, Santiago de Chile, 1990.
370n this topic there are diverse efforts which open some subjects of interest elaborated on
special
by Bernardo Campos, “Lo testimonial: un caso de teologia oral y narrativa: el quehacer teol6gico pentecostal y el proceso de su producci6n sim- b6lica”
Paper presented at the Latin American Pentecostal Encuentro, Santiago de Chile, 1990.
the expressions of various Pentecostal sisters that can be pointed out are 38 Among the reflections of Senia Pilco, “La participaci6n de la mujer en el movimiento pentecostal,” Reflection presented at the Latin American Pentecostal Encuentro, San- – tiago de Chile, 1990.
39To analyze a concrete experience, see the study of Miguel Angel Caso, “Lib- eraci6n: obra del Espu-itu.”
13
188
It is also demonstrated in the
Spirit’s liberating
actions that break sin- ful structures of
destruction, misery
and death which are
conquered by Jesus Christ. It is demonstrated in the
powerful
testimonies of women and men who
fight
and
work,
in and outside of the
Church,
with the poor, sorrowful, helpless
and
oppressed
for the “abundant life”
prom- ised
by
Jesus.40
All these manifestations of the
Spirit
move us to continue
searching
the riches of the
gift
of discernment in order to comprehend God’s
good
and perfect
will. So
too,
we are moved to seek to
comprehend
the
promise of the
Kingdom
of Justice, Peace, Love and Joy in the
Spirit,
and also to continue
contributing
on the road of
unity
of the
Spirit,
from the
per- spective
of the
poor,
to the ecumenical movement and . the
1
Church’s mission 4
400n this
subject
see the
following study: Roger Cabezas,
“Los dones del
Santo: edificando el cuerpo.” Paper presented at the Latin American Pente- costals Encuentro, Santiago de Chile, 1990.
Espiritu
411 halve given the principal reflections presented in the Letter to the Churches, “Si ahora vivimos por el Espiritu, dejemos tambidn que el Espiritu no guie,” Latin American Pentecostal Encuentro, Santiago de Chile, November, 1990.
–
,
14
