Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I wanted to write a little on the Pentecostal Church movement and its earliest beginnings here in America. What I will attempt to do is share the history of the movement and at the end give the position and teaching from that of the Eastern Orthodox perspective.
This is not an attempt to bash, but to show a comparison of the two beliefs. We will see how this movement is continually changing to adapt to times, the gathering of people and doctrinal errors that it encounters over time.
The Pentecostal Movement:
The Pentecostal church claims more then 250 million adherents worldwide. When Charismatics are included with Pentecostals, the number increases to nearly a quarter of the worlds 2 billion Christians.
Pentecostalism is a broad term that includes many different theologies and cultures. Pentecostalisms emphasis is on the charismata aspects within Charismatic Christianity. Its teachings on Spirit baptism and spiritual gifts vary from one group to another. This movement is very similar to the Charismatic movement.
Charles Parham (1873-1929)
Charles Parham was a man who was a Methodist believer. He left the Methodist church for a couple of reasons. He, along with William J. Seymour led the spreading of Pentecostalism. Parham associated glossolalia with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Parham began telling his students at a Holiness Bible College in Kansas about being filled with the Holy Spirit, when it occurred to him that those in the book of Acts who were filled, all spoke a foreign language.
So he encouraged them to be filled and that this speaking in a foreign language was the sign of a genuine filling of the Holy Spirit.
He started a nation wide revival tour, sending his students out to see what language they had been given as a gift. You see, Parham felt that with this new Spirit filled language, people could evangelise the world. It was seen as an opportunity to expand missions and the preaching of the gospel around the world.
Unfortunately, their new tongues bore no relation to any language on earth, so they concluded it was a language of heaven, given to them for worship, rather then missions. This was the third blessing, to top off salvation and sanctification.
Going back a little bit, before we continue. Parham left the Methodist church because he disagreed with its form of church government and hierarchy and also its freedom to preach inspired gospel messages. Rejecting denomination, he established his own itinerant evangelistic ministry. Parham moved his headquarters to Topeka, Kansas in 1898. There, he established the Bethel healing home. He then took a sabbatical from this ministry to experience "other" ideas of Pentecostal and Holiness teachings. Upon returning, he found his Bethel healing home was taken over by others and because he did not want to fight over leadership, he moved on.
In 1900, Parham started Bethel Bible College. Prior to starting the bible college, he heard of an individual who was part of Frank Sanfords "Holy Ghost and Us Bible College" who has spoke in tongues. Parham had spent a lot of time with Sanford and his Shiloh ministry. Parham reprinted this event of the individual speaking in tongues in his Apostolic Faith magazine.
Parham then asked his students to study the Bible to determine what evidence was present when the church of Acts received the Holy Spirit. The students had several days to pray and worship. On January 1, 1901 a female student by the name of Agnes Ozman felt impressed to ask to be prayed for to receive the Holy Spirit. Immediately she began to speak in tongues. It was thought to be a "known" foreign language. It was later discovered that none of the "tongues" resembled any language on earth.
Parham began a Bible college in Houston, Texas in 1906. Several African Americans were influenced by Parhams works, including William J. Seymour. Parham planned to send Seymour to preach to the African American communities throughout Texas. In 1906 Seymour left Houston to become Associate Pastor of an African American mission in Los Angeles, California.
Seymour's work would eventually lead to what is known as the Azusa street revival, which by many is considered the birthplace of Pentecostalism.
Seymour requested and received a license as a minister under Parhams Apostolic Faith Movement. However, Seymour soon parted ways with Parham over his harsh criticism of the "emotional" worship at Azusa and the intermingling of whites and blacks in the services.
Parham was considered racist by many because of his position, but he was a first to reach across racial lines to African Americas and Hispanic Americans. He also allowed an African American woman to preach in one of his services. Parhams views on race, most probably reflects those of his time. He was willing to defy the social restraints when it was not a popular thing to do.
In 1906 and 1907 he was alleged to have been involved in sexual misconduct. There were also allegations of financial irregularity and doctrinal aberration. The focus of the Pentecostal movement shifted from Parham to Seymour. Parham began to resent Seymour. Parham became an embarrassment to the movement and he was alienated from the group that he started.
This movement began to take on more extreme forms later on. In 1910 a Pentecostal preacher named George Hinsley began preaching on the text "They shall take up snakes", ended by him grabbing a rattlesnake and commanding his flock to do the same or be doomed to eternal hell. They obeyed. He kept snake handling until 1955, when he died of a snake bite. Today there are still 2500 still practicing this form of Pentecostal worship.
Eastern Orthodox teaching on baptism of the Holy Spirit
In the Orthodox faith we believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit as it was taught by the Apostles. The following is taken from the Orthodox Bible:
I wanted to write a little on the Pentecostal Church movement and its earliest beginnings here in America. What I will attempt to do is share the history of the movement and at the end give the position and teaching from that of the Eastern Orthodox perspective.
This is not an attempt to bash, but to show a comparison of the two beliefs. We will see how this movement is continually changing to adapt to times, the gathering of people and doctrinal errors that it encounters over time.
The Pentecostal Movement:
The Pentecostal church claims more then 250 million adherents worldwide. When Charismatics are included with Pentecostals, the number increases to nearly a quarter of the worlds 2 billion Christians.
Pentecostalism is a broad term that includes many different theologies and cultures. Pentecostalisms emphasis is on the charismata aspects within Charismatic Christianity. Its teachings on Spirit baptism and spiritual gifts vary from one group to another. This movement is very similar to the Charismatic movement.
Charles Parham (1873-1929)
Charles Parham was a man who was a Methodist believer. He left the Methodist church for a couple of reasons. He, along with William J. Seymour led the spreading of Pentecostalism. Parham associated glossolalia with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Parham began telling his students at a Holiness Bible College in Kansas about being filled with the Holy Spirit, when it occurred to him that those in the book of Acts who were filled, all spoke a foreign language.
So he encouraged them to be filled and that this speaking in a foreign language was the sign of a genuine filling of the Holy Spirit.
He started a nation wide revival tour, sending his students out to see what language they had been given as a gift. You see, Parham felt that with this new Spirit filled language, people could evangelise the world. It was seen as an opportunity to expand missions and the preaching of the gospel around the world.
Unfortunately, their new tongues bore no relation to any language on earth, so they concluded it was a language of heaven, given to them for worship, rather then missions. This was the third blessing, to top off salvation and sanctification.
Going back a little bit, before we continue. Parham left the Methodist church because he disagreed with its form of church government and hierarchy and also its freedom to preach inspired gospel messages. Rejecting denomination, he established his own itinerant evangelistic ministry. Parham moved his headquarters to Topeka, Kansas in 1898. There, he established the Bethel healing home. He then took a sabbatical from this ministry to experience "other" ideas of Pentecostal and Holiness teachings. Upon returning, he found his Bethel healing home was taken over by others and because he did not want to fight over leadership, he moved on.
In 1900, Parham started Bethel Bible College. Prior to starting the bible college, he heard of an individual who was part of Frank Sanfords "Holy Ghost and Us Bible College" who has spoke in tongues. Parham had spent a lot of time with Sanford and his Shiloh ministry. Parham reprinted this event of the individual speaking in tongues in his Apostolic Faith magazine.
Parham then asked his students to study the Bible to determine what evidence was present when the church of Acts received the Holy Spirit. The students had several days to pray and worship. On January 1, 1901 a female student by the name of Agnes Ozman felt impressed to ask to be prayed for to receive the Holy Spirit. Immediately she began to speak in tongues. It was thought to be a "known" foreign language. It was later discovered that none of the "tongues" resembled any language on earth.
Parham began a Bible college in Houston, Texas in 1906. Several African Americans were influenced by Parhams works, including William J. Seymour. Parham planned to send Seymour to preach to the African American communities throughout Texas. In 1906 Seymour left Houston to become Associate Pastor of an African American mission in Los Angeles, California.
Seymour's work would eventually lead to what is known as the Azusa street revival, which by many is considered the birthplace of Pentecostalism.
Seymour requested and received a license as a minister under Parhams Apostolic Faith Movement. However, Seymour soon parted ways with Parham over his harsh criticism of the "emotional" worship at Azusa and the intermingling of whites and blacks in the services.
Parham was considered racist by many because of his position, but he was a first to reach across racial lines to African Americas and Hispanic Americans. He also allowed an African American woman to preach in one of his services. Parhams views on race, most probably reflects those of his time. He was willing to defy the social restraints when it was not a popular thing to do.
In 1906 and 1907 he was alleged to have been involved in sexual misconduct. There were also allegations of financial irregularity and doctrinal aberration. The focus of the Pentecostal movement shifted from Parham to Seymour. Parham began to resent Seymour. Parham became an embarrassment to the movement and he was alienated from the group that he started.
This movement began to take on more extreme forms later on. In 1910 a Pentecostal preacher named George Hinsley began preaching on the text "They shall take up snakes", ended by him grabbing a rattlesnake and commanding his flock to do the same or be doomed to eternal hell. They obeyed. He kept snake handling until 1955, when he died of a snake bite. Today there are still 2500 still practicing this form of Pentecostal worship.
Eastern Orthodox teaching on baptism of the Holy Spirit
In the Orthodox faith we believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit as it was taught by the Apostles. The following is taken from the Orthodox Bible:
| Holy Chrismation Holy Chrismation From earliest times the church has practiced Chrismation immediately following baptism. In the sacrament of Chrismation (Gr. chrismatis, "anointing") the newly baptized person receives the Holy Spirit through the anointing with oil by the bishop or priest. The roots of this sacrament are clear in both the Old and New Testaments, and are especially brought to light on the Day of Pentecost. Promises of the Holy Spirit from the Old Testament In his sermon on Pentecost, St. Peter quotes the well-known prophecy of Joel, "I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh" (Acts 2:17; see Joel 2:28). This promise was significant because under the Old Covenant, the gift of the Spirit had been given only to a few - the patriarchs, the prophets, and some of the judges. Certain leaders of Israel were indwelt with the Holy Spirit to accomplish their tasks. Joel, however, prophesied that the Holy Spirit would be given to all God's people, "all flesh." This was fulfilled at Pentecost, for Peter exclaims, "this [outpouring of the Spirit] is what was spoken by the prophet Joel" (Acts 2:16). |
| Other Old Testament prophets who speak of this same promise of the Spirit include Jeremiah (Jer. 31:31-34) and Ezekiel (Ezek. 36:25-27). In fact, the Ezekiel passage ties together the water and the Spirit in a prophetic vision of baptism and Chrismation. Jesus promises the Holy Spirit Our Lord Jesus Christ repeatedly promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to His disciples. Early in His public ministry He said, "'If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.' He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.' But this He spoke concerning the Spirit ..." (John 7:37-39). Jesus also said, "I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever" (John 14:16). Christ promised the Holy Spirit would reveal truth to the Church. "When He, the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take what is Mine and declare it to you" (John 16:13, 14). Jesus says the Holy Spirit will bring glory to Christ. This gives us an excellent means of testing whether or not acts attributed to the Holy Spirit are indeed valid. The last words of Christ before His Ascension include a promise: "John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now" (Acts 1:5). This word was fulfilled ten days later on the Day of Pentecost. How is the Holy Spirit given to us? The people who heard Peter speak at Pentecost asked him how they might receive salvation. He answered, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). We repent (turn from our sins and toward Christ); we are baptized; we are given "the gift of the Holy Spirit," Chrismation. That practice has never changed. In Acts 8, Philip, the deacon and evangelist, preached in Samaria (Acts 8:5-8). Many believed and were baptized (Acts 8:12). The apostles came and later confirmed these new believers with the gift of the Holy Spirit through the laying of hands (Acts 8:14-17). Here is the sacrament of Chrismation following Holy Baptism. Later, the Apostle Paul met some disciples of John the Baptist who had not been present when Peter spoke at Pentecost (Acts 19:1-7). They believed in Christ, "were baptized" (Acts 19:5) and "the Holy Spirit came upon them" (Acts 19:6), again through the hands of the apostle. The promise of God includes both our union with Christ in Holy Baptism and gift of the Holy Spirit at Chrismation. From The Orthodox Study Bible Copyright © 1993 by St. Athanasius Orthodox Academy |
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