Exploring the Evolution of Pentecostalism: A Key Category of Christianity - Essay Sample

Introduction

Throughout history, major religious movements such as Christianity, Islam, and Judaism have significantly influenced the world. Perhaps the most prominent religion is Christianity with an estimated 2.5 billion followers. Over the years, the religion has evolved and established further divisions within its denomination to include movements such as Catholics, Seventh-Day and Protestants among others. One key category of Christianity is Pentecostalism, characterized by Protestant creeds that emphasize a personal experience of the Creator in a direct manner informed by baptism by the Holy Spirit. The rise of Pentecostalism is attributed to the explosive expansion of Christianity. Essentially, Pentecostalism is regarded as the fastest-growing Christian denomination and is expected to have the most number of followers in future. But the question remains on how the Pentecostals came into being and their expansion to what is known about the denomination today. This paper attempts to answer the above question by exploring how the movement started from a small group of believers in Topeka and spread by missionaries and evangelists to the USA, Europe, and Asia.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

Background

Global Pentecostalism claims to practice belief and values based on the fruits of the Holy Spirit, as mentioned in the New Testament. One of the core elements of this movement is the importance of accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior on a personal level, while also adhering to the Bible's inerrancy. A distinguishing factor for the religion is the belief in baptism that enables followers to live a life in Spirit and empowerment. The doctrine is based on aspects such as the utilization of the gifts of the Holy Spirit including divine healing and speaking in tongues. Pentecostals believe that their movement is a reflection of the teaching and spiritual power as established in the early church during the Apostolic Age1. It is the main reason why terms such as "Full Gospel" and "Apostolic" have been utilized with regards to the religious category.

Pentecostalism expanded in 100 years from a small group of believers in a region known as Topeka into the global movement it is today. The latest estimate placed the number of followers at an estimated 500 million, making it the "third force" in Christianity behind only Catholicism and Protestantism1. Today, these followers are located in almost all countries with churches based on their teachings serving the purpose of engaging in Pentecostal practices. Even as at now, these numerous churches are still expanding to the point that Roman Catholicism has embraced the denomination. Many evangelical ministers such as Martyn Lloyd-Jones as well as J. I. Packer have approved the movement as they were ardent believers of baptism with the Holy Spirit. Lloyd-Jones stated that "the experience of the baptism with the Holy Spirit is the only thing 'that holds out any hope for us today." 2 This statement is a testament to the growing popularity that the movement has enjoyed throughout history.

Pentecostalism is such a powerful Christian society that there are no precise definitions of any other denominations that have opposed it. Perhaps, this is one of the primary reasons that has contributed to its rapid growth across the globe. Expectedly, the church's influence has been prominent, from shifting the central tenet of the gospel from the forgiveness of sin, in the context of Jesus's cross, to the profound experience of God by Christians with focus on the power of ministry. Another testament to the rise of Pentecostalism is the revisiting of public worship in churches. For many years in history, this aspect was characterized by preaching of doctrine and sacrament administration, which formed the fundamental basis for services. The contemporary Christian view is heavily influenced by Pentecostalism resulting in the belief that the exercise of gifts and boisterous praise are the two features vital in Christian faith.

To understand the history of this movement, it is essential to point out that it is characterized by trans-confessional and trans-denominational approaches. According to Robbins, Pentecostalism is defined by the global reach of God's Spirit, with members in virtually all churches in communion with this one spirit irrespective of their differences2. The popularity and influence of the movement are. However, not exempt from questions regarding the true definition of the "spirit." The existing body of knowledge points out that this spirit is attributed to the practices and doctrines of the followers.

Pentecostalism comprises of more than 700 denominations and numerous independent churches without a central governing authority. As of 2019, the most significant growth of the movement is experienced in the global south as more and more non-Pentecostal Christians embrace its ways through the Charismatic Movement. Throughout history, the association has continued to attract a large number of lower classes, but it has continued to experience increased popularity among the middle-class. Studies have revealed that the middle class is more adaptable to society and as such, are inclined to robust spiritual practices including divine healing.

History and Rise

The history of Pentecostalism is quite intriguing owing to the attention it has received over the years. After taking root about 100 years ago, the religious movement that was previously only popular to the lower classes engulfed the Christian community and grew to become a significant force in the world today. Scholars have explored how Pentecostalism captivated evangelicals and Catholic cardinals throughout its history. In this case, its history is informative due to its significance in determining the authenticity of the movement regarding the nature of God and worship. For many people, this history informs their perspective concerning judging the movement. Nonetheless, it is notable that its history is not controversial as it is based on research by scholars such as Vinson Synan among others.

Pentecostalism as a movement was born in Topeka. Robins explains that this follows the actions of Bethel Bible College in 1900, leading to the global birth of this denomination in California by 1906. Essentially, it started with the enrollment of Agnes Ozman, a former Methodist, into the college. As such, it is widely believed that it found roots as a result of precedents in earlier Christian movements. Many historians accept that it emerged in the late 19th Century following the radical revival movements in British and American evangelism4. The major themes during this period included faith, healing and restorationism, as well as having a more significant emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit on an individual. These factors were critical to the emergence of Pentecostalism, as many followers maintained belief in the imminent second coming of Jesus. Generally, it was born out of the expectation of early Christians about an end-time apostolic power for miracles and spiritual gifts.

At this time, essential figures such as Dwight L. Moody issued speeches that helped to revolutionize the movement. Moody created awareness about the experience that was accessible to all Christians to empower them to evangelize across the globe through baptism3. Many prominent Christian leaders had a significant influence on early believers. A crucial historical perspective about Pentecostalism is contained in the concept of spiritual gifts. Missionary alliances also played an important role especially when it comes to the development of Assemblies of God, at a time when many more Christians were embracing the teachings of Maria Woodworth-Etter and Simpson3. These early influencers were among the first believes to officially join the movement. Markedly, the foundation of Pentecostalism is not attributed to a specific person or group. Instead, credit lies with some isolated groups that experienced and embraced the phenomena fueled by belief in divine healing and the gift of speaking in tongues. It was a holiness movement that laid the ground for theological growth that led to the increased adoption of a new understanding of religion.

The events at Topeka remain the most reliable clue for the origins of the movement. There is a consensus that the epitome of early Pentecostal identity was based on night prayers, speaking in tongues and Parham-prompted Bible. These events were interpreted to give rise to the new doctrine that transformed believers into self-conscious followers of Jesus. The gift of speaking in tongues was regarded as the external symbol for baptism with the Holy Spirit, which is regarded as the spiritual birthright for all Christians worldwide. It is crucial to consider the influence of the Keswick Convention that stemmed from the Methodist movement as inspired by Wesley. It is out of this that Pentecostalism emerged and spread across the globe.

Between 1900 and 1929, this was a period termed as the early revival era where the emergence of Pentecostalism was further influenced by Charles F. Parham. He was an autonomous evangelist who was strongly inclined towards divine healing. In 1900, he founded a school in Kansas where he taught about speaking in tongues and the reception of baptism. He then undertook a four-year-long revival in Missouri teaching about baptism, conversion as well as consecration. Subsequently, the Welsh Revival of 1905-05 led to intense speculation among global religious radicals especially in the US about the renewal of the Christian Church as a whole5. Consequently, thousands of people converted and commenced with the exhibition of the gift of speaking in tongues.

After moving to Texas in 1905, Parham established another Bible school. Subsequently, one of his students, William Seymour, proceeded to travel to Los Angeles where he initiated a three-year revival event the following year3. The community of Azusa Street, comprised of diverse races, experienced the revival and became practiced by sermons with no particular order as people testified and worshiped as the spirit moved them. Speaking and singing in tongues became a major characteristic of the movement in LA, further attracting secular and religious attention from the media. Many visitors flocked to witness the new religious wave that was sweeping across the country and consequently took with them the experience back to their regions. This marked the beginning of the spread of Pentecostalism in the US.

Many African Americans joined William Seymour and worshipped together with White believers, setting the tone for early Pentecostal movements. Between 1906 and 1924, members of the association defied existing social, political and cultural norms that advocated for and encouraged racial segregation5. As a result, most of the Pentecostal denominations at this time had become increasingly interracial. However, they were under mounting pressure to conform to the existing social norms, especially segregation, leading to the eventual division of the American based section of the movement into White and African American factions. Interracial worshipping did not entirely disappear, but it would not be until after the Civil Rights Movement that it would reemerge again. Nonetheless, by this time, Pentecostalism has taken root in the United States.

One particular group that played a vital role in the expansion of Pentecostalism was the women. Mariz and Machado maintain that women held the belief that whoever received the gift of such an experience, had the responsibility to apply it in preparing for the second coming of Christ6. They strongly believed that baptism through the Holy Spirit provide them with the justification and empowerment to take an active role in activities that they had been barred from due to traditional definitions of t...