PCTII Newsletter #15

Winter 2001

Dr. R.I.H. Gerloff announces that the International Review of Mission, vol. LXXXIX No. 354 (July 2000) is dedicated to the theme "Open Space: The African Christian Diaspora in Europe and the Quest for Human Community." Orders may be sent to Ms. Marlise Freidig in Geneva.

The Society for Pentecostal Studies (SPS) has established an official site. Although the primary pages are in the process of being redesigned, there is a bulletin board available now along with revised pages previously posted by Dr. Jon Ruthven. Webmasters and those interested in SPS should update their links, but wait patiently for the web to evolve.   The entire program for March 8-10, 2001 is now available online at the ORU web. Mark Roberts announces that SPS 2001 conference papers should be available online by February 2001.

A number of books on pentecostals and charismatics were on display during the annual AAR/SBL conference in Nashville. A reception for members and friends of the Society for Pentecostal Studies drew a crowd. Presenters included DongSoo Kim from Inchon, Korea.

The Public Influences of African-American Churches Project announces its national conference to be held April 19-21 in Washington, D.C.

The Charismatic Themes in Luke-Acts Study Group will meet for the third consecutive year as part of the national meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society, November 15-17, 2000, at the Opryland Hotel, Nashville, TN. Any questions or comments may be addressed to the chairperson, Paul Elbert. The agenda is: Thursday, November 16, 3:45pm-4:25pm, Wonsuk Ma, Asia Pacific Theological Seminary, "Until the Spirit Comes: The Spirit of God in the Book of Isaiah and Lukan Implications"; Thursday, November 16, 4:30pm-5:10pm, Julie Ma, Asia Pacific Theological Seminary, "Observation and Case Studies of Lukan Themes in Pentecostal Mission in Northern Luzon"; Friday, November 17, 9:45am-10:25am, Harold Carpenter, Central Bible College, "Observation and Case Studies of Lukan Themes in West Africa and South America: Mission in Ghana, Ecuador, and Bolivia"; Friday, November 17, 10:30am-11:10am, Paul Elbert, Church of God Theological Seminary, "Acts 2:38c Reconsidered: The Syntax of Imperative-Future and Imperative-Participle Combinations in Luke-Acts, the LXX, and in Graeco-Roman Historiographical and Rhetorical Tradition"; Friday, November 17, 11:15am-12:00pm, Charles Holman, Regent University, "Isaiah's Servant of Yahweh and the Holy Spirit in Luke-Acts".

Here is a brief report about the Global Christian Forum which met September 9-11, 2000 at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Just released is a declaration from CLADE IV which was hosted by the Seminario Ministerial Sudamericano  in Ecuador.

Karismatisk Forum was formed in Oslo in 1998 as a meeting place between Pentecostal-charismatic theoreticians and church leaders. The purpose is to attempt bridging the culture and language gap in order for the two groups to be better equipped to benefit one from another. Karismatisk Forum arranges both informal dialogue- and fellowship gatherings, as well as lecturing seminars on Pentecostal-charismatic themes. We were visited by Dr. David Bundy in September, and Dr. Vinson Synan participated less than one year ago. The leaders of Karismatisk Forum are Liv Thorhild Undheim, Geir Lie, Dr. Tormod Engelsviken, Martin Synnes, Terje Hegertun and Kjell Haltorp. Some have academic backgrounds while others are church leaders.

The second annual meeting for the Asian Pentecostal Society was held at the Asian Seminary of Christian Ministries, Makati, Philippines on August 25, 2000. This year's theme was "Challenges and Opportunities for Asian Pentecostals." Dr. Miguel Alvarez (first vice president) coordinated the conference. Nine papers were presented by members and guests. The presenters included Miguel Alvarez ("21st Century Latin American Pentecostal Challenges and Opportunities"); Manuel Bagalawis ("'Power' in Acts 1:8: Effective Witnessing through Signs and Wonders"); Mathew Clark ("Asian Pentecostal Theology: A perspective from Africa"); Chin Do Kham ("Contemporary Pentecostal Issues: Challenges and Opportunities"); Samhwan Kim ("Transition Time of Christianity and Timely Attitude of Asian Pentecostals"); Lap Yan Kung ("Outpouring of the Spirit: A Reflection on Pentecostal's Identity"); Julie Ma ("A Missionary Challenge to Asian Pentecostals: Power Missions and Its Effects"); Wonsuk Ma ("The Korean Pentecostal Movement: Retrospect and Prospect for the New Century"); Hyunggeun Im ("Pentecostal Theology as a New Paradigm for the Traditional Theology"); and Daniel Tappeiner ("Educational Opportunities for Pentecostalism in the 21st Century: The Educational and Prophetic Mandates"). The conference papers (100 pages) can be ordered through Miguel Alvarez at $5.00 including surface shipping. Only a limited quantity is available. Contact ascm@ascm.edu.ph. Kim Krueras will handle your order and other inquiries.
  New Officers A new slate of officers were elected for a two-year term: Miguel Alvarez (President); Paulson Pulikottil (first vice president); Yeol-soo Eim (second vice president) and Julie Ma (Secretary/treasurer).
2001 Meeting The third annual meeting will join the non-Western Pentecostal Conference to be held in Anaheim on May 28, 2001. The host is Dr. Young-hoon Lee, President of Bethesda Christian University, Anaheim, CA, USA. 
Pentecostal Abstract-Asia (or PA-Asia) As decided in the 1999 meeting, Pentecostal Abstract-Asia will begin its web-publication, for Pentecostal studies published in English and Asian languages in academic periodicals in Asia. The site and national abstractors will be announced in the future.

The Theological Stream of the ICCOWE conference Prague 2000 met August 23-27, 2000. Approximately 60 persons heard the following presentations: "Incarnation and the Church," Bishop Kallistos of Diokleia, Oxford University; "Mysticism Old and New: Similarities in Orthodoxy and Classical Pentecostalism," Dr. Edmund Rybarczyk, Vanguard University; "'The Holy Spirit Called Me:' The Pneumatological Potential of Luther's Doctrine of Salvation," Dr. Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, IsoKirja College [Finland]; "Incarnation and the Holy Spirit," Dr. Ralph del Colle, Marquette University; "The Cosmic Christ - Conqueror of Hell, " Fr. Hilarion Alfeyev, Department of External Church Relations at the Moscow Patriarchate.

The Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center launched their web during the World Congress of the Assemblies of God. This marvelous site is a major addition for pentecostal research.

The WCC-Pentecostal Joint Consultative Group (JCG) that met June 19-23 in Hautecombe, France drew over 20 persons coming from Angola, Brazil, Belarus, Egypt, Cuba, Finland, Korea, Republic of South Africa, Taiwan, Argentina, Netherlands, India, Bulgaria, Honduras, and Zambia. Pentecostal Churches included: Assemblies of God, Yoido Full Gospel Church, Church of God (Cleveland), International Pentecostal Holiness Church, Apostolic Faith Mission (South Africa), Finnish Pentecostal Movement, Assemblies of God Zambia, and the Indian Pentecostal Church of God. The group formulated the following statement:
JOINT CONSULTATIVE GROUP
WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES AND PENTECOSTALS
Hautecombe, France, 19-23 June 2000
Seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit and in response to the invitation of the 8th Assembly of the World Council of Churches, we have come together. We believe the purposes of our group are:
to search for better ways of understanding one another;
to look for new opportunities for mutual learning and action;
to share our experience of Christian witness with one another;
to discuss our challenges with the hope of moving beyond them;
to share what we will learn with our respective churches;
leading to our affirmation of the common life in the Spirit.
"Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:19-20).

Dr. James Richardson Jr. 's With Water and Spirit: A History of Black Apostolics in the U.S. is being revised. Richardson originally collaborated with Bishop Morris Golder (Pentecostal Assemblies of the World) and the late James Tinney, professor of journalism at Washington, D.C.-based Howard University, to publish the work in 1980. Much of the book was from his M.Div. thesis at Howard Divinity School. Much has changed in the Black Apostolic movement and in Oneness Pentecostal scholarship generally in the last 20 years, not the least of which is the Symposium on Oneness Pentecostalism held at Harvard University, and on a more popular level, the emergence of Oneness evangelists Noel Jones, Mark Hanby, Jackie McCullough and T.D. Jakes in Evangelical Christianity. Bishop Richardson, who presides over the Apostle Church of Christ in God, an Apostolic group based in Martinsville, Virginia (USA), seeks relevant background and scholarly materials that he should refer to in his research to revise this work. In the past 20 years his work has been cited by the likes of Roswith Gerloff, Margaret Poloma and William Turner in various scholarly publications. We would like to be alerted to where his work has been cited, and the implications for the revision that such a citation may offer. Richardson is being assisted by Washington, D.C.-based journalist Marlon Millner. Millner recently completed a scholarly article on the late Bishop Ithiel Clemmons of the Church of God in Christ, through a grant from the Maryland-based Phillips Foundation. Those interested in suggesting areas of historical and theological research, or notifying us of places where his work has been cited, may contact Bishop Richardson at bukumuki@yahoo.com, or write him at: Bishop James Richardson, 115 Melody Court, Martinsville, Va. 24112

During a general audience on June 14, John Paul II made reference to the work of the International Roman Catholic-Pentecostal Dialogue. Perhaps the first such quotation from the body of literature generated by this bilateral, the quotation was taken from paragraph 31 of "Perspectives on Koinonia" which came from the third round of the dialogue held 1985-1989.

A short report is available from the recent WARC-Pentecostal Dialogue.

Due to a death in the family (Mikey Jones), no part of the PCTII web was updated between May 15 and June 10.

The 19th Pentecostal World Conference (PWC) will convene May 29-31, 2001 in Los Angeles, California. Azusa St. Tours and a special track on pentecostal-charismatic history, both under the direction of Dr. Cecil M. Robeck, will help celebrate the pentecostal centennial. The Azusa St. Tours on May 28, 29 and June 1 will be conducted by Dr. Robeck and Ms. Anthea Butler. The PWC Theological Track will include a paper by Roger Stronstad on initial-evidence. Also, a special seminar for those involved in pentecostal and charismatic archives will be hosted by Angelus Temple in Los Angeles on May 29. Click here for occasional updates on the archives seminar. Registration for all of the above will be possible with the forthcoming PWC brochure and eventually online at the PWC web.

The inaugural session of the WCC-Pentecostal Joint Working Group will be held June 20-24. Host for the event is the Communaute du Chemin Neuf (France). This JWG was created during the 1998 WCC General Assembly in Harare. Co-chairs are Rev. Hubert van Beek and the Rev. Dr. Cecil M. Robeck.

The Spirit & Church, ISSN 1229-490X with Dr. Yeol Soo Eim, Editor, and Kwang-Jin Jang, Associate Editor, was launched in November 1999. Published by the Gospel Theological Seminary (Taejeon City, Korea) twice a year with English translation of every original article in Korean, subscription inquiries and submission of articles should be directed to the Associate Editor. The inaugural issue is dedicated to "Pentecostalism and Education," featuring papers read to the Asian Pentecostal Society.

Rev. Kilian McDonnell, O.S.B., St. John's Abbey, delivered this Confession of Sins to the Society for Pentecostal Studies meeting at Northwest College, March 16-18. Available in English, Spanish and Portuguese!

An important work by Willis Collins Hoover, a seminal figure in Chilean Pentecostalism, is now available in English thanks to Mario G. Hoover, a grandson of W.C. Hoover. Titled History of the Pentecostal Revival in Chile, the English edition adds much material to the original 1930 publication in Spanish. Orders can be placed at Amazon or directly to Mario G. Hoover.

The third annual meeting of the National Forum for Pentecostal Theologians [India] is scheduled to meet in Kerala State at the New Life Bible Center, Cheruvackal, Ayoor, 40 miles from the Trivandrum International Airport, from May 25-27. The theme is "The Pentecostal Witness in the Third Millennium." Dr. A.C. George, former Principal of SABC (Bangalore) and executive member of the ATA accreditation team, will give the keynote address. For more information, please contact Dr. T.P. Varghese, Thondukuzhiyil, Tiruvalla R.S.P.O. 68911, Kerala, India, ph 91-473-631789.

Asian Pentecostal Society's Second Annual Meeting will be held on Aug 25, 2000 at the Asian Seminary of Christian Ministry in Makati, Philipppines. The theme is "Challenges and Opportunities for Asian Pentecostals." The program chair is Dr. Miguel Alvarez, vice president of the society and president of the seminary.

The next conference of the European Pentecostal Charismatic Research Association will be held at the Pope's College of the Katholic University of Leuven in Leuven, Belgium, from July 18 to 21, in 2001. Leuven was chosen as the venue to better commemorate the beginnings of EPCRA 20 years ago at "University Action". The reservation has been confirmed and prices for room and breakfast will be about 1200 Belgian Francs (approx. 30 US $) per day. The projected focus will be on the growing importance of ethical studies in pentecostal/charismatic circles. For additional information, please contact Dr. Jean-Daniel Pluss.