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Forum: Theological Expressions
Re:

Theological clarification needed
Re:

Is it so difficult to get a straight forward answer?
Date: 2001, Aug 03
From: Christopher Yip CKHY

I hope you find the following brief notes on the three waves of Pentecostalism / Charismatism useful - Christopher
Experience or Scripture?
[Thomas R. Edgar. Satisfied by the Promise of the Spirit. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Resources, 1996. Chapter 1. ISBN 0-8254-2510-7. Biblical quotations are, in most cases, my own translation; otherwise they are from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV). In some instances, the KJV is modified for clarity.]
The charismatic elements of the church have come a long way since 1901 when modern-day “speaking in tongues” occurred at Parham’s Bethel Bible School in Topeka, Kansas. Although the “tongues movement” did not gain momentum until it was coupled with belief in divine healing, it gradually grew into a significant movement within the church. This group known as Pentecostals kept themselves separate from the mainline denominations and traditional evangelical groups. To qualify as a Pentecostal, a person not only has to believe many of the orthodox Christian doctrines, but also in a postconversion “baptism of the Spirit,” evidenced by speaking in tongues, and in divine healing. [John Thomas Nichol, Pentecostalism (New York: Harper and Row, 1966), 8-17; Henry I. Lederle, Treasures Old and New: Interpretations of “Spirit-Baptism” in the Charismatic Renewal Movement (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1988), 21-23; Gary B. McGee, ed., Initial Evidence: Historical and Biblical Perspectives on the Pentecostal Doctrine of Spirit Baptism (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1991), 96-97]. The various groups differed in many specific practices and doctrines. Due to its strong emphasis on speaking in tongues, this movement is often described the tongues movement. In general, they believe that all of the spiritual gifts described in the book of Acts, including the overtly miraculous gifts, should be operative in the church today. Their basis opinion is that the church today should experience miracles and healings and tongues; that is, all of the power of the church in Acts.
Although tongues received great stress, in some cases healing was the primary emphasis. This occurred in the “deliverance” ministries of healing revivalists like Oral Roberts and Kathryn Kuhlman. Pentecostals often believe that the doctrine of the atonement includes healing; that is, Christ’s sacrifice healed us physically as well as spiritually. Thus we are healed, and any sickness is directly due to sin. Many of these groups believe that the gifts of the apostolic age continued but were squelched by the organized church due to a lack of belief in the miraculous. Others hold to a “latter-day rain” theory; that is, the gifts stopped until the end times and are now recurring in order to prepare for the Lord’s coming. Although large in number, this “first wave” of the charismatic movement did not make a great impact on the traditional church. The traditional Protestant church believed that the overtly miraculous gifts and events described in the book of Acts were basically limited to the apostolic period. Although the edifying gifts, such as teacher and evangelist, continued, the more miraculous gifts, such as miracles, healing, tongues, prophecy, and apostle, ceased with the apostolic age.
In 1960 the Pentecostal movement began to expand into mainline denominations. Dennis Bennett, who introduced these practices into the Episcopal church, is usually credited with beginning this “second wave,” or neo-Pentecostal movement. It has now spread and penetrated most of the mainline denominations and many more independent groups. Since this movement now includes both Pentecostals and neo—Pentecostals, this second wave is referred to more broadly as the “charismatic movement.” Even though some Pentecostals are not in agreement with the neo-Pentecostals, both groups embrace the belief that the gifts and power demonstrated in the book of Acts are available today and should be in effect today. In contrast to this are those people who hold to the more traditional belief that the overtly miraculous gifts described in the New Testament ceased during the first century and are no longer available today. People who believe this are often referred to as “cessationists.”
The success of this movement of charismatic or Pentecostal ideas into non—Pentecostal churches has resulted in a continuing worldwide expansion of charismatic ideas and practices. A wide range of practices has been the result, including the “Word of Faith” movement of Kenneth Copeland and Kenneth Hagin, whose teachings promise not only physical healing but material prosperity. Movements such as “shepherding” and a variety of “restoration” groups have developed, some of which have serious doctrinal aberrations. Although they continue Pentecostal practices, they increasingly stress practices such as healing, miracles, exorcisms, revelations, and visions. Much stress is placed upon the sensational and the concept of “power for service.”
Another recent movement, often referred to as the “signs and wonders” movement, is sometimes called the “third wave” of Pentecostalism. Often identified with John Wimber’s Vineyard Fellowship, this is apparently only part of the group. C. Peter Wagner of Fuller Seminary and Wimber are two of the most prominent representatives. Sarles describes it as “a blending of evangelical commitments and charismatic practices. Those associated with this recent trend affirm the continuation of all the miraculous gifts mentioned in the New Testament.. . .“ [Sarles, 57.] They believe that all Christians should experience this power. Believers need this power to live spiritual lives. [Tim Stafford, “Testing the Wine From John Wimber’s Vineyard,” Christianity Today 8 Aug. 1986, 17-18].
Although they do not like to be classified as charismatic, without question they belong under this label. They are not necessarily Pentecostal unless they stress postconversion “baptism of the Spirit” and tongues speaking as its initial evidence, but they definitely believe that the full range of the charismatic gifts is available and should be sought today. Accordingly, they oppose the cessationist’s position. Many of those involved in this movement are evangelicals who have avoided doctrinal aberrations, particularly those affecting the doctrines of the Trinity and the person of Christ. Hopefully this will continue.
The basic difference between those in the signs and wonders camp and the traditional evangelical groups concerns the issue of the miraculous gifts. The controversy concerns cessationist versus noncessationist (i.e., charismatic) viewpoints on the availability of the gifts today. The entire charismatic movement has become established on the basis of its claim that the experiences of charismatics today are the same experiences and the same gifts as evidenced by the apostles and the early church, particularly as described in the book of Acts. [McGee, xiv-xv]. This claim garnered them credence and acceptance in the church at large. Admittedly, the charismatic movement includes a large number of persons from different theological perspectives. As Lederle states, “The largest contingent charismatic theologians comes from the Roman Catholic Church,” and “Roman Catholic scholars have led the way.”[Lederle, xix, 37]. While Lederle regards “Spirit baptism” as the central experience for charismatics [Ibid., 37], this is not the main issue between traditional evangeIicals and evangelicals who are charismatic. For them the issue is cessationism or noncessationism.