jepta 2001 21 - European Pentecostal Theological Association

The Journal of the European Pentecostal Theological Association, Vol. XXI, 2001
connection with Church-growth theories, or to missiology.' Ironically, the sizable
entry on the "Theology of the Church" in the Dictionary of Pentecostal and
Churismatic Movements was written by a Catholic!' To me the situation is crystal
clear:
The development of a solid ecclesiology from a Pentecostal perspective is a
theological desideratum. But that does not exhaust the necessity. It is important
for the sustenance and further development of existing Pentecostal Churches (i.e.,
for the life of Pentecostal Churches) that they develop a keen spiritual awareness
of what the Church actually is, and spell it out in theological statements.'
Pentecostal perspectives on the Church are diverse. Hocken, too, notes that much
ecclesiological reflection has been completed within the framework of the
question of authority in the Church. Apparently, this reflection has not led to the
development of a Pentecostal position on the subject, since all traditional forms
of Church government can be found among Pentec~stals.~ Because of the strong
restorationist' stance, there is an immediate reference back to the New Testament
passages. As in so many official Catholic documents, proof-texting seems to be
the favoured method of interpreting scripture in Pentecostal documents. It can
only be hoped that the authors who do this are sufficiently aware of the danger of
reading back modem Church practices and convictions into texts stemming from
another period that were written for purposes other than formulating a body of
doctrines.
Traditionally, ecclesiological reflection has been far removed from the
theological centre of Pentecostalism. The overriding theological categories of
Pentecostal Theology rather stem from soteriology and not from eccle~iology.~
The salvation of (individual) believers is the central concern for Pentecostals. In
this line, the Church is typically seen as an assembly of 'born-again' (and
preferably 'Spirit-filled') believers. The reasons for organizing local assemblies
were more often than not pragmatic: since the experience of the baptism with the
' Melvin L. Hodges, A Theology of the Church and its Mission; A Pentecostal Perspective,
Springfield: Gospel Publishing House, 1977.
' Hocken, "Church", 21 1-215,217-218.
If only to avoid falling prey to management theories borrowed from secular business-science.
' See Hocken, "Church", 213.
"his characterization is also used by Harold D. Hunter, "'Wij zijn de kerk': nieuw congregationalisme.
De visie van de Pinksterbeweging", Concilum Wterbewa) 1996-3: 21-26
(American Edition: J rgen Moltman, Karl Josef Kuschel (eds.), Pentecostal Movements as an
Ecumenical Challenge, Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 1996), 22. Also noted by Hocken, "Church",
212-213.
AS far as I can see, pneumatology in this connection does not occupy this prismatic place.
Pneumatology is rather built upon a soteriological basis.
The Place of the Church in the Economy of Salvation. Roman Catholic and
Pentecostal Perspectives: Room for Rapprochement Huibert Zegwaart
Holy Spirit was not embraced by the existing denominations' and Early
Pentecostals were often expelled from the churches they loved and sought to
revive, Pentecostal congregations were formed for pastoral and practical reasons.'
This pattern is also in evidence when it comes to the formation of national
denominations. Practical concerns, rather than theological ones dominate here.
Within the Pentecostal tradition, theological reflection does not typically stand on
its own. It is often a response to practical issues that arise. Thus, ecclesiological
reflection largely takes place in the context of problems over Church leadership.
Hence, theological reflection largely focuses on questions of Church government.
The positions adopted are usually those current in Evangeli~alism.~ That means
that the views of the Church current within Pentecostalism are mostly inherited,
and not "h~megrown".~
PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCES OF PENTECOSTAL VIEWS ON THE
CHURCH
Having established the peripheral nature of theological reflection upon the
Church within Pentecostalism and that its content is by and large inherited from
elsewhere, we need not concern ourselves here with specific contents. Instead, we
can turn to issues connected to ecclesiology, such as evangelization and missions;
proselytism; the invisible Church; and the priesthood of all believers.
The question of evangelization and missions have from the earliest times onward
ranked high on the priority list of Pentecostals.' Unlike Catholics, who for a
sizable part of their history of missions, came on the bandwagon of conquerors
and victors, often building Churches and establishing some form of official
presence of the Church before there were actual ~onverts,~ Pentecostals often
' The exception would be the Church of God and the Church of God of Prophecy both of which
have their headquarters in Cleveland, Tennessee.
Thus, in Amsterdam, Genit Polman postponed the introduction of church membership until
1925; that is some twenty years after the formation of the congregation. See Cees van der Laan,
De Spade Regen, Geboorte en groei van de Pinsterbeweging in Nederland, 1907-1930.
Kampen: Kok, 1989, 158-1 59.
' Thus, Dusing, "New Testament Church"(who cannot be accused of being original in any way)
refers most often to Millard J. Erickson's Christian Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker Book
House, 1985).
' Hocken, "Church" 2 12, notes that it is in situations of oppression that Pentecostalism produced
its most original ecclesiological reflections.
Charles Parham saw the gift of tongues as a way for missionaries to circumvent the period of
arduous language-training. See Cees van der Laan, "Honderd jaar Pinksteren', Parakleet 77
(2001), 3-9.
We may never forget, however, that the Catholic missionary effort was rich and varied in its
strategies. Next to practices of conversion by coercion, there is true sacrificial heroism. See
Stephen Neill's A History of Christian Missions (Pelican History of the Church, 6),
Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1964, 176-209,397-449.