Pentecostal Theological Education In The Majority World Volume 1

There remains a considerable gap in discussion of Pentecostal theological education in and by the Majority World. This volume seeks to fill that gap and offer ways for such conversations to progress among educators and institutions globally. Theological education may be conceived in broad terms as inclusive of discipleship within the local church, for instance, yet the phrase is used in this volume regarding formal engagement within higher education that is specifically focused on theological development and discipleship within the academic disciplines. This volume takes up an initial foray into the narrow approach in seeking to address those persons, institutions and organizational bodies concerned with the graduate/post-graduate levels of theological education with the intent of a following volume more specific to the undergraduate (bachelor’s and certificate) levels of higher education. The further intent is to include a third volume on non-formal theological education, which is critical for the continuance of the global Pentecostal/Charismatic revival. The collection of essays included in this volume represent a diverse authorship globally as seeking to address pertinent issues of Pentecostal theological education in the Majority World. The opening contributions by Gary Munson, Vee J. Doyle-Davidson, and Amos Yong offer introductory observations and underlying theological and socio-cultural underpinnings for better engaging Pentecostal theological education in the Majority World. Dave Johnson and Josfin Raj each carry the conversation into areas of advancing research engagement and maturation that may be imported, local or globalized, and make good use of the tools available in each context. The three chapters by Daniel Topf, Peter White, and Jeremiah Campbell provide histories and prospective futures in several Majority World contexts across regions of Africa and Latin America. A volume such as this would be remiss to not have a contribution speaking to the role of the Holy Spirit in theological education. Temesgan Kahsay provides just such an essay that seeks to consider ways in which the Spirit has and ought to be more directly engaged through the educational processes. The volume is rounded out by the chapter of Dean D. O’Keefe and Jacqueline N. Grey that provides some biblical theological reflections drawn from the exilic and post-exilic texts of the Old Testament as bases for reflecting upon Pentecostal practices in conversation with Scripture.

This book is a series of essays in honor of John and Bea Carter--John Carter being one of the most influential educators in this generation of the world-wide Assemblies of God movement. This wide influence is reflected in the contributing authors, all of whom have extensive ministry experience in the Majority World. The articles themselves reflect great variety in approaches to theological education; historical, theological, pneumatological, missiological, psychological and philosophical, etc. All of these are important in cross-cultural theological education in the 21st century.

Where is Pentecostal theology going in the 21st century? How does it address issues of spirituality, politics and justice? What does it have to offer the worldwide Church? These and other vital questions are explored here by leading Pentecostal theologians from the UK and the USA as they assess the challenges and opportunities facing Pentecostalism today. With stimulating contributions by Joel Edwards, Charlotte Johnson, Steven Land, Douglas Nelson, Phyllis Thompson and Keith Warrington, this book offers valuable guidance to church leaders and to students training for the ministry throughout the Pentecostal world. ‘There is passion and information here, advice for the present and hope for the future.’ William K. Kay, Institute for Pentecostal Theology, Regents Theological College ‘When we consider that one in four Christians are Pentecostals, this book is a “must” for all who are seeking to improve their knowledge of Pentecostal theology and recognize its distinctives.’ Bishop Dr Donald Bolt, New Testament Church of God England and Wales

This book presents a theological and missiological argument for pentecostals to engage more forcefully in higher education by expanding and renewing their commitment toward operating their own colleges and universities. The volume’s first part describes past and present developments within higher education, highlighting strengths and weaknesses of both pentecostal and (post)secular institutions. The second part highlights the future potential of pentecostal higher education, which is enriched by a Spirit-empowered and mission-minded spirituality that focuses on forming the hearts, heads, and hands of students. Pentecostals increasingly desire to influence all spheres of society, an endeavor that could be amplified through a strengthened engagement in higher education, particularly one that encompasses a variety of institutions, including a pentecostal research university. In developing such an argument, this research is both comprehensive and compelling, inviting pentecostals to make a missional difference in the knowledge-based economies that will characterize the twenty-first century.

Theological schools are currently facing a perfect storm of jeopardies that threatens their future prospects and even survivability. The squall is all the more menacing for free-standing seminaries that are not connected to a university, and especially for free-standing mainline Protestant or mainline denominational seminaries. This book brings together a stellar and diverse cast of administrators and professors working within different theological schools to reflect on the present crisis of theological education, and on the question of the possible future of mainline Protestant and mainline denominational theological schools in the United States.

God is at work in the Muslim world! Fruit to Harvest is a cultural anthology written by a diverse group of gospel workers who live with and love Muslims. You will join a global mission conversation at the forefront of gospel advance—the world of Islam. Like its predecessor (From Seed to Fruit), this book is the result of a global consultation sponsored by the Vision 5:9 Network. This volume is a storehouse of missiology that offers: • Reflections from 47 writers hailing from 21 different countries • Fresh case studies from the field of Muslim ministry • Strategies for overcoming barriers to reaching Muslims • Insights from hundreds of testimonies taken from field workers in 30 different agencies working across the Muslim world

In little over a century, the Pentecostal movement has emerged from small bands of revival seekers to become one of the largest Christian groups in the world. Primarily a movement within Western Christianity for much of its brief history, it is increasingly characterized as a global movement. Pentecostal theology and ministry in a Western context must engage global Pentecostalism and be willing to rethink its traditional patterns of thought and practice in light of the evolving nature of the movement. The essays in this book come mainly from the McMaster Divinity College 2008 Pentecostal Forum: "The Many Faces of Pentecostalism: Pentecostalism and Globalization." The first section outlines the nature of globalization and establishes it as the context for contemporary Pentecostal theology and ministry. The other contributions explore the impact of globalization on traditional areas of Pentecostal theology, such as Spirit baptism and speaking in tongues, and twenty-first-century Pentecostal ministry.

This book not only articulates a tradition-specific Pentecostal rationality of Biblical Pragmatism, but also provides the first intellectual history of a major British classical Pentecostal denomination: the Elim Pentecostal Church. Pentecostal theologians increasingly acknowledge that their theological methodology should be informed by a Pentecostal rationality, epistemology and theological hermeneutics. Simo Frestadius offers such a Pentecostal rationality from a Foursquare perspective. Frestadius first analyses and evaluates some of the main contemporary Pentecostal rationalities and epistemologies to date, with a particular emphasis on the works of Amos Yong and James K.A. Smith and L. William Oliverio Jr., before proposing that Alasdair MacIntyre's tradition-focused and historically-minded narrative approach is conducive in providing a more tradition-constituted Pentecostal rationality. Utilising the methodological insights of MacIntyre, the book then provides a philosophically informed historical narrative of a major British Pentecostal tradition, namely, the Elim Foursquare Gospel Alliance, by exploring its underlying context and roots as a classical Pentecostal movement, its emergence as a religious tradition, and its two major 'epistemological crises'. Based on this historical narration and analysis, it is argued that Elim's tacit Pentecostal rationality is best defined as Pentecostal Biblical Pragmatism in a Foursquare Gospel framework. This form of rationality is then developed vis-à-vis Elim's Pentecostal concept of truth, biblical hermeneutics, and pragmatic epistemic justification in dialogue with William P. Alston. In doing the above, the book not only articulates a tradition-specific Pentecostal rationality of Biblical Pragmatism but also provides the first intellectual history of a major British classical Pentecostal denomination.