Pentecostalism is the fastest growing religious movement of our time. The unexpected birth of the modern-day Pentecostal movement at the doorsteps of the twentieth century is as perplexing as its continuing existence and unprecedented expansion worldwide. Once marginalized from public discourse, Pentecostals have entered into mainstream culture, religion, politics, academia, and social action. However, the unprecedented growth of Pentecostalism in all its diversity has led to characterizations ripe with platitudes, stereotypes, and misrepresentations. This Guide for the Perplexed sheds light on the most persistent contrasts characterizing the Pentecostal movement: the tension between local manifestations and global Pentecostalism, the inconsistency between spiritual discernment and charismatic excess, the gap between rampant denominationalism and the pursuit of Christian unity, the disparity between poverty among many Pentecostals and the popularity of the prosperity gospel, the division between Oneness Pentecostals and their trinitarian counterparts, and the worldview of Pentecostals beyond the confines of a religious movement. Those tensions form the essence of global Pentecostalism and represent the emergence of a global Christian world.

Handbook of Pentecostal Christianity is an easy-to-read guide designed for those interested in learning about one of the fastest growing religious traditions in the world. Adam Stewart's unique collection presents concise, yet comprehensive explanations of some of the most important terms and concepts needed to understand the origins and development, as well as the beliefs and practices, of Pentecostalism worldwide. Twenty-four scholars from five continents provide entries, which are written from disciplinary perspectives as diverse as anthropology, biblical studies, black church studies, history, religious studies, sociology, and theology. The fifty entries shed light on such aspects as The Azusa Street Mission and Revival, Baptism of the Holy Spirit, exorcism, Godly Love, prophecy, snake handling, and the Word of Faith movement. Each entry also includes a brief list of references and suggestions for further reading. These brief, engaging explanations on aspects of Pentecostalism can be read on their own, or alphabetically from start to finish. In its entirety, Stewart's text provides the reader with an introduction to the history, theology, practices, and contemporary forms of Pentecostalism as it stands at the outset of the twenty-first century. Stewart's handbook is an appealing introduction to Pentecostalism suitable for both students of religion and the curious general reader.

This volume of ecumenical documents, key texts, and critical essays is the first collection of its kind exclusively dedicated to Pentecostalism and its contributions to Christian unity. In the first part, a cadre of internationally renowned scholars addresses the ecumenical heritage and perspectives of the Pentecostal movement since the early twentieth century. Part 2 offers a collection of final reports from international dialogues with Pentecostal participation. The final part contains programmatic essays in response to The Nature and Mission of the Church, a major study on the doctrine of the church published by the World Council of Churches. Most of these essays were first presented by the ecumenical-studies group of the Society for Pentecostal Studies, currently the only organized ecumenical think tank among Pentecostals in North America. Since its formation in 2001, the group has encouraged Pentecostal participation in ecumenical concerns, has hosted Roman Catholic-Pentecostal conversations at the annual meeting of the Society, has invited international scholarly debates on ecumenical matters, and has engaged in the study of ecumenical consensus statements. The essays and documents in this collection model the dedication and commitment among Pentecostals today that engage the challenges and opportunities of Christian unity from the perspective of a tradition that has often been falsely accused of being anti-ecumenical. This collection presents an invaluable resource for teachers, scholars, and pastors interested in engaging the global Christian arena from the worldwide and ecumenical image of Pentecostalism. "Of all of the dialogues with whom the Roman Catholics have been involved in the evangelical community, the Pentecostal may be the most interesting and influential. The Pentecostal and Catholic communities have experienced serious tension in certain parts of the world, especially in Latin America. Therefore these dialogues, and the reflections brought together in this book, should be a rich source for the task of making the results of the dialogues a common heritage in Catholic and Pentecostal seminaries, colleges and universities, and congregations around the world. Dr. Vondey has assembled a line-up of Pentecostal scholars known for their depth, scope, and fairness, a set of essays that should be of interest well beyond the Catholic and Pentecostal communities."---Jeffrey Gros, FSC Memphis Theological Seminary "In the field of ecumenism the common perception is that the youngest and fastest growing movement in global Christianity has been absent. Pentecostalism and Christian Unity will not only expose this misunderstanding, but also prove to be an invaluable resource. Along with official bilateral documents, a series of essays documents the nature of Pentecostal ecumenical engagement and provides mature theological reflection on how to proceed. The ecumenical movement will be both enriched and challenged by this contribution."---Ralph Del Colle Marquette University

The Layman's Guide to Pentecostalism looks at some of the Pentecostal churches today who call themselves "Pentecostal," but have none of the theology or orientation of Pentecostalism. This book looks at the Prosperity Gospel to Judging Prophetic words given personally and to a local church. Many of the issues discussed are things the author saw being done in a negative way. This book is for lay people to learn and examine what they are being taught. Lay people to need to take more of a leadership role in their local churches, and they need to consider some of these issues raised.

An introduction to Pentecostalism that traces the religious movement's history throughout the twentieth century, discussing its origins, spread across the world, theological aspects, sociological influences, and other related topics.

This book is the follow-up volume to Pentecostalism and Christian Unity: Ecumenical Documents and Critical Assessments. The first volume documented the history and ecumenical engagement of Pentecostals during the twentieth century. This new collection traces the ecumenical developments, narratives, and conversations during the first decade of the twenty-first century. The ecumenical community and Pentecostals have consistently lamented the absence of a comprehensive gathering of resources for both groups. This particular volume provides two significant assets in this regard: (1) documentation of new and emerging conversations that have not yet produced official reports, and (2) official reports from continuing conversations. The book begins with an overview of a century of Pentecostal participation in Christian unity. Part One contains ecumenical narratives on the Joint Consultative Group of Pentecostals and the World Council of Churches, Lutherans and Pentecostals, the Global Christian Forum, and Christian Churches Together in the USA. Part Two contains the extensive reports from the official dialogue of Pentecostals with the Roman Catholic Church, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Oneness-Trinitarian Pentecostal dialogue. This collection presents an invaluable resource for teachers, scholars, and pastors interested in engaging the global Christian arena from the worldwide and ecumenical perspectives of Pentecostalism.