Acts 2.17-21: A Paradigm for Pentecostal Mission

2008 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 200-218
Author(s):  
Robert Menzies
Keyword(s):  
Careful Analysis ◽  
Early Church ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Church ◽  
Acts 2 ◽  
Divine Guidance

AbstractAccording to Menzies, a careful analysis of Acts 2:17-21 reveals that Luke has modified the Joel quotation in three significant ways, and that each modification serves to highlight an important aspect of the mission of the church. The church's mission is to be characterized by visions and divine guidance, bold witness in the face of intense opposition, and signs and wonders. These three themes run throughout the narrative of Acts, and Luke anticipates that they will continue to mark the life of the church in 'these last days'. Luke's narrative, then, is much more than a nostalgic review of how it all began. Although Luke is concerned to stress the reliability of the apostolic witness, his purposes go beyond this. Luke presents the missionary praxis of the early church as a model that is relevant for His church and ours.

Double Honor: Elite Hutterite Women in the Sixteenth Century

2010 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 753-782 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Darlage
Keyword(s):  
Sixteenth Century ◽  
Early Modern ◽  
New Testament ◽  
Fourth Century ◽  
Roman Catholic ◽  
Early Church ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Church

Studies of early modern Anabaptism have shown that many Anabaptists sought to model their communities after the examples of the New Testament and the early church before the “fall” of the church into a coercive, sword-wielding institution through the person of Constantine in the fourth centuryc.e.The Anabaptists claimed that one had to voluntarily choose to become a Christian through believer's baptism and suffer for his or her faith just as the martyrs of old had done in the face of Roman persecution. During the course of the sixteenth century, their Protestant and Roman Catholic enemies did not disappoint, as hundreds of Anabaptists were executed for their rejection of “Christendom.” To the “magisterial” Christians, Anabaptists were dangerous heretics because they denied the God-given power of spiritual and secular authorities.

A.J. Tomlinson’s Emerging Ecclesiology

Pneuma ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 369-389
Author(s):  
Harold D. Hunter
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Early Church ◽  
Church Of God ◽  
World Council Of Churches ◽  
Western North Carolina ◽  
The World ◽  
World Council ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Church

AbstractThis study seeks to engage the question of how A.J. Tomlinson formulated the theological platform that influenced the ecclesiologies of various Churches of God. The cast includes R.G. Spurling and R. Frank Porter, a forgotten figure but one who, together with Spurling, organized the Holiness Church at Camp Creek in western North Carolina on May 15, 1902. I will argue that, absent the intervention of A.J. Tomlinson on June 13, 1903, the work of Spurling, Porter, and W.F. Bryant would have suffered the ill-fated demise common to hundreds of like works in Appalachia. Yet Tomlinson was more than an organizer; he was also someone who influenced the mission adopted by the early Church of God (Cleveland, TN). This article has particular relevance in the face of awakened sensitivities to Pentecostal ecclesiology in the light of the Edinburgh 1910 centenary celebrations around the world and the World Council of Churches’ working document, Nature and Mission of the Church. Here I will frame the discussion as a response to Dale Coulter’s article, “The Development of Ecclesiology in the Church of God (Cleveland, TN): A Forgotten Contribution?” in Pneuma: The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies 29, no. 1 (2007): 59-85.

scholarly journals Comunidade apostólica primitiva: fundamento e modelo para a Igreja. Raízes bíblicas e teológicas da “Igreja de Comunhão”

2018 ◽  
Vol 76 (301) ◽  
pp. 110-140
Author(s):  
Claudemir Rozin
Keyword(s):  
Acts Of The Apostles ◽  
Early Church ◽  
Initial Experience ◽  
Christian Community ◽  
Principal Characteristics ◽  
The People ◽  
The Face ◽  
New Challenges ◽  
The One ◽  
The Church

Síntese: A primeira comunidade cristã, mais especificamente a comunidade de Jerusalém, é o rosto da Igreja nascente. Ela traz em si as principais características da experiência daqueles que assumem o seguimento de Jesus, impulsionados pela força do Espírito do Ressuscitado e convocados por sua Palavra para continuar sua missão. Formam comunidade, reúnem-se por um motivo único, fazem memória dos fatos e da vida de Jesus, praticam o amor fraterno, partilham os bens com os mais necessitados: nasce a Igreja. Esta experiência originária traz os valores básicos que formam a comunidade cristã, narrada nos Atos dos Apóstolos. Tais valores são os pilares que estruturam a vida eclesial, fundamento e modelo para toda a Igreja. A experiência inicial de profunda comunhão (Koinonia) será a base segura para a Igreja sempre se renovar, retomando constantemente sua identidade e sua missão diante dos novos desafios que vão surgindo em sua história.Palavras-chave: Igreja. Comunidade primitiva. Comunhão/Koinonia. Partilha. Modelo. Perseverança.Abstract: The first Christian community, or more specifically, the community of Jerusalem, is the face of the early Church. It possessed the principal characteristics of the people who accepted to follow Jesus, driven by the power of the Spirit of the One who was risen and brought together by his Word in order to continue his mission. They form a community, they come together for a single purpose, they recall the deeds and the life of Jesus, they exercise a fraternal love, and they share their goods with those who are most in need: the Church is born. This original experience possesses the values that form the Christian community, in line with the account given in the Acts of the Apostles, providing the pillars around which the life of the Church would be built, a foundation and the model for the whole Church. This initial experience of deep communion (Koinonia) would offer a sure foundation to a Church that would always seek renewal, by returning to its identity and mission in the face of the new challenges that emerge in the course of time.Keywords: Church. Early community. Communion/Koinonia. Sharing.Model. Perseverance.

scholarly journals Pentingnya Karakteristik Murid Kristus bagi Jemaat menurut Kisah Para Rasul 2:41-47

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 76-90
Author(s):  
Nelly Nelly ◽  
Murni Yanti
Keyword(s):  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Early Church ◽  
Disciples Of Christ ◽  
Analysis Method ◽  
The Church ◽  
God's Work ◽  
Acts 2

The success of God's work and ministry carried out by the early church centered on the characteristics of the early church who were disciples of Christ. The church today needs to pay attention to the principle developed by the early church, namely, the characteristics of the disciples of Christ. This article aims to show the important characteristics of Christ's disciples through reading Acts 2: 41-47. By using the descriptive analysis method, several characteristics mentioned in the text are obtained, namely: perseverance, prayer, and unity. In conclusion, believers, congregations, or those who call themselves disciples of Christ, must have characteristics that make them different from people who only follow God as a mere religious obligation.AbstrakKeberhasilan pekerjaan Tuhan dan pelayanan yang dilakukan oleh gereja mula-mula berpusat pada karakteristik jemaat mula-mula yang adalah murid Kristus. Gereja masa kini perlu memerhatikan prinsip yang dikembangkan oleh gereja mula-mula, yakni karakteristik murid Kristus. Artikel ini bertujuan untuk menunjukkan pentingnya karakteristik murid Kristus melalui pembacaan Kisah Para Rasul 2:41-47. Dengan menggunakan metode analsis deskriptif diperoleh beberapa karakteristik yang disebut pada teks tersebut, yakni: bertekun, berdoa, dan bersatu. Kesimpulannya, orang percaya, jemaat, atau yang menyebut dirinya sebagai murid Kristus, harus memiliki karakteristik yang menjadikannya berbeda dengan orang yang hanya mengikut Tuhan sebagai kewajiban agamawi belaka.

The Church as a Sacrament in a Time of Pandemic: The Philippine Experience

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-280
Author(s):  
Rhoderick John Suarez Abellanosa
Keyword(s):  
Catholic Church ◽  
Religious Affiliation ◽  
Essential Element ◽  
Roman Catholic ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Social Instability ◽  
Presence Of God ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Church ◽  
The Catholic Church

The declaration of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in various provinces and cities in the Philippines did not impede the Catholic Church from celebrating its sacraments and popular devotions. Mired with poverty and various forms of economic and social limitations, the presence of God for Filipinos is an essential element in moving forward and surviving in a time of pandemic. Predominantly Roman Catholic in religious affiliation, seeking the face of God has been part of Filipinos' lives whenever a serious disaster would strike. This essay presents how the clergy, religious and lay communities in the Philippines have innovatively and creatively sustained treasured religious celebrations as a sign of communion and an expression of faith. In addition to online Eucharistic celebrations that are more of a privilege for some, culturally contextualised efforts were made during the Lenten Season and even on Sundays after Easter. This endeavour ends with a reflection on the Church as the sacrament of God in a time of pandemic. Pushed back to their homes, deprived of life's basic necessities and facing threats of social instability, unemployment and hunger, Filipinos through their innovative celebrations find in their communion with their Church the very presence of God acting significantly in their lives.

The Prophetic Voice of the Church in a Democratic South Africa – A Theological Reflection

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lufuluvhi Maria Mudimeli
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Economic Transformation ◽  
The State ◽  
Black Liberation ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Black Liberation Theology ◽  
Prophetic Voice ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Church

This article is a reflection on the role and contribution of the church in a democratic South Africa. The involvement of the church in the struggle against apartheid is revisited briefly. The church has played a pivotal and prominent role in bringing about democracy by being a prophetic voice that could not be silenced even in the face of death. It is in this time of democracy when real transformation is needed to take its course in a realistic way, where the presence of the church has probably been latent and where it has assumed an observer status. A look is taken at the dilemmas facing the church. The church should not be bound and taken captive by any form of loyalty to any political organisation at the expense of the poor and the voiceless. A need for cooperation and partnership between the church and the state is crucial at this time. This paper strives to address the role of the church as a prophetic voice in a democratic South Africa. Radical economic transformation, inequality, corruption, and moral decadence—all these challenges hold the potential to thwart our young democracy and its ideals. Black liberation theology concepts are employed to explore how the church can become prophetically relevant in democracy. Suggestions are made about how the church and the state can best form partnerships. In avoiding taking only a critical stance, the church could fulfil its mandate “in season and out of season” and continue to be a prophetic voice on behalf of ordinary South Africans.

The Roman Martyrs

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Lapidge
Keyword(s):  
Fourth Century ◽  
Second Century ◽  
Seventh Century ◽  
Early Church ◽  
Central Feature ◽  
Late Antique ◽  
Modern Language ◽  
Roman Society ◽  
Christian Literature ◽  
The Church

The Roman Martyrs contains translations of forty Latin passiones of saints who were martyred in Rome or its near environs, during the period before the ‘peace of the Church’ (c. 312). Some of these Roman martyrs are universally known — SS. Agnes, Sebastian or Laurence, for example — but others are scarcely known outside the ecclesiastical landscape of Rome itself. Each of the translated passiones, which vary in length from a few paragraphs to over ninety, is accompanied by an individual introduction and commentary; the translations are preceded by an Introduction which describes the principal features of this little-known genre of Christian literature. The Roman passiones martyrum have never previously been collected together, and have never been translated into a modern language. They were mostly composed during the period 425 x 675, by anonymous authors who who were presumably clerics of the Roman churches or cemeteries which housed the martyrs’ remains. It is clear that they were composed in response to the huge explosion of pilgrim traffic to martyrial shrines from the late fourth century onwards, at a time when authentic records (protocols) of their trials and executions had long since vanished, and the authors of the passiones were obliged to imagine the circumstances in which martyrs were tried and executed. The passiones are works of pure fiction; and because they abound in ludicrous errors of chronology, they have been largely ignored by historians of the early Church. But although they cannot be used as evidence for the original martyrdoms, they nevertheless allow a fascinating glimpse of the concerns which animated Christians during the period in question: for example, the preservation of virginity, or the ever-present threat posed by pagan practices. And because certain aspects of Roman life will have changed little between (say) the second century and the fifth, the passiones throw valuable light on many aspects of Roman society, not least the nature of a trial before an urban prefect, and the horrendous tortures which were a central feature of such trials. Above all, perhaps, the passiones are an indispensable resource for understanding the topography of late antique Rome and its environs, since they characteristically contain detailed reference to the places where the martyrs were tried, executed, and buried. The book contains five Appendices containing translations of texts relevant to the study of Roman martyrs: the Depositio martyrum of A.D. 354 (Appendix I); the epigrammata of Pope Damasus d. 384) which pertain to Roman martyrs treated in the passiones (II); entries pertaining to Roman martyrs in the Martyrologium Hieronymianum (III); entries in seventh-century pilgrim itineraries pertaining to shrines of Roman martyrs in suburban cemeteries (IV); and entries commemorating these martyrs in early Roman liturgical books (V).

Mechanisms for Unity

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel K. Cohn, Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Eighteenth Century ◽  
Sixteenth Century ◽  
Black Death ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Works Of Art ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Church

This chapter investigates changes in mentalities after the Black Death, comparing practices never before analysed in this context—funerary and labour laws and processions to calm God’s anger. While processions were rare or conflictual as in Catania and Messina in 1348, these rituals during later plagues bound communities together in the face of disaster. The chapter then turns to another trend yet to be noticed by historians. Among the multitude of saints and blessed ones canonized from 1348 to the eighteenth century, the Church was deeply reluctant to honour, even name, any of the thousands who sacrificed their lives to succour plague victims, physically or spiritually, especially in 1348: the Church recognized no Black Death martyrs. By the sixteenth century, however, city-wide processions and other communal rituals bound communities together with charity for the poor, works of art, and charitable displays of thanksgiving to long-dead holy men and women.

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