Azusa-Era Optimism: Bishop J.H. King’s Pentecostal Theology of Religions as a Possible Paradigm for Today

2006 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 247-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony Richie
Keyword(s):  
Religious Pluralism ◽  
Theology Of Religions ◽  
Pentecostal Theology ◽  
Special Stress ◽  
Salient Features ◽  
Azusa Street Revival ◽  
Azusa Street ◽  
Hand Contact

AbstractEven as we celebrate the centennial of the Azusa Street Revival, the ideology and reality of religious pluralism currently challenges Pentecostal Christians to articulate an adequate theology of religions. J.H. King was an important Pentecostal pioneer influenced by the Azusa Street Revival. Well educated and widely traveled, Bishop King had considerable first-hand contact with non-Christian religions and addressed theology of religions often and in depth. King’s theology of religions at its core is characterized by optimism, that is, by a positive and balanced but non-dogmatic sense of hopefulness. Completely consistent with classical Pentecostal values, King’s thought provides important possibilities for a contemporary Pentecostal theology of religions paradigm. This paper surveys salient features of King’s theology of religions before offering suggestions about appropriation and application. Special stress is placed on continuity of Pentecostal heritage with creativity in development of Pentecostal theology of religions today.

A Reply to Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen’s Response

2007 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-275
Author(s):  
Tony Richie
Keyword(s):  
Religious Pluralism ◽  
World Religions ◽  
Theology Of Religions ◽  
Christian Mission ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
Pentecostal Theology ◽  
Interreligious Relations ◽  
Further Development

AbstractThis reply to Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen further affirms the importance of work in the theology of religions for Pentecostals and Charismatics today that first prompted the author’s original inquiry into the views of a major early Pentecostal leader, Bishop J.H. King, concerning interfaith encounter and understanding. This dialogue with Kärkkäinen supports suggestions that an overall program of rediscovering, reclaiming, restoring, and revisioning our Pentecostal theology of religions heritage seems advisable. King’s obviously optimistic theology of religions, however, must be carefully distinguished from pluralism and set in the context of its Wesleyan roots and Evangelical emphases. Further development of what King provides in embryonic form is demanded. King represents an optimistic but still Christocentric strain shared by other Pentecostals within early stages of the movement. Not at all amounting to an uncritical approbation of world religions, this revolutionary discovery does decidedly enlarge understandings of Christ’s lordship beyond the pale of any particular religion. Careful terminology in order to avoid misunderstanding is called for and conceded. Pentecostal hypersensitivity regarding theology of religions highlights the need for constant clarification of contrariness to liberal religious pluralism. King’s legacy invalidates any assumption that earlier (older) Pentecostal resources on religions are exclusively pessimistic. Implications are immense for Christian mission and interreligious relations.

Hymnody and Liturgy in the Azusa Street Revival, 1906-1908

Pneuma ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 242-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Dove
Keyword(s):  
Unique Form ◽  
Pentecostal Theology ◽  
Azusa Street Revival ◽  
Azusa Street

AbstractParticipants in the Azusa Street Revival regularly emphasized the nonliturgical nature of their Spirit-led worship. This article argues, however, that while worshippers eschewed traditional devices such as lectionaries and set schedules, they did create their own, unique form of liturgy through hymnody. The liturgical functions served by music at Azusa Street included selecting Scripture readings, ordering services, and providing theological balance. To make this case, the author surveys references to music, singing, and hymn writing in the official publications of the revival and in later accounts of the revival recorded by participants. From these sources, the author identifies three types of music used at Azusa Street: singing in the Spirit, new compositions written in a conventional style, and traditional hymns. The article further demonstrates how these genres served specific functions in the community, one of the most important of which was to emphasize the christological, as opposed to pneumatological, aspects of Pentecostal theology.

The 1904–05 Welsh Revival: Modernization, Technologies, and Techniques of the Self

2004 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 792-827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward J. Gitre
Keyword(s):  
Los Angeles ◽  
The Self ◽  
Short History ◽  
History Of ◽  
Azusa Street Revival ◽  
Apostolic Faith Mission ◽  
Azusa Street

Surveying the short history of pentecostalism in 1925, Frank Bartelman—a consummate “insider historian”—reckoned that although the Azusa Street revival had become “full grown” in Los Angeles, California, it was “rocked in the cradle of little Wales.” In pentecostal historiography much ink has been spilled connecting the causal dots of precedence. From whence did the movement come? Los Angeles? India? Topeka, Kansas? Historians of pentecostalism are cognizant of the 1904–05 Welsh revival; they readily acknowledged that it in some way influenced the Apostolic Faith Mission in Los Angeles. My goal here is not necessarily to argue one way or another but rather to resurrect from the dustbin of history a significant event that deserves its own due. This is a story, argues historian Rhodri Hayward, that “has been largely forgotten.”

Swami Vivekananda and Bede Griffiths on Religious Pluralism: Hindu and Christian Approaches to Truth

Horizons ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-237
Author(s):  
Bradley Malkovsky
Keyword(s):  
Religious Pluralism ◽  
Divine Presence ◽  
Theology Of Religions ◽  
Final Goal ◽  
Christian Understanding ◽  
Swami Vivekananda ◽  
Human Liberation

AbstractThis article summarizes and compares the theology of religions propounded by two important modern participants in the Hindu-Christian encounter, Swami Vivekananda and Bede Griffiths. It will be seen that both thinkers construct theologies of religion in the form of hierarchies, and that, moreover, these hierarchies reveal a specifically Hindu and Christian understanding of spiritual truth and of divine presence. The article advocates the view that a comparison of these two understandings of truth can be beneficial to both Hindus and Christians by broadening each's understanding of divine presence and of what constitutes human liberation. At the heart of the comparison is the controversy over the meaning and final goal of creation and history.

Sacred Song and God's Presence in 2 Chronicles 5, the Renewal Community of Judah and Beyond

2008 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 51-68
Author(s):  
Kevin L. Spawn
Keyword(s):  
Biblical Theology ◽  
Compositional Technique ◽  
Azusa Street Revival ◽  
Reconstruction Period ◽  
Azusa Street ◽  
The Temple ◽  
Renewal Community

AbstractAfter an overview of his compositional technique in the temple dedication narrative (2 Chronicles 5-7), the Chr's theology of worship in chapter 5 is examined. The Chr's emphasis on the sacred song, God's glorious presence and related themes are traced in this essay. The relevance of this message is explored for: the Chr's community during the reconstruction period, the task of biblical theology and the renewal tradition as it embarks upon another century after the Azusa Street Revival.

Karl Barth's Theology of Reconciliation in Dialogue with a Theology of Religions

2008 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-228
Author(s):  
Paul Chung
Keyword(s):  
Religious Pluralism ◽  
Karl Barth ◽  
Christian Theology ◽  
Theology Of Religions ◽  
The World ◽  
Theology Of Mission ◽  
God's Mission ◽  
Conservative Evangelical ◽  
Christian Witness

AbstractKarl Barth has influenced Christian theology of mission in terms of his Trinitarian concept of God's mission. His theology of reconciliation retains inter-religious implication in missional context. However, Barth's theology of reconciliation is not explored in the context of religious pluralism. The reason is due to the neo-orthodox charge against him and theologians' one-sided critique of Barth as a conservative-evangelical theologian. In this paper at issue is to retrieve hermeneutically Barth as a theologian of reconciliation who stands for Christian witness to the grace of God in the world of religions.

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