The History of Christian Theology

Lecture 28: Perfection, Holiness, and Pentecostalism

more sacramental churches. In the Holiness tradition, this baptism was not

necessarily linked to physical experience.

Speaking in tongues or glossolalia is identi¿ ed by the Pentecostals with

manifestations of the Holy Spirit described in the book of Acts and the

letters of Paul. Pentecostalism is named after the day of Pentecost in Acts 2,

when the Spirit descended in tongues of ¿ re and believers began to speak in

other tongues, proclaiming the Gospel in many languages. The phenomenon

narrated in Acts 2 has been called xenolalia, the speaking of actual human

languages one has not learned. Glossolalia is a form of ecstatic utterance

involving syllables, phrases, and linguistic rhythms but no obvious meaning.

Following Paul, tongues can be interpreted by another member of the

congregation. Pentecostals regard the renewal of the gifts of tongues in our

day as an outpouring of the Spirit and a restoration of the apostolic faith in

preparation for the imminent return of Christ. Pentecostalism has become the

fastest-growing form of Christianity in many parts of the world, especially in

Latin America and Africa. Ŷ

Liardon, The Azusa Street Revival.

Marsden, Fundamentalism and American Culture, chaps. 8 and 11 (on

Keswick teaching).

Palmer, Phoebe Palmer: Selected Writings.

Wesley, “Conversation with Zinzendorf.”

———, “Thoughts on Christian Perfection.”

1. Do you ¿ nd yourself siding more with Zinzendorf or Wesley on the
   possibility of Christian perfection?


2. Do you ¿ nd Palmer’s shorter way to sancti¿ cation attractive?

Suggested Reading

Questions to Consider