Pentecost: From the Greek word for “¿ fty,” the name for the Jewish harvest
festival or “feast of weeks,” held seven weeks and a day after the festival of
Passover. (See Leviticus 23:15 ff.). Christian theology celebrates the birth of
the church and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, as narrated in
the New Testament book of Acts, chapter 2. Christians now celebrate their
feast of Pentecost ¿ fty days after Easter.
Pentecostalism: Evangelical religious movement named after the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, and originating in the United States at
the beginning of the 20th century (especially at the Azusa Street revival in
Los Angeles beginning in 1906). Its distinctive teaching is that speaking
in tongues is the necessary evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
(See glossolalia.)
perfectionism: The doctrine of various Protestant groups, most notably
the Methodists and the Holiness tradition derived from them, that the
attainment of perfect or entire sancti¿ cation (Holiness) is not only possible
but normative for Christians.
perseverance: In Western theology after Augustine, this is a technical term
for the “gift of grace,” which causes those who have begun the life of faith to
persevere in faith (and works of love) to the end of their lives. The Calvinist
doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, taught at Dordt, is that all who
truly have faith in Christ are given this gift (which implies that anyone who
gives up the Christian faith never really had true saving faith to begin with).
The crucial consequence is that if you know you have true faith, then you
know you are saved for eternity. This Calvinist doctrine is sometimes known
by labels such as “eternal security” or “once saved, always saved.”
person: A technical term for what there are three of in the Trinity (that is,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are each persons of the Trinity) and one in Christ
(who is one person in two natures). This is a translation of the Latin term
persona or the Greek term prosopon. (See hypostasis and hypostatic union.)
perspicuity of scripture: The Protestant doctrine that in matters necessary
for salvation, the words of the Bible are clear enough that any devout and
attentive believer can properly interpret them.