Pentecost: A Day of Power for All People

The Fullness of Time

by Emilio Álvarez

"The power of Pentecost is inseparable from the good news of the Christ who is proclaimed in the Gospels, in accordance with the Scriptures." Pentecost may well be the most misconstrued day on the church calendar. A long legacy of cessationism has drained Pentecost of much of its significance, and it's largely misunderstood in many Western churches today, if not outright ignored. That's not the case in Emilio Alvarez's tradition, though. In this Fullness of Time volume, the Pentecostal bishop and theologian offers us a rich biblical and theological introduction to the day of Pentecost and sets it in its liturgical context―not only in the Protestant tradition but also in Catholic, Orthodox, and Pentecostal expressions. The result is a rich theological feast and an invitation to find afresh the power of the gospel for all peoples. Each volume in the Fullness of Time series invites readers to engage with the riches of the church year, exploring the traditions, prayers, Scriptures, and rituals of the seasons of the church calendar.

Genres: Nonfiction, Theology, Christian, Faith, Religion, Spirituality, Christian Living

144 pages, Hardcover

Published April 25, 2023

Reviews

[Barry · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars (= okay)

I don’t feel like I learned as much from this book as the other books in the Fullness of Time series. Perhaps because, like Alvarez, I also grew up in a church in the Pentecostal tradition. I still regard the overall series as very worthwhile, but I think if I had started with this book, I may not have been enthusiastic enough to continue the rest of the series.

Only a small portion of this volume is given over to theological exposition. Most of second half of the book consists of a sample of liturgical prayers and hymns used in various church traditions (Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Anglican, and Pentecostal) during Pentecost.

Here’s one of the hymns used in the Anglican Church, “Hail This Joyful Day’s Return”:

Hail this joyful day's return,
hail the Pentecostal morn,
morn when our ascended Head
on his Church his Spirit shed!

Like to cloven tongues of flame
on the twelve the Spirit came;
tongues, that earth may hear the call;
fire, that love may burn in all....

Lord, to Thee Thy people bend,
unto us Thy Spirit send;
blessings of this sacred day
grant us, dearest Lord, we pray.

Thou who didst our [forebears] guide,
with their children still abide;
grant us pardon, grant us peace,
till our earthly wanderings cease.


From the conclusion:
“Pentecost remains a powerful mark in the church's calendar precisely because it continues to be beyond human control. There is nothing we can successfully rationalize or theologize about Pentecost that would cause all Christian parties to nod with complete approval, yet there is nothing we can do or say against it that discredits its success in evangelizing the nations.”

[Carmen Imes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm enjoying this series, which is helping me learn more about the church calendar.
This volume on Pentecost has some good nuggets of insight, and a helpful collection of historic liturgical prayers from various traditions.
I appreciated the insights about racial reconciliation. I would have liked to see more reflection on the empowerment for ministry of everyone -- men and women, young and old, of all nations.

[Robin Langford · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned some new practices and habits from parts of the Church with which I am less familiar. The small conclusion was actually my favorite part of the book.

[Ashton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good primer for a key part of the Christian belief. Alvarez highlighted Pentecost as a time of waiting in expectation and then going forth with power in the Spirit.

[Amanda E. (aebooksandwords) · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this short book, the author writes about Pentecost, sharing in depth about its meaning in various ways from past to present. I especially appreciated how this book contained details we often miss about Pentecost/the Feast of Weeks from the Scriptures.

This book is part of a series called the Fullness of Time, which has books based on the church year that seem to be helpful and informational. I read one other book from the series myself on the season of Lent (which I won in a giveaway), which piqued my interest in this series as a whole.

The author writes,

“The power we need now is the power of Pentecost, which is intimately connected to the message of the good news of the Christ who lived, died, and was raised, who is proclaimed as gospel in accordance with the Scriptures, who is present in the breaking of the bread, and who is experienced still today by the power of the Holy Spirit. . . we look for the power to change both our personal lives and the lives of others. Fundamentally, this is what we mean by the Christian celebration of Pentecost.”

Covering various topics about Pentecost in detail and more, this book takes us on a journey through Pentecost’s history, its implications for today, and the different practices of the church related to Pentecost in our current times across different traditions.

Because the book contained so much info, it would be a good one to take in slowly so as not to get bogged down by all the details, especially in the chapter about the many different liturgical traditions’ celebration of Pentecost.

My only concern with the book was that the section about the baptism of the Holy Spirit could leave others feeling this is a requirement when it is just one denomination’s way of viewing it (and we do receive the Holy Spirit at conversion, it does not mean we don’t have Him without this—though we see much in Acts, we do not see the New Testament writers telling the churches to pursue it after). Because this view has at times been problematic and even harmful for some involved in these movements in recent decades, and this belief is also prevalent in churches that are part of the unbiblical New Apostolic Reformation and Word of Faith/Prosperity Gospel movements, it would have been helpful to have some sort of warning regarding these so as not to possibly cause later confusion should someone pursue it.

I received a review copy of this book for free from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

I went back and forth several times during this book, which I consider to be, by far, the weakest link in the Fullness of Time series. So weak, in fact, that it is vastly disappointing, after reading the other volumes of the series. I went back and forth over two things. First, as to whether I would even finish the book. There was one point where I was very close to DNF-ing the book. The other thing, when I decided to go ahead and finish (it's only 127 pages, and I was more than halfway through), was how many stars I would give it. First it was two, then, in the middle of chapter 4, it got up to three, but by the end of chapter 4, it was back down to two.

Before I go any further, I will point out that the author comes from a full Pentecostal, non-liturgical background. He is now, however, a bishop in the Union of Charismatic Orthodox Churches.

There are some good things that I found in this book, so I will start with that. On page 17, the author includes a quote from Abraham Heschel (a Jewish rabbi) that says that God, in contrast to other "deities," manifests Himself in "events of history rather than in things or places," calling Judaism "a religion of time aiming at the sanctification of time." I rather like the idea of the sanctification of time, as I have long believed that we cannot divide our lives or time into "secular" and "sacred."

Another thing that I liked was the comparison between Christ's ascension into heaven and Moses's ascension to the top of Sinai. When Moses went up, he came down with the Law. When Christ went up, He stayed up, but the Holy Spirit was sent down.

On page 12 of the book, there is a distinction made between "pilgrims" and "tourists." I like to think that I am, indeed, a pilgrim on the path to my eternal Home, a place I am homesick for, but have never been to.

The author also makes it a point to be critical of the number of Christians in our society who have sought power not in the Holy Spirit, but in politics, economics, and military.

There is a lot of information in this book, first regarding the various Old Testament feasts with which the author associates Pentecost (which, of course, actually predates the New Testament and was a feast that occurred fifty days after Passover), and then as he examines the practices of different liturgical communities, he goes through various hymns and prayers that are used.

What I did not like at all about the book is what I simply consider to be bad theology and hermeneutics. That being said, I am no expert on either one, but I do like to think that I know the Bible pretty well. Since he came from a Pentecostal background, Alvarez goes into great detail in chapter 4 about his experience of being baptized in the Holy Spirit. I do not believe that baptism in the Holy Spirit occurs as a secondary experience after salvation. I do not believe that Scripture supports this. All of the passages that can be used to support the idea are at the outset of Christianity being spread as a new thing. And the cases where people who had been "saved" received the Holy Spirit later are, more or less "one-offs."

The issue of "tongues" is also something with which I do not agree with the author. In Acts 2, the people in the upper room were not experiencing what is known as "glossolalia," or, in other words, gibberish. They were speaking known languages that they did not know, so that the others in attendance could hear the message of the Gospel in their own language. It is my opinion that gibberish is chaotic, and the Bible clearly says that God is not the author of chaos. There is no benefit whatsoever to the Church for people to engage in gibberish in any corporate setting. Alvarez says, on page 32 that "each and every one of the persons represented not only understand each other but understand what God is doing in each other." That is not what Scripture says! Everyone did not understand everyone else! This is simply bad interpretation.

He goes on to imply that if a church doesn't conduct services in multiple languages, they are not "biblically Pentecostal." I'm all for multilingual churches, but I don't see a biblical mandate for us to do that. We certainly need to strive to be racially and culturally inclusive in our worship, though, and aware that there will be no flags representing nations in heaven.

In chapter 3, the author writes about the practice of only standing for prayer during Pentecost (not kneeling). I was not familiar with this practice, but it does seem to have some historical validity. But he goes completely off the rails, in my opinion, when he tries to equate that practice with resisting the world, and quotes Alexander Hamilton as saying, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything." Immediately after that quote, he says, "This could have been what Paul was thinking . . . " I'm sorry, but I laughed out loud when I read that. Obviously, the author does not mean that Paul was thinking about something that Alexander Hamilton said. But the editing there could have been better.

Chapter 4 begins with quite a bit of information regarding various prayers and hymns used by different liturgical traditions (until he gets to Pentecostalism, which essentially observes no liturgy). There are some good prayers included in this section, but then as I previously mentioned, he loses me completely when he begins to speak of his experience of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

I find that I am somewhat surprised that IVP published this book, especially considering how biblically solid and good the other volumes of the series have been.

Honestly, I can't recommend this book to anyone, unless someone is super interested in the details of other liturgical traditions and their practices in observing Pentecost. And I'm sure that information is readily available in other sources.

[Conrade Yap · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is Pentecost? What is the meaning of the word "Pentecostal?" Why do Christians celebrate this event? Has this event any connection to the Old Testament? What is the significance of such an event? These questions are dealt with in this book. Pentecost Sunday is one of the most important days in the Christian calendar. Celebrated 50 days after Easter, it commemorates the day the Holy Spirit came down upon believers in Jerusalem as recorded in Acts 2. With the coming of the Holy Spirit witnessed by thousands, the full identity of the Trinity has been revealed to all. The key events in the Church Calendar are Advent, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. This book focuses on the latter, to show us the significance and provides us basic things we ought to know about Pentecost. Calling it a "Day of Power," author Emilio Alvarez takes time to unwrap the meaning of what Pentecostal power means. It is not a power about race to the top echelons of society but about the grace of God given to all believers. It is about that spiritual renewal that we need. Pentecostal power proclaims the work of Christ and the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Alvarez asserts that believers should see themselves as pilgrims rather than tourists when celebrating Pentecost. What's the difference? One is about entitlement and the other is about growing in spiritual experience. Beginning with the meaning of the Pentecost festival, Alvarez shows us how Pentecost and the Old Testament are connected through three festivals: Festival of Weeks, First Fruits, and Harvest. He tells us that we do not have to wait until the Day of Pentecost to celebrate. We can be celebratory in the days leading up to the Day itself.

Alvarez then comes to an oft-controversial topic: Speaking in tongues. He gives us a rather conservative overview of some perspectives from the early Christian leaders as well as some modern renditions of Pentecostalism. In an interesting take on the speaking of many tongues, he compares this Pentecost event with the curse of Babel, which was the time when God scattered the people for their pride in one language to try to usurp the authority that was not theirs to take. Pentecost undoes this curse in a reversal of Genesis 11. Instead of unity toward arrogance, Pentecost is about unity in diversity. He shares about the power of a multilingual community and the new ecumenism which is "emergent, convergent, charismatic, pentecostal, missional, evangelical, constructive, etc." Emphasizing the Pentecost as communal through and through, the power of Pentecost is essentially about bringing together people from all walks of life because of the gospel. That is probably why he chooses not to go in-depth about the angelic languages of glossolalia. He also gives us an overview of the symbols of Pentecost such as liturgical colors as well as the Western, Eastern Orthodox, and the Roman Catholic traditions. Finally, he gives us a chapter about Pentecost Prayers, Hymns, and Scriptures, that covers Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Anglican, and Pentecostal traditions.

My Thoughts
==============
As an accessible guide to the Church year, this book checks out well. Written in a clear and concise manner, readers learn about the fundamental aspects of Pentecost and what it means to celebrate Pentecost. Sometimes, laypersons from many traditions might tend to associate anything to do with Pentecost with merely the Pentecostal Church. This book debunks such a belief and focuses on the shared perspective, that no matter what tradition we come from, Pentecost unites rather than divides. Pentecost is about unity in diversity. Pentecost is a celebration for all Christians. The Holy Spirit is given to all, and not just to some. I am pleasantly surprised at how much material Alvarez is able to pack in this small book.

Those who want to see descriptions of Pentecostalism and the speaking of tongues might be disappointed. They should look elsewhere because this book is simply to help us appreciate the meaning of the Pentecost event, and the days leading up to it. Alvarez is more interested in dealing with matters that promote common understanding rather than issues that divide. Although he writes from an Eastern Orthodox perspective, his material is sufficiently ecumenical to help Christians from all traditions to understand the common significance of Pentecost. The focus on community is vibrant. The orientation on unity is equally strong. Curiously, when he lists out some of the rituals from the various traditions, one tradition is missing: the evangelical tradition. Perhaps, evangelicals are too diverse themselves to be considered in any one group. Whatever it is, I believe evangelicals can also gain as there are many things evangelicals can adopt from the book. I warmly recommend all to read this book for a better appreciation of the meaning of Pentecost, without being unduly distracted by tongues or different interpretations of Pentecostalism. The Spirit of Pentecost is much more than these theological differences, and that should be the attitude when we read this book.

Emilio Alvarez (PhD, Fordham University) is the presiding bishop of the Union of Charismatic Orthodox Churches, a communion that embraces the one holy, catholic, apostolic tradition. He is also associate provost for lifelong learning at Asbury Theological Seminary.

Rating: 4 stars of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of InterVarsity Press via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot and went back and relistened to a large portion, as I missed much in the first listening.
The Tower of Babel being reversed at Pentecost is a very interesting connection, as well as the threads through Joel.

2025: This listen through what stood out was the main themes of Pentecost. I appreciate that everything in the church calendar is a season, so even though I missed rereading this before or right at Pentecost time, it's still the season. It's interesting how the Pentecostal denomination doesn't really mark Pentecost as a season or even event due to not following the church calendar.

[SundaytoSaturday .com · Rating 3 out of 5]

SUMMARY: Is Pentecost about spiritual gifts and power? Or is it about unity? Perhaps it is the birth of the church? Pentecost, which means fifty days, is all of those things and more. In Pentecost - A Day of Power for All People bishop of the Union of Charismatic Orthodox Churches Emilio Alvarez details the themes, rituals, prayers, and hymns from a variety of denominations of this often misunderstood day on the church calendar.

Pentecost, which occurs 50 days after Easter, is the oldest season on the church calendar. Most Christians have heard of Pentecost and many likely associate the celebration with spiritual gifts, particularly speaking in tongues, but the celebration is more than one day and not just about speaking in tongues.

It is the only festival where the Israelites were "commanded to count the days leading up to the actual feast (Leviticus 23:15-16; Deuteronomy 16:9)." Traditionally, no kneeling or fasting occurred during the 50 days as the time leading up to the celebration was used to prepare spiritually for the celebration. In fact, this is where the title for this series, The Fullness of Time (preparation), is taken from (Galatians 4:4-5).

"It is a time when we intentionally slow down and consider living not in the future to come or the past that was but in the day-to-day present that is," Alvarez writes.

Alvarez stresses that Christians should look at the season of Pentecost not as a tourists who "travel with an attitude of entitlement," but as pilgrims who travel as an exercise in "humility, dedication, and faith."

"Pentecost is a time where we will take each of the fifty days to travel closer and closer to the God who dwells in our hearts," Alvarez says. "We are inspired as Christian believers to take this journey day by day, equipped with our own personal experiences, biblical stories, Scriptures, prayers, and, yes, even symbolic rituals."

Part of the journey of Pentecost includes reading Acts 2 where the Holy Spirit rests on the apostles. Many modern Christians associate Pentecost with the charismatic Pentecostal denomination and while Alvarez is proudly part of a Pentecostal church he is quick to highlight that Acts 2 is not a story about people speaking gibberish, but about the unifying nature of Pentecost. Of people from different cultures hearing the word of God in their own language.

"At Pentecost, the languages that were spoken brought unity in horizontal relationships with others as well as vertical relationship with God."

Alvarez extends the unifying nature of Pentecost to speaking the language of other denominations. While his first denominational language is Pentecost, he is also able to speak Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, or Anglican.

"While everyone has a first language of Christian spirituality or faith (be it Roman Catholic, Methodist, Anglican, Pentecostal, or Orthodox), the Spirit on the day of Pentecost propels believers to go beyond their established language of faith into an empowered, multilingual experience of Christian spirituality," Alvarez writes. "If we are all one church and indeed the body of Christ, then Pentecost brings us together."

Alvarez demonstrates the diversity of Pentecostal celebrations by including Syrian Orthodox, Anglican, Roman Catholic, and other denomination's rituals, prayers, and hymns in chapter 4. While the colors (Eastern Orthodox uses green while Roman Catholic uses red), hymns (Syrian Orthodox kolos (hymns) focus on the supernatural and mystical power of the Holy Spirit while Anglican hymns do not) or rituals (Pentecostal believes in the baptism of the Holy Spirit while other denominations do not) may differ there is something from every denomination that Christians from all over the world can use and learn from.

"Not only does Pentecost empower us to be culturally and ecclesially multilingual it also restores the communal sensibility that should be at the forefront of our celebration of Pentecost," Alvarez writes. "Pentecost is communal, not individual, empowerment."

Of note, while we enjoyed Pentecost we found the main theme of the book muddled when compared to the other books in the Fullness of Time series. Perhaps this is due to our unfamiliarity with the season of Pentecost or perhaps this was Alvarez's intention, but it is worth noting.

KEY QUOTE: "The actual day of Pentecost celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13), the recapitulation (retelling) of the historic promise of the Spirit, the retelling of the great gospel story (Acts 2:24-39), and the growth of the church in the power of the Spirit (Acts 2:40-47)."

MORE: Visit SundaytoSaturday.com where we curate content for the church.

[Lghiggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pentecost is celebrated by Christians as the day when the Holy Spirit came to the early Christian church empowering Jesus’ followers to evangelize the world with the good news of salvation to all who believe that Jesus Christ died for their sins and was resurrected on the third day as He foretold. The writer Luke in Acts 2:1 sets the stage for the narrative with “when the day of Pentecost was fully come.” Jesus’ followers had been waiting for the prophecy to be fulfilled but were not told exactly when that would be. Pentecost is celebrated 50 days after the Jewish Passover. The author of Pentecost, Emilio Alvarez, writes that this season of waiting is a time to prepare our hearts. Fittingly, this book is part of the Fullness of Time series.

This little book begins with a discussion of the concepts of power and of pilgrimage. Next Alvarez devotes a chapter to various Jewish feasts that are the roots of the Pentecost celebration. Then a chapter is devoted to the speaking in other tongues as the Holy Spirit on that day of Pentecost enabled the Jews gathered from many nations to speak in each others’ languages. He relates this phenomenon to a reunion of peoples and a reversal of what happened at the Tower of Babel.

A large part of the book Pentecost is devoted to the rituals and liturgy related to the celebration of Pentecost ranging from the dates of remembrance to the custom of specific colors used for decorations and clothing and on to practices of kneeling or standing. Within the unity of Christian worshipers, there is a diversity of groups who celebrate in many different ways. Alvarez chooses to discuss the Christian tradition found in these five churches: Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Anglican, and Pentecostal. From this discussion you can extrapolate that there are a number of ways to celebrate Pentecost. They vary by culture, tradition, and understanding of Scriptures. The hymns, prayers, and Scriptures of these five traditions are just samples of the many available to Christians, and this theological scholar invites Christians to draw from other groups’ practices to enrich, not dilute their own. He ends this section with an interesting testimony of his own spiritual background as a Pentecostal Christian which differs greatly from the liturgies in the other church groups examined in this book. It is a personal spiritual journey which neither discredits nor confirms the formal liturgies found in the other churches mentioned. There are truths and blessings to be found in all of these traditions.

Upon a first reading of the Conclusion, I found it to be beautifully written, helping the reader to imagine the first Pentecost. Upon a second reading I realized I was in disagreement with the author. While I, also, want all people to overcome the “differences in race, culture, and religion,” I do not connect that as a necessity upon which the coming of the Holy Spirit depends. In Acts 1:4-8, Jesus told his followers that they should wait in Jerusalem until they received baptism of the Holy Spirit which would empower them as witnesses. Jesus had said that he would send the Holy Spirit. Just like salvation, this empowerment is a gift of God, not something we can earn.

Overall, I profited from reading this book. It gave me much to think about, and I had my view of the practices within many Christian churches widened.

[Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am loving The Fullness of Time series of books about the seasons of the church calendar. I grew up knowing about Pentecost, but until recently never realized that Pentecost actually started as a celebration in the Old Testament (the Feast of Weeks) AND was the day the Holy Spirit came upon the believers in Acts. I highly recommend this series to those who want to learn more about the church calendar and the various seasons of the church year.

"To celebrate Pentecost is to acknowledge that, first and foremost, as believers in Christ, we are strangers and sojourners in the world, holding temporary residence."

"The season of Pentecost is not only about the promise of spiritual power that aids us in our everyday living but about the power given to us so we might become children of God and, as children of God, strangers in the world and pilgrims journeying toward our heavenly eternal home."

"Can we at Pentecost intentionally include people from other cultures and languages in our celebrations and reflections in order to hear the wonders of God through their lives? Here and in these actions the Holy Spirit prepares humanity to be together at the end of all things."

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Teresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not find this book as accessible to read as other volumes in this series. Although it was difficult to follow at times, I still found value in some of the history behind the celebration of Pentecost. Alvarez includes many interesting connections between Old Testament events/feasts and the celebration of Pentecost. There were also other small takeaways such as the the purposes of different postures during prayer.

I began the book with no background information on Alvarez, and because the other books I have read in this series were all written by Anglican priests, I assumed this one would be written from a distinctly Anglican perspective as well. Instead, I learned midway through my reading of the book that Alvarez is the founding Archbishop and Primate of the Union of Charismatic Orthodox Churches. His adherence to the Convergence Movement/Paleo-orthodoxy is on full display here. He draws heavily from Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Syrian Orthodox traditions. At times it seems like he quotes early church fathers with the same authority as scripture. These factors will be a draw for some and not so much for others.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last book in the series of the seasons of the Church, remembering Jesus birth, life, passion & death, resurrection and the giving of the Holy Spirit. My favorite chapter introduces us to the ancient and modern traditions centered around Pentecost from the point of view of Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Anglican and Pentecostal. One of the more memorable quotes: The Holy Spirit was sent by Jesus to fill them with "inexhaustible grace." That grace empowers us to communicate with other languages, cultures, and ethnicities as well as empowers us to understand what God is telling us. "The inexhaustible grace of God is a grace that never runs dry." This small treasure of a book includes a wealth of Pentecost prayers, hymns and scriptures.

[Grace Prasetyo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick read, offering timely reflections on the season of Pentecost. While many Christians consider Pentecost only one day on the Church calendar, it is actually a 50day season. Emilio Alvarez introduces the reader to the rich Church heritage of Pentecost, examining a variety of Bible passages and different Church traditions. This book also includes beautiful examples of prayers used throughout Pentecost in different Church traditions. This book is a useful resource for pastors and lay-people alike.

[Cindi P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve recently had renewed interest in traditions and ancient practices of the church year. This book is one in a series that I’ve read in recent months, beginning with the book, Advent.

I enjoyed this book, as I have the series. It is accessible and understandable to read. The length does the subject justice and is not tiresome to read. It is informative and inspirational, offering explanations of practices and embracing the mysteries of God, a delicate balance, which I found encouraging and engaging.

[Wesley Gaines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another powerful entry in the Fullness of Time series. I learned so much from Álvarez’s experience of Pentecost and his explication of the variety of liturgical practices associated with this season of the Church year.
I especially appreciated his inclusion of the Syrian Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox Pentecost liturgies, because they are outside of my own set of experiences and they are a valuable part of the inheritance of the Saints.

[Audrey Marcusen McMacken · Rating 3 out of 5]

Least favorite thus far of this series.

Let thing that sticks out. Pentecost speaking in tongues as anti- tower of babble. How unity in the greater church is important. Can we strive to see daily how God is st work in and through others outside of our faith tradition and outside of the church in our daily lives? Encourages "a cross cultural recognition of God's work in the life of the 'other'" And how through this the Spirit prepares humanity to be together at the end of all things.

[Ricky Schille · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a fantastic reminder of the pneumatology that I have been studying in seminary, as well as a phenomenal survey of pneumatology on other traditions in light of the liturgical calendar. It has challenged me to consider my own views, while also holding in tension the mystery that exists at Pentecost. Álvarez thus allows for respect among many traditions within this book, while still maintaining and honoring his Pentecostal roots.

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alvarez brings so much depth to this series entry by sharing both his personal experiences as someone who grew up in and is now a pastor in the Pentecostal tradition as well as explorations of the history of Pentecost and how other traditions including Orthodox and Catholic celebrate this season of the church year. A book I want to return to as I explore how to live into the season of Pentecost.

[Cameron Barham]

“The season of Pentecost is not only about the promise of spiritual power that aids us in our everyday living but about the power given to us so we might become children of God (John 1:12) and, as children of God, strangers in the world and pilgrims journeying toward our heavenly eternal home.”, p. 11

[Kara Koester · Rating 3 out of 5]

Celebrating Pentecost yesterday, I was curious about the practice. Alvarez examines it from the perspectives of the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Anglican, and Pentecostal. He packs a lot into a very small book. Raised in a faith tradition that didn't discuss Pentecost, I found it enlightening.

[Christy MacCallum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not ready for the goodness Emilio Álvarez was about to drop for me in this. Well thought out, great parallels for Pentecost vis a vis Sinai, and some really great resources for prayers & scriptures (and analysis) surrounding Pentecost services.

[Justin Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a let-down after starting out so strong in those first few chapters. For more than the latter half, it felt like I was reading a school assignment where commentary between quotes rarely rose beyond the level of summary.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple, resourceful, and sincere.

[Cameron · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did learn more about the celebration of Pentecost and that was valuable.

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series of books is really helpful. I appreciated the author’s information and inspiration. I read it over the weeks of Pentecost, and I was thankful for the practical help along the way.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice book that is part of a series that follows the liturgical calendar. This book is about Pentecost. I really appreciate this series and taking time to focus on the current liturgical season.

[Caity Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful primer on Pentecost.

[Sarah Abbey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
A helpful look at how the various streams of Christianity approach and celebrate Pentecost.

[Bob Wang · Rating 3 out of 5]

a bit dry for me.