What do you think?
Rate this book
Raices Teologicas del Pentecostalismo
It is impossible to understand Latin American Pentecostalism without a clear understanding of its origin. Donald Dayton embarks on this task, and accomplishes it with admirable detail. Dayton's investigation focuses on the pre-history of the Pentecostal movement in Latin America. Nevertheless, the reader will discover that much of what has happened in Latin American Pentecostalism could only be understood by exploring those theological roots, which could be summarized in four Christological affirmations: Jesus saves, heals, baptizes with the Holy Spirit, and will come again. Dayton's book enables us to complete the picture that other historians and sociologists of Pentecostalism have partially painted.
163 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1920
About the author
Donald W. Dayton
14 books2 followersDonald W. Dayton (PhD, University of Chicago), now retired, taught theology and ethics at North Park Seminary, Northern Baptist Seminary, Drew University, and Azusa Pacific University. He lives in California.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 7, 2026
Recommend for those looking to do an in-depth study of classical Pentecostal origins. The staying power of Dayton’s volume is evident in the bibliographical work and the explanatory logic of Holiness and Reformed-revivalist streams informing Pentecostals. You finish this work and can pick up the Apostolic Faith or Parham’s papers and read with immense context.
I am left asking if tongues is the defining quality of Pentecostals amid the full gospel sequence, or if Pentecostals come to utilize the full gospel they co-opt it into their own formulation.
I am left asking if tongues is the defining quality of Pentecostals amid the full gospel sequence, or if Pentecostals come to utilize the full gospel they co-opt it into their own formulation.
September 7, 2026
This book is a historical–theological study that relocates Pentecostalism’s origins within the Wesleyan Holiness tradition rather than treating it as a sudden, eccentric offshoot of early twentieth‑century revivalism. The book argues that core Pentecostal doctrines emerged gradually from Methodism and nineteenth‑century American holiness movements, and that classic Pentecostal leaders were deeply shaped by Wesleyan teaching on Christian perfection and Spirit baptism.
Dayton traces Methodist roots of Pentecostalism, the nineteenth‑century revival of the doctrine of Christian perfection, and the emergence and then triumph of Pentecostal Spirit‑baptism teaching within holiness circles. His final chapter examines the rise of Premillennialism, showing how earlier Wesleyan and holiness eschatological ideas were reworked into the strongly premillennial outlook characteristic of early Pentecostalism. He finds an interesting continuity by arguing it was exactly the most radical post-millennialism that was the seed bed of the novel premillennialism. An epilogue then sketches the emergence of Pentecostalism as a distinct movement around 1900–1906.
What the book does not cover is the emergent Pentecostal theology itself. This book looks at the roots, not the flowering of Pentecostalism.
Dayton rehearses the four christological themes that define the "foursquare" Pentecostal gospel: Christ as Saviour, Baptiser in the Holy Spirit, Healer, and Coming King. He demonstrates how each developed out of Methodist and holiness theology, albeit with significant shifts (for example, Spirit baptism displacing sanctification as the "second work of grace"). By documenting these continuities and transformations, the book challenges orthodoxies about the genesis of Pentecostalism, and describes the historical context in which it emerged. He offers a nuanced account of Pentecostalimsm's doctrinal genealogy within evangelical and Wesleyan streams.
Despite the strengths of this thesis, I think there is a risk that identifying the movement to firmly within the Wesleyan holiness stream ignores the other influences on Pentecostalism. Joseph Smale, for instance, was a baptist, and the baptist influence of the Azusa mission was considerable. There are also Pietism and Puritan influences, and this work might imply but should not be read to be saying that there was an inevitable or deterministic movement from Wesleyan holiness to the movement this has become.
Dayton himself acknowledges that his final chapter poses a challenge to his main argument, because classic Pentecostal premillennialism is tightly bound to dispensationalism, rather than in Wesleyan holiness circles. This premillennialism structurally shapes early Pentecostal identity, mission urgency, and biblical interpretation. Thus although Dayton’s Wesleyan genealogy fits the first three sides of the “foursquare” gospel, it is not such a good fit for the Coming King aspect which is, I think, a defining aspect of Pentecostalism (if not Pentecostalism alone). Dispensationalism introduces an outworking of Reformed theology (via the brethren movement) that complicates the story.
Yet despite this, the strength of the Holiness influence on Pentecostalism is undeniable, and this is an interesting exploration of that.
Dayton traces Methodist roots of Pentecostalism, the nineteenth‑century revival of the doctrine of Christian perfection, and the emergence and then triumph of Pentecostal Spirit‑baptism teaching within holiness circles. His final chapter examines the rise of Premillennialism, showing how earlier Wesleyan and holiness eschatological ideas were reworked into the strongly premillennial outlook characteristic of early Pentecostalism. He finds an interesting continuity by arguing it was exactly the most radical post-millennialism that was the seed bed of the novel premillennialism. An epilogue then sketches the emergence of Pentecostalism as a distinct movement around 1900–1906.
What the book does not cover is the emergent Pentecostal theology itself. This book looks at the roots, not the flowering of Pentecostalism.
Dayton rehearses the four christological themes that define the "foursquare" Pentecostal gospel: Christ as Saviour, Baptiser in the Holy Spirit, Healer, and Coming King. He demonstrates how each developed out of Methodist and holiness theology, albeit with significant shifts (for example, Spirit baptism displacing sanctification as the "second work of grace"). By documenting these continuities and transformations, the book challenges orthodoxies about the genesis of Pentecostalism, and describes the historical context in which it emerged. He offers a nuanced account of Pentecostalimsm's doctrinal genealogy within evangelical and Wesleyan streams.
Despite the strengths of this thesis, I think there is a risk that identifying the movement to firmly within the Wesleyan holiness stream ignores the other influences on Pentecostalism. Joseph Smale, for instance, was a baptist, and the baptist influence of the Azusa mission was considerable. There are also Pietism and Puritan influences, and this work might imply but should not be read to be saying that there was an inevitable or deterministic movement from Wesleyan holiness to the movement this has become.
Dayton himself acknowledges that his final chapter poses a challenge to his main argument, because classic Pentecostal premillennialism is tightly bound to dispensationalism, rather than in Wesleyan holiness circles. This premillennialism structurally shapes early Pentecostal identity, mission urgency, and biblical interpretation. Thus although Dayton’s Wesleyan genealogy fits the first three sides of the “foursquare” gospel, it is not such a good fit for the Coming King aspect which is, I think, a defining aspect of Pentecostalism (if not Pentecostalism alone). Dispensationalism introduces an outworking of Reformed theology (via the brethren movement) that complicates the story.
Yet despite this, the strength of the Holiness influence on Pentecostalism is undeniable, and this is an interesting exploration of that.
January 23, 2016
Dayton's book has long been considered a classic in the field of Pentecostal studies, and I wholeheartedly agree with that designation. The book is a very enlightening look at the theological "pre-history" of Pentecostalism (mainly focused on the middle-to-late 19th century), using as its organizing theme the "four-fold Gospel" of Christ as Savior, Sanctifier/Spirit Baptizer, Healer, and Coming King.
While some would rightly be skeptical of using such an "artificial" organizational principle, I would only observe that Dayton, who is NOT a Pentecostal, did a good enough job to convince me that he is exactly right. And I AM a Pentecostal!
Church history is not my academic area, so I was at times both out of my depth in some of his discussions (especially of the complexities of Wesley's writings) but also impressed at his self-evident command of very complex bodies of literature. (The concluding bibliographical essay is an EXTREMELY useful feature of the book.)
Again, occupying that strange middle ground between novice and expert (more connossieur than dilettante), I'm not sure that I would recommend this as the FIRST book to read on Pentecostalism. I really think something like Harvey Cox's "Fire From Heaven" might be better. However, anyone who desires to understand Pentecostalism clearly will have to know this book, and the sooner the better, I would think.
As with most historical studies, many of Dayton's insights helped to shed light on some of the current debates raging within even my own denomination. This DNA of Pentecostalism that Dayton has defined continues to define our "dominant traits." And I think Dayton's work will continue to elucidate such shifts for several more decades to come.
While some would rightly be skeptical of using such an "artificial" organizational principle, I would only observe that Dayton, who is NOT a Pentecostal, did a good enough job to convince me that he is exactly right. And I AM a Pentecostal!
Church history is not my academic area, so I was at times both out of my depth in some of his discussions (especially of the complexities of Wesley's writings) but also impressed at his self-evident command of very complex bodies of literature. (The concluding bibliographical essay is an EXTREMELY useful feature of the book.)
Again, occupying that strange middle ground between novice and expert (more connossieur than dilettante), I'm not sure that I would recommend this as the FIRST book to read on Pentecostalism. I really think something like Harvey Cox's "Fire From Heaven" might be better. However, anyone who desires to understand Pentecostalism clearly will have to know this book, and the sooner the better, I would think.
As with most historical studies, many of Dayton's insights helped to shed light on some of the current debates raging within even my own denomination. This DNA of Pentecostalism that Dayton has defined continues to define our "dominant traits." And I think Dayton's work will continue to elucidate such shifts for several more decades to come.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews