What do you think?
Rate this book
Pentecostal Ecclesiology: An Essay on the Development of Doctrine
This book argues that if the Pentecostal movement is to overcome its excessive individualism and structural instability the way forward is not more institutionalization but a coherent and robust ecclesiology based on the Pentecost event, which is the coming of the Holy Spirit in his own person into the church. A Pentecostal ecclesiology is essentially the working-out of the ramifications of that key event. The book takes a more ontological understanding of the relationship between the Spirit and the church than would Protestant and evangelical ecclesiologies. In this respect, it has more in common with Orthodoxy.
It is further argued that this realignment away from Protestantism and evangelicalism towards Orthodoxy, far from removing Pentecostals from their roots, actually brings them much closer to the heart of Pentecostal spirituality.
It is further argued that this realignment away from Protestantism and evangelicalism towards Orthodoxy, far from removing Pentecostals from their roots, actually brings them much closer to the heart of Pentecostal spirituality.
- GenresEcclesiologyTheology
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
23 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 6, 2020
This is Simon Chan's second monograph in the JPTS series, expanding on his earlier work in developing a sound theology on the Pentecostal movement's distinctive contributions to the Church's understanding and experience of the the Holy Spirit. Though admittedly not a full-blown treatment on Pentecostal ecclesiology, Chan moves the ongoing conversation forward by focusing on the vital linkage between the Spirit and the Church.
He believes that the theologizing so far on the Pentecostal distinctives (eg. glossolalia as initial evidence of Spirit baptism, that is subsequent to and distinct from new birth in Christ) within the confines of the evangelical umbrella is too limiting. It has tended to blunt the edge of the Pentecostal contribution and does not do justice to her experience of the Spirit. A better way forward is to look instead to the older tradition of Orthodox theology. Drawing from the seminal writings of Schmemann, Zizioulas, Lossky, Nissiotis and others, he proposes an ecclesio-centered theology (dubbed the Orthodox view) rather than a creation-centered view of evangelical theology, as the framework for understanding the unique Pentecostal experience.
This means that communion is understood as the heart of what the Church as a divine-human reality is about. It is communion that the Spirit seeks to actualize in and through the Church. This communion is the overflow (or 'eternal fruitfulness') of the trinitarian life that expresses itself through the particular story of God's outreach to the world through his covenant people. It begins with God's election and reaches its fulfillment in the two sendings, of the Son and of the Spirit. It is the Christ event that is 'the fulcrum upon which the trinitarian narrative turns' and makes possible the communion of the Spirit. But, whereas evangelical theology tends to subsume the Pentecostal outpouring under the Christ event and fails to take sufficient account of the Spirit event, Chan proposes that it is the latter that has provisionally ushered in the end by embodying the end-goal of the Trinitarian narrative. On Pentecost, the Spirit has come to indwell the church and constitute the church as the body of Christ and the temple of the Spirit. The church is understood not merely as an instrument of God's work in redeeming the world but is herself the goal. IOW, it is God's intent to make the world the church, the 'universal communion of saints', to enable human and non-human creatures to exist in communion with God in their respective capacities. This is what he means when he says 'mission is more than what the church *does* but what the church *is* .'
The upshot of this way of understanding the biblical narrative is fleshed out in the last two chapters, where Chan discusses the sort of people the Spirit event is fashioning through her core practices: holy, communal, missional and divine as well as human. This process is more akin to the Orthodox concept of deification than the Protestant doctrine of sanctification. The emphasis is not merely on moral transformation but on sharing in the divine nature, that can only be brought about by the Spirit via the synergy of uncreated grace and human cooperation.
Chan reiterates his position here on glossolalia as something to be understood in terms of intimacy with God and receptivity to God's embrace. It is a form of babyish speech response to the overwhelming presence of God. He roots it in the Christian mystical tradition that seeks personal union with God than in the primal experiences of other religions that serve a different worldview. It belongs to the full gospel espoused by classical Pentecostals centering on Jesus as Saviour, Sanctifier, Spirit-baptiser, Healer and King. It is personal relationship with this Jesus that Pentecostals have been emboldened to share!
Finally, he teases out the growing pentecostal instincts for episcopacy, liturgy and sacrament- all of which can be nourished by the rich 'structural' resources in Orthodoxy. Orthodoxy on the other hand can be rejuvenated by the Pentecostal 'technicians' who are already conversant with the surprising works of the Spirit. If all these sound rather theoretical, Chan points to some contemporary movements where these ideas are already being put to the test with promising results not least in what is known as the 'convergence movement'.
This is a book of true ecumenical import that does not sacrifice the particularity of the gospel for the sake of some abstract notions of inclusiveness (eg Amos Yong's pneumatology) or universality (Pannikar's Cosmic Christ). Without losing its bearing in the Trinitarian story, Chan shows us a way in which the protracted divisions of the larger Church should at long last be healed. That can only happen when the Spirit is allowed to 'take what's Christ's and reveal it to us' and then to 'show us what is yet to come', to the praise of his glory!
He believes that the theologizing so far on the Pentecostal distinctives (eg. glossolalia as initial evidence of Spirit baptism, that is subsequent to and distinct from new birth in Christ) within the confines of the evangelical umbrella is too limiting. It has tended to blunt the edge of the Pentecostal contribution and does not do justice to her experience of the Spirit. A better way forward is to look instead to the older tradition of Orthodox theology. Drawing from the seminal writings of Schmemann, Zizioulas, Lossky, Nissiotis and others, he proposes an ecclesio-centered theology (dubbed the Orthodox view) rather than a creation-centered view of evangelical theology, as the framework for understanding the unique Pentecostal experience.
This means that communion is understood as the heart of what the Church as a divine-human reality is about. It is communion that the Spirit seeks to actualize in and through the Church. This communion is the overflow (or 'eternal fruitfulness') of the trinitarian life that expresses itself through the particular story of God's outreach to the world through his covenant people. It begins with God's election and reaches its fulfillment in the two sendings, of the Son and of the Spirit. It is the Christ event that is 'the fulcrum upon which the trinitarian narrative turns' and makes possible the communion of the Spirit. But, whereas evangelical theology tends to subsume the Pentecostal outpouring under the Christ event and fails to take sufficient account of the Spirit event, Chan proposes that it is the latter that has provisionally ushered in the end by embodying the end-goal of the Trinitarian narrative. On Pentecost, the Spirit has come to indwell the church and constitute the church as the body of Christ and the temple of the Spirit. The church is understood not merely as an instrument of God's work in redeeming the world but is herself the goal. IOW, it is God's intent to make the world the church, the 'universal communion of saints', to enable human and non-human creatures to exist in communion with God in their respective capacities. This is what he means when he says 'mission is more than what the church *does* but what the church *is* .'
The upshot of this way of understanding the biblical narrative is fleshed out in the last two chapters, where Chan discusses the sort of people the Spirit event is fashioning through her core practices: holy, communal, missional and divine as well as human. This process is more akin to the Orthodox concept of deification than the Protestant doctrine of sanctification. The emphasis is not merely on moral transformation but on sharing in the divine nature, that can only be brought about by the Spirit via the synergy of uncreated grace and human cooperation.
Chan reiterates his position here on glossolalia as something to be understood in terms of intimacy with God and receptivity to God's embrace. It is a form of babyish speech response to the overwhelming presence of God. He roots it in the Christian mystical tradition that seeks personal union with God than in the primal experiences of other religions that serve a different worldview. It belongs to the full gospel espoused by classical Pentecostals centering on Jesus as Saviour, Sanctifier, Spirit-baptiser, Healer and King. It is personal relationship with this Jesus that Pentecostals have been emboldened to share!
Finally, he teases out the growing pentecostal instincts for episcopacy, liturgy and sacrament- all of which can be nourished by the rich 'structural' resources in Orthodoxy. Orthodoxy on the other hand can be rejuvenated by the Pentecostal 'technicians' who are already conversant with the surprising works of the Spirit. If all these sound rather theoretical, Chan points to some contemporary movements where these ideas are already being put to the test with promising results not least in what is known as the 'convergence movement'.
This is a book of true ecumenical import that does not sacrifice the particularity of the gospel for the sake of some abstract notions of inclusiveness (eg Amos Yong's pneumatology) or universality (Pannikar's Cosmic Christ). Without losing its bearing in the Trinitarian story, Chan shows us a way in which the protracted divisions of the larger Church should at long last be healed. That can only happen when the Spirit is allowed to 'take what's Christ's and reveal it to us' and then to 'show us what is yet to come', to the praise of his glory!
July 18, 2014
Simon Chan argues that the ongoing maturity of Pentecostal theology, and thus how we express our doctrine, necessitates that we look much deeper and broader than contemporary evangelicalism and even Protestantism. Hence, rather than immediately looking to evangelicalism for the conceptual tools we should use for Pentecostal theologising, Chan argues that we can retrieve resources more congruent to Pentecostal spirituality, by looking deeper within the varied historical Christian traditions. More specifically, he proposes we look towards the sacramental traditions— more particularly, towards the Eastern Orthodox tradition.
Helpful is the following quote from Chan’s preface:
“Efforts to develop a Pentecostal ecclesiology are only beginning and even then, they are not likely to go very far because, among other things, many Pentecostal scholars are still operating under the safety of the evangelical umbrella or seeking accommodations with mainline Protestantism. These two traditions are often perceived as their cultural and theological betters. These tactical moves, however, will not work. The first will only make Pentecostalism theologically anaemic; the second, theologically disastrous. Perhaps it is time for Pentecostal to ‘drink water from their own cisterns’ and come to terms with the fact that the evangelical and Protestant umbrellas are too small! (p.ix)
Chan draws on two terms current Roman Catholic discussion (since Vatican II) use to clarify contemporary challenges concerning the relation of doctrine to contemporary context: ressourcement (a return to the sources) and aggiormamento (bring up to date). Chan argues that Pentecostals are facing these same “twin challenges.”
For example, recognising the evidentialist terminology reflects the early 20th century modernist of embryonic North American Pentecostalism, Chan suggest we may now find theological help for better clarifying the relation between Spirit baptism and tongues speech by reflecting on historical framing of mystical experiences within Roman Catholic spiritualities. Hence, we should “widen” our “frame of reference.” Chan thus writes, “The communities that they should interact more seriously with and from whom they are more likely to discover the theological and conceptual tools to make better sense of their experience are the older traditions who share similar experiences. Catholic Charismatics, to cite one such community, have been more open to such ideas as subsequence and evidential tongues because their mystical, sacramental, and liturgical traditions provide a better theological framework for dealing with these issues.” (p. 6)
This whole discussion thus reiterates Chan’s earlier insistence on need for a more “vibrant traditioning structure” within Pentecostal tradition. Chan states, “Up to now Pentecostals have been focusing on how to keep their communities vibrant through revival meetings, new techniques of church growth, and new strategies. What they generally lack is a coherent theology of the church which allows for the truths that they hold dear to be systematically extended form one generation to the next.” (p. 7)
Chan also stresses how doctrine development must reflect not only fidelity to Scripture, but how Scripture is read within the communal setting of the Church Catholic. It is here that Chan looks more closely to Eastern Orthodoxy rather than Roman Catholicism. Chan wants to link individual spiritual experience more closely to the interpretive context of Christian community. This is something he notes is more presumed within Easter Orthodoxy. Drawing on Telford Work’s observations, Chan points out how both Pentecostals and Orthodox believers share a dynamic understanding of Christian tradition, though Pentecostals stress newness whereas Orthodoxy stresses continuity. Yet Pentecostal may insure greater fidelity to perceived experiences by presuming that experience filial to Christian faith should be discerned as an “ecclesial experience.” (p. 8)
Chan however is no advocate of Paleo-orthodoxy (e.g., Thomas Oden). He consistently argues for a dynamic understanding of both pneumatological revelation and church doctrine. He thus perceives that Spirit has been orchestrating through the historical development of doctrine within the communal context of the Church— the ongoing narrative of God’s Truine mission, still being enacted through the ministry of the Church Catholic. The Church continues the ministry of God in Christ through the Spirit.
Chan thus affirms the Pentecostal penchant for “newness.” He thus stresses, “The Pentecostal expectation of the miraculous works of God . . . arises from a deeply spiritual instinct of anticipating the new creation. . . . There is always something new as the church lives in constant expectation for fresh outpourings of the Spirit.” (p. 70).
Chan notes that early Pentecostals “had a profound instinctive grasp” of how “triune communion is marked by an ever-growing wonderment and surprise.” He thus concludes, “They had a persistent urge to look for ‘new revelations’ because they were very sure that ‘God is doing a new thing’ (Isa. 43.19). The Spirit’s own ‘excess’ and overwhelming presence creates a heightened expectation for ‘more’. It was a risky move, especially when new revelation was not adequately grounded in the Great Tradition . . . but it was not entirely groundless since the Spirit Jesus promised to send ‘will tell you more what is yet to come’ (Jn 16.13).” (p. 90).
To conclude, like his earlier work, Pentecostal Theology and the Christian Tradition, Chan’s Pentecostal Ecclesiology text forwards and further develops his conviction that going beyond contemporary Evangelicalism and thus deeper into the historical spiritualities of the broader Church Catholic for theological resources— can actually better insure ongoing theological mechanisms for spiritual renewal within Pentecostal tradition.
Simon Chan, Pentecostal Ecclesiology: An Essay on the Development of Doctrine. JPTS, 38 Dorset, UK: Deo Publishing, 2011.
Helpful is the following quote from Chan’s preface:
“Efforts to develop a Pentecostal ecclesiology are only beginning and even then, they are not likely to go very far because, among other things, many Pentecostal scholars are still operating under the safety of the evangelical umbrella or seeking accommodations with mainline Protestantism. These two traditions are often perceived as their cultural and theological betters. These tactical moves, however, will not work. The first will only make Pentecostalism theologically anaemic; the second, theologically disastrous. Perhaps it is time for Pentecostal to ‘drink water from their own cisterns’ and come to terms with the fact that the evangelical and Protestant umbrellas are too small! (p.ix)
Chan draws on two terms current Roman Catholic discussion (since Vatican II) use to clarify contemporary challenges concerning the relation of doctrine to contemporary context: ressourcement (a return to the sources) and aggiormamento (bring up to date). Chan argues that Pentecostals are facing these same “twin challenges.”
For example, recognising the evidentialist terminology reflects the early 20th century modernist of embryonic North American Pentecostalism, Chan suggest we may now find theological help for better clarifying the relation between Spirit baptism and tongues speech by reflecting on historical framing of mystical experiences within Roman Catholic spiritualities. Hence, we should “widen” our “frame of reference.” Chan thus writes, “The communities that they should interact more seriously with and from whom they are more likely to discover the theological and conceptual tools to make better sense of their experience are the older traditions who share similar experiences. Catholic Charismatics, to cite one such community, have been more open to such ideas as subsequence and evidential tongues because their mystical, sacramental, and liturgical traditions provide a better theological framework for dealing with these issues.” (p. 6)
This whole discussion thus reiterates Chan’s earlier insistence on need for a more “vibrant traditioning structure” within Pentecostal tradition. Chan states, “Up to now Pentecostals have been focusing on how to keep their communities vibrant through revival meetings, new techniques of church growth, and new strategies. What they generally lack is a coherent theology of the church which allows for the truths that they hold dear to be systematically extended form one generation to the next.” (p. 7)
Chan also stresses how doctrine development must reflect not only fidelity to Scripture, but how Scripture is read within the communal setting of the Church Catholic. It is here that Chan looks more closely to Eastern Orthodoxy rather than Roman Catholicism. Chan wants to link individual spiritual experience more closely to the interpretive context of Christian community. This is something he notes is more presumed within Easter Orthodoxy. Drawing on Telford Work’s observations, Chan points out how both Pentecostals and Orthodox believers share a dynamic understanding of Christian tradition, though Pentecostals stress newness whereas Orthodoxy stresses continuity. Yet Pentecostal may insure greater fidelity to perceived experiences by presuming that experience filial to Christian faith should be discerned as an “ecclesial experience.” (p. 8)
Chan however is no advocate of Paleo-orthodoxy (e.g., Thomas Oden). He consistently argues for a dynamic understanding of both pneumatological revelation and church doctrine. He thus perceives that Spirit has been orchestrating through the historical development of doctrine within the communal context of the Church— the ongoing narrative of God’s Truine mission, still being enacted through the ministry of the Church Catholic. The Church continues the ministry of God in Christ through the Spirit.
Chan thus affirms the Pentecostal penchant for “newness.” He thus stresses, “The Pentecostal expectation of the miraculous works of God . . . arises from a deeply spiritual instinct of anticipating the new creation. . . . There is always something new as the church lives in constant expectation for fresh outpourings of the Spirit.” (p. 70).
Chan notes that early Pentecostals “had a profound instinctive grasp” of how “triune communion is marked by an ever-growing wonderment and surprise.” He thus concludes, “They had a persistent urge to look for ‘new revelations’ because they were very sure that ‘God is doing a new thing’ (Isa. 43.19). The Spirit’s own ‘excess’ and overwhelming presence creates a heightened expectation for ‘more’. It was a risky move, especially when new revelation was not adequately grounded in the Great Tradition . . . but it was not entirely groundless since the Spirit Jesus promised to send ‘will tell you more what is yet to come’ (Jn 16.13).” (p. 90).
To conclude, like his earlier work, Pentecostal Theology and the Christian Tradition, Chan’s Pentecostal Ecclesiology text forwards and further develops his conviction that going beyond contemporary Evangelicalism and thus deeper into the historical spiritualities of the broader Church Catholic for theological resources— can actually better insure ongoing theological mechanisms for spiritual renewal within Pentecostal tradition.
Simon Chan, Pentecostal Ecclesiology: An Essay on the Development of Doctrine. JPTS, 38 Dorset, UK: Deo Publishing, 2011.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews