Course Objectives
By the end of this course, the student will have:
- A greater understanding of the broad reaching impact of the Pentecostal movement, in the United States and as a worldwide phenomenon.
- An appreciation for the movement’s incredible appeal globally, including its impact on the wider religious community.
- Engaged the Pentecostal experience through video, church visits and dialogue with practitioners. The latter will especially help the student study how leadership is carried out in this movement.
- Discussed the social implications of Pentecostalism, especially its multi-cultural appeal and its lessons for other religious traditions in the U.S. and globally as it interacts with other world religions.
Course Requirements
- Attendance & participation - Required for all classes (no absences without a reduction of half a letter grade) given the seminar style in which the class will be conducted.
- Reading
Required Books:
Cox, Harvey. 1995. Fire from Heaven. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.
Miller & Yamamori, 2007. Global Pentecostalism: The face of Christian Social Engagement Univ. Of CA. Press
Anderson, Allan 2004 An Introduction to Pentecostalism. Univ. of Cambridge.
Martin, David 2002 Pentecostalism: The World Their Parish. Blackwell Publishers.
Recommended Books:
Martin, David Tongues of Fire 1990
Dempster, Klaus & Petersen. 1999. The Globalization of Pentecostalism: A religion made to travel. Regnum Books.
Required Articles:
Four articles/chapters negotiated with the professor from the list below and online collection.
- Writing & Speaking
- 1 in-class report on one of the four shorter articles you read with two 1-2 page summaries (with copies for all classmembers).
- Visit & verbally report on a Pentecostal or charismatic church.
- Final 15 page paper on some aspect of Pentecostalism’s sociological dynamic. Discussion with the professor on selection of this topic is essential. Due January 22, 2010
Course Schedule
Thursday 2:30-4:30 plus additional consultation, discussion and email interaction with professor and other students.
Sept 17th - Introduction to Course & Study of Pentecostalism
October 1st – Harvey Cox, Fire from Heaven. 350 pages.
October 29th – Allen Anderson, An Introduction to Pentecostalism. 297 pages.
November 12th – Don Miller & Tetsunao Yamamori, Global Pentecostalism: The face of Christian Social Engagement. 250 pages plus DVD contents.
November – before Dec 3rd – visit Pentecostal/charismatic worship service and talk with a leader of the congregation. See observation and interview guide and review Hartford Seminary research policy.
December 3rd - David Martin, Pentecostalism: The World Their Parish 190 pages.
December 10th – Four articles or chapters of your choosing, in consultation with the professor. Present on one of the articles, 1-2 page summary of two of the articles (see guideline handout) and discussion of your field work.
December 17th – Conclusion to the course – Further discussion of your field work, and exploration of the social and religious implications of Pentecostal movement globally. What might the future hold?
Possible readings resources (others coming):
Origins, History & Themes of Holy Spirit Movements
Synan, Holiness-Pentecostal Movement in the U.S., 13-54;
David Daniels in Globalization of Pentecostalism, 222-252;
Russell Spittler in Pentecostal Currents in American Protestantism, 3-19.
The Egalitarian Impulse in Pentecostalism: The “Leveling” Effect
Eldin Villafañe, The Liberating Spirit, 84-110;
Janet Everts Powers in Globalization, 313-337.
The Evangelistic Impulse: Missions & the Apocalyptic
Steven Land, Pentecostal Spirituality, 58-181
Donald Dayton, Theological Roots of Pentecostalism, 115-171.
The Experiential Impulse: Practice over Doctrine
Steven Land, Pentecostal Spirituality, 15-57;
Jackie David Johns in Globalization, 70-84.
Pentecostal Paradox – Form & Spirit: Denomination vs. Movement
Smidt, et.al, in Pentecostal Currents, 111-130;
Robert Anderson, Vision of the Disinherited, 137-194.
White Pentecostalism (Assemblies of God; Church of God; Foursquare Church)
Poloma, “A/G at the Crossroads;”
Thumma & Poloma, “The A/G Now.”
Black Pentecostalism (The Church of God in Christ)
Mel Williams, Community in a Black Pentecostal Church, 3-27; 82-108.
U.S. Hispanic/Latino Pentecostalism
Villafañe, Liberating Spirit, 41-119;
Samuel Solivan, The Spirit, Pathos and Liberation, 15-46.
Diffusing the Spirit: The Charismatic Movement & the Third Wave
Quebedeaux, The New Charismatics II, 1-82.
McGuire, Pentecostal Catholics, 1-48;
Miller, Reinventing American Protestantism, 80-107;
Pentecostalism Worldwide
Africa – Japie LaPoorta in Globalization, 151-169;
Latin America – Martin, Tongues of Fire, 49-112, 113-134;
Edward Cleary in Globalization, 131-150;
Any article in Power, Politics and Pentecostalism in Latin America;
Pentecostalism Worldwide
Asia – Martin, Tongues of Fire, 135-162;
Martin, Pentecostalism, 153-166;
Jungja Ma, Globalization, 183-202.
Europe/US – Jean Daniel Pluss, Globalization, 170-182.
Karla Poewe On the Metonymic Structure of Religious Experiences: The Example of Charismatic Christianity
Margaret Poloma The Spirit Bade Me Go: Pentecostalism and Global Religion
David A. Smilde "Letting God govern": supernatural agency in the Venezuelan Pentecostal approach to social change From Sociology of Religion, September 5, 2000
Pentecostal-Charismatic Theology Inquiry International A web site dedicated to the subject of Pentecostalism with an excellent collection of online publications and articles.
Hispanic Pentecostals: Azusa Street and Beyond
An article by Carmelo Alvarez in the Cyberjournal for Pentecostal-Charismatic research.
Margaret Poloma
Mysticism and Identity Formation in Social Context: The Case of the Pentecostal-Charismatic Movement
Reviving Pentecostalism at the Millenium: The Harvest Rock Story
"The Pentecostal Movement"
A Chapter in "Christian Millenarianism: Themes and Perspectives" edited by Stephen Hunt
The Spirit and The Bride: The "Toronto Blessing" and Church Structure
Manuscript prepared for the Evangelical Studies Bulletin (July, 1996).
Gamaliel's Admonition and the Toronto Blessing: A Theo-Sociological Report
Article prepared for Rev. Dr. David Hilborn’s edited collection on the "Toronto Blessing."
ONLINE Pentecostal Journals A large collection of online articles on Pentecostalism exists at the web sites for the:
Asian Journal of Pentecostal Studies.
Cyberjournal for Charismatic-Pentecostal Research
Pneuma: The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies
