In this classic book, leading Pentecostal scholar Steven J. Land offers a constructive and controversial interpretation, a 're-vision', of the Pentecostal tradition. As Pentecostalism approaches its centennial, Land argues that the early years of the movement form the heart, not the infancy, of its spirituality, and he emphasizes the crucial importance of its Wesleyan, Holiness and nineteenth-century revivalist-restorationist roots. Land's foundational study includes - an account of the relationship of spirituality and theology - a description and analysis of Pentecostal beliefs and practices - a demonstration of how these beliefs and practices are integrated into Pentecostal affections - a trinitarian definition of Pentecostal Spirituality, arguing that a passion for the kingdom of God is ultimately a passion for God Himself

In what is perhaps the most significant study of Pentecostal Theology to date, Steven Jack Land offers a constructive interpretation and issues a call for the re-vision of the Pentecostal tradition. Viewing the first ten years as the heart, not the infancy of its spirituality, Land identifies the theological heart of the tradition as the five-fold gospel that proclaims, 'Jesus is Savior, Sanctifier, Holy Ghost Baptizer, Healer, and Soon Coming King'. Land's work recovers the crucial importance of the tradition's Wesleyan, Holiness, and nineteenth-century revivalist-restorationist roots. Beginning with a discussion of the relationship between spirituality and theology, Land offers a description and analysis of Pentecostal beliefs and practices, a demonstration of how these beliefs and practices are integrated in the Pentecostal affections, and a Trinitarian re-visioning of Pentecostal Spirituality, arguing that a passion for the kingdom of God is ultimately a passion for God.

It was born a scant ninety-five years ago in a rundown warehouse on Azusa Street in Los Angeles. For days the religious-revival service there went on and on-and within a week the Los Angeles Times was reporting on a "weird babble" coming from the building. Believers were "speaking in tongues," the way they did at the first Pentecost recorded in the Bible?and a pentecostal movement was created that would, by the start of the twenty-first century, attract over 400 million followers worldwide. Harvey Cox has traveled the globe to visit and worship with pentecostal congregations on four continents, and he has written a dynamic, provocative history of this explosion of spirituality?a movement that represents no less than a tidal change in what religion is and what it means to people.

Among all groups in Christendom, the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement is second in size only to the Roman Catholic Church, with growth that shows no signs of abatement. Its adherents declare the Pentecostal Movement, which began at Azusa Street in 1906, to be unprecedented in Christian history since the first century of the Church in its embrace of manifestations of the Holy Spirit such as divine healing, miracles, and speaking in tongues. Yet although it may be unprecedented in size and rate of growth, Stanley M. Burgess argues that is hardly unprecedented in concept. In Christian Peoples of the Spirit, Burgess collects documentary evidence for two thousand years of individuals and groups who have evidenced Pentecostal/charismatic-like spiritual giftings, worship, and experience. The documents in this collection, bolstered by concise editorial introductions, offer the original writings of a wide variety of “peoples of the spirit,” from Tertullian and Antony of the Desert to the Shakers and Sunder Singh, as well as of their enemies or detractors. Though virtually all of the parties in this volume considered themselves Spirit-gifted, or given special qualities by God, they are in many ways as different from one another as the cultures from which they have emerged. In providing such an impressive array of voices, Burgess convincingly demonstrates that there have indeed been Spirit-filled worship and charismatic saints in all periods of church history.

Vibrant worship music is part of the Charismatic liturgy all around the world, and has become in many ways the hallmark of Pentecostal-Charismatic Christianity. Despite its centrality, scholarly interest in the theological and ritual significance of worship for pentecostal spirituality has been sparse, not least in Africa. Combining rich theoretical and theological insight with an in-depth case study of worship practices in Nairobi, Kenya, this interdisciplinary study offers a significant contribution to knowledge and is bound to influence scholarly discussions for years to come. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in Pentecostal worship, ritual, and spirituality.

Euro-Western descriptions of knowledge and its sources fall short of accommodating the spiritual, experiential terrain of the imagination. What of the embodied, affective knowing that characterizes Pentecostal epistemology, that is, the distinctive Pentecostal-Charismatic knowing derived from dreams and visions (D/Vs)? In this stunning ethnographic work, the author merges African scholarship with an investigation of what visioners say about the significance of their D/Vs for Christian life and spirituality. Revealing data showcases case studies for their biblical and theological articulations of the value of D/V experiences and affirms them as sources of Pentecostal love, ministerial agency, and the missionary impulse.