In this groundbreaking book, William Kostlevy presents a fascinating study of the Metropolitan Church Association (MCA), a religious community founded in Chicago in the early 1890s. The MCA was one of the most controversial societies of the era. Its members were called "jumpers" because of their acrobatic worship style, and "Burning Bushers" after their caustic periodical, the Burning Bush. They objected to the concept of private property, rejected "elite" denominations, and professed an alternative, radical vision of Christianity, using modern music and folk art to spread their message. A product of the holiness revival of the late nineteenth century and a catalyst for Pentecostalism, the MCA played a vital role in the twentieth century growth of evangelical Christianity, yet it has long been ignored in studies of American radicalism, of communal societies, and even of holiness and Pentecostal Christianity. Kostlevy rectifies this omission, providing a valuable new context for understanding the origins of Pentecostalism. He investigates the internal struggles of the Holiness Movement, showing how radically divergent theological currents came to dominate a major segment of the American evangelical community. He also shows how deeply the MCA impacted the lives of twentieth century evangelists Bud Robinson and Seth C. Rees, self-designated first woman bishop Alma White, and Pentecostal evangelists A. G. Garr and Glenn Cook. As Holy Jumpers demonstrates, Holiness Christians, and the MCA in particular, played a profoundly formative role in the development of modern evangelical and Pentecostal Christianity.

In this groundbreaking book, William Kostlevy presents a fascinating study of the Metropolitan Church Association (MCA), a religious community founded in Chicago in the early 1890s. The MCA was one of the most controversial societies of the era. Its members were called "jumpers" because of their acrobatic worship style, and "Burning Bushers" after their caustic periodical, the Burning Bush. They objected to the concept of private property, rejected "elite" denominations, and professed an alternative, radical vision of Christianity, using modern music and folk art to spread their message. A product of the holiness revival of the late nineteenth century and a catalyst for Pentecostalism, the MCA played a vital role in the twentieth century growth of evangelical Christianity, yet it has long been ignored in studies of American radicalism, of communal societies, and even of holiness and Pentecostal Christianity. Kostlevy rectifies this omission, providing a valuable new context for understanding the origins of Pentecostalism. He investigates the internal struggles of the Holiness Movement, showing how radically divergent theological currents came to dominate a major segment of the American evangelical community. He also shows how deeply the MCA impacted the lives of twentieth century evangelists Bud Robinson and Seth C. Rees, self-designated first woman bishop Alma White, and Pentecostal evangelists A. G. Garr and Glenn Cook. As Holy Jumpers demonstrates, Holiness Christians, and the MCA in particular, played a profoundly formative role in the development of modern evangelical and Pentecostal Christianity.

The Holy Jumpers is an amazing account of the coming of the Church of God to the Bahamas in 1909, the growth and development of the institution throughout the years, and its far-reaching impact on the economic, social, moral, and religious values of the present day. The author, through painstaking research of public and private historical records in the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and the United States, has produced a review that is historically accurate and well-documented. He patiently recorded the events and presents them as a tribute to the men and women who were instruments of God as He carried out His pre-determined plan. Proper emphasis is given to the early years when the "Jumpers" and their ways of worship were not accepted by the mainstream church and political leaders. They were ridiculed and persecuted. The steadfast determination of countless thousands of faithful men and women who persevered in the face of adversity has brought the Church of God of Prophecy to its position as a highly respected institution throughout the Bahamas and beyond its borders. Careful attention is given to the life stories and testimonies of the outstanding leaders as well as the unsung heroes who labored without recognition or reward. The impact of the organization "beyond the isles" is accurately presented with the participation of the Bahamian leaders in the worldwide General Assemblies, including special emphasis on the impact of the Bahamas Brass Band. It is the desire of the author that the reader will develop a greater appreciation for history, a deeper sense of God's love for His creation, and the reality of man's spiritual relationship with his Creator. Michael Stevenson Swann was born January 6, 1959, on the beautiful island of Grand Bahama, Bahamas. He is the fifth of ten children born to Bishop Joseph Swann and his wife, Minister Roselyn Swann. He is the father of a talented daughter, Miquelle Swann-Nairn, and grandfather of a beautiful and adorable granddaughter, Jaliah. He attends the Church of God of Prophecy East Street Tabernacle where he serves in various capacities to support the numerous ministries of the church. Photography is one of many hobbies about which he is passionate. He is well-known and highly respected for his accomplishments in and around Nassau, Bahamas, where he resides. Michael is a Hydrologist and Senior Manager of the Water Quality Laboratory at the Bahamas Water and Sewerage Corporation.

The Holy Jumpers is an amazing account of the coming of the Church of God to the Bahamas in 1909, the growth and development of the institution throughout the years, and its far-reaching impact on the economic, social, moral, and religious values of the present day. The author, through painstaking research of public and private historical records in the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and the United States, has produced a review that is historically accurate and well-documented. He patiently recorded the events and presents them as a tribute to the men and women who were instruments of God as He carried out His pre-determined plan. Proper emphasis is given to the early years when the "Jumpers" and their ways of worship were not accepted by the mainstream church and political leaders. They were ridiculed and persecuted. The steadfast determination of countless thousands of faithful men and women who persevered in the face of adversity has brought the Church of God of Prophecy to its position as a highly respected institution throughout the Bahamas and beyond its borders. Careful attention is given to the life stories and testimonies of the outstanding leaders as well as the unsung heroes who labored without recognition or reward. The impact of the organization "beyond the isles" is accurately presented with the participation of the Bahamian leaders in the worldwide General Assemblies, including special emphasis on the impact of the Bahamas Brass Band. It is the desire of the author that the reader will develop a greater appreciation for history, a deeper sense of God's love for His creation, and the reality of man's spiritual relationship with his Creator. Michael Stevenson Swann was born January 6, 1959, on the beautiful island of Grand Bahama, Bahamas. He is the fifth of ten children born to Bishop Joseph Swann and his wife, Minister Roselyn Swann. He is the father of a talented daughter, Miquelle Swann-Nairn, and grandfather of a beautiful and adorable granddaughter, Jaliah. He attends the Church of God of Prophecy East Street Tabernacle where he serves in various capacities to support the numerous ministries of the church. Photography is one of many hobbies about which he is passionate. He is well-known and highly respected for his accomplishments in and around Nassau, Bahamas, where he resides. Michael is a Hydrologist and Senior Manager of the Water Quality Laboratory at the Bahamas Water and Sewerage Corporation.

Excerpt from History of the Jumpers, or Shouting Genuine and Spurious: A History of the Outward Demonstrations of the Spirit Religious demonstration has been a disturbing factor among formalists and religious pretenders whenever and wherever it has appeared. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.