Pentecostalism and the Future of the Christian Churches: Promises, Limitations, Challenges

by Richard Shaull, Waldo Cesar

Overview

In a world marked by suffering and poverty, traditional forms of Christianity have been unable to speak effectively to the experiences and needs of the poor. In the midst of this reality, Pentecostal movements have sprung up in Third World countries and are growing at a remarkable pace. This book by an American theologian and a Brazilian sociologist attempts to understand Pentecostalism as a religious movement among the poor. Bringing theological reflection in dialogue with well-documented social analysis, Shaull and Cesar show why Pentecostal movements represent the emergence of a new form of Christian faith and life in response to impoverishment and marginalization. They also explore the potential these movements hold for transforming unjust economic, social, and political structures, and they discuss what the church at large can learn from the Pentecostal experience.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780802846662
Publisher:	Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company
Publication date:	05/05/2000
Pages:	260
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.57(d)

About the Author

Richard Shaull (1919–2002) was the Henry Winters Luce Professor of Ecumenics Emeritus at Princeton Theological Seminary. For many years he was a Presbyterian missionary and professor at theological seminaries in Brazil. His previous books include Liberation and Change (with Gustavo Gutierrez); Naming the Idols; and The Reformation and Liberation Theology, as well as a number of volumes in Spanish and Portuguese.

Waldo Cesar is a Brazilian sociologist and Founder of the Institute for the Study of Religion in Rio de Janeiro, where he spent many years as a member of the research team. He is the author of a number of books, including For a New Policy of Aid and The Church's Role as Agent of Peace and Development: Case Study: Brazil. He is now retired.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Preface

Part I: Daily Life and Transcendence in Pentecostalism
WALDO CESAR

Introduction

1. The Church and the Street
2. Poor and Rich
3. Survival and Transcendence
4. Word and Reality
5. Only One Space of Life
6. One Day, a Thousand Years
7. Old Churches, New Church
8. Pentecostalism and Ecumenical Renewal

Appendix: Sociological and Theological Horizon

Part II: The Reconstruction of Life in the Power of the Spirit
RICHARD SHAULL

Introduction

1. The Movement of the Spirit in the Church of the Poor
2. Retelling the Story of Salvation
3. Salvation: A New Experience of Liberation for the Poor
4. In the Realm of the Spirit: Power for Living Here and Now
5. Personal Testimonies
6. The Spirit: The Presence in History of the Resurrected Jesus
7. The Gifts of the Spirit and the Life of Faith
8. The Pentecostal Experience: Source of Power for Social Transformation?
9. Spiritual Formation: Growth toward the Reign of God
10. Laying the Foundation for a New Order

Bibliography

Editorial Reviews

The Other Side
"This book will stretch you."

Congregations
"Churches in America wishing to expand their work among marginal groups in our society and mission groups seeking a better understanding of religious and social change in Latin America will benefit from this book."

Christianity Today
"What is unique about their approach is not their enthusiasm for the movement but their departure from the standard scholarly practice of compartmentalizing faith when studying religion as a scientist. . . Shaull and Cesar are certainly on to something. Without a doubt, Pentecostalism resonates with the Brazilian poor in a unique way."

Journal of Hispanic and Latino Theology
"This work is a timely and thoughtful reflection that utilizes a careful blend of interviews, participant observation, and theological meditation to probe Pentecostal experiences and practices. . . An invaluable contribution to a scholarly corpus that rarely treats the combined experiential, theological, and social aspects of Pentecostalism, especially in Latin America. This book should have tremendous appeal for readers interested in the changing face of Brazilian religions, as well as confessional scholars seeking ecumenical models for social justice."

From the Publisher

The focus of this book is Brazilian Pentecostalism and, in particular, the way that it has thrived in the poorest urban neighborhoods. Its success has exceeded that of the political liberationists, whose radical intellectual message is quite meaningless to people struggling for daily survival. This analysis by Shaull (ecumenics, Princeton Seminary) and Cesar (Inst. for the Study of Religion, Rio de Janeiro) examines many factors inherent in this unique and powerful faith, which transforms individuals, families, and their communities. Pentecostalism offers Brazilians hope, as they can identify with the poor, the sick, the demon-possessed, and the socially outcast whom Jesus addressed in the Bible. The authors go on to examine the somewhat unstructured ecstatic experience of the meetings, dominated by words in sermons, prayer, song, appeals, testimonies, and confessions. They find liberated lives filled with the Holy Spirit, joy and hope, and spiritual gifts for healing and speaking in tongues. The authors recommend that both Pentecostals and others learn from and test the ways of the Brazilian Pentecostals. Recommended for theological collections.--George Westerlund, formerly with Providence P.L. Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.\

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