Pentecostalism as a Christian Mystical Tradition

by Daniel Castelo, Elaine Heath

Overview

Informed reassessment of Pentecostalism as a mystical tradition of the church universal

Pentecostalism, says Daniel Castelo, is commonly framed as "evangelicalism with tongues" or dismissed as simply a revivalist movement. In this book Castelo argues that Pentecostalism is actually best understood as a Christian mystical tradition.

Taking a theological approach to Pentecostalism, Castelo looks particularly at the movement's methodology and epistemology as he carefully distinguishes it from American evangelicalism. Castelo displays the continuity between Pentecostalism and ancient church tradition, creating a unified narrative of Pentecostalism and the mystical tradition of Christianity throughout history and today. Finally, he uses a test case to press the question of what the interactions between mystical theology and dogmatics could look like.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467446853
Publisher:	Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company
Publication date:	04/10/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	214
File size:	335 KB

About the Author

Daniel Castelo is professor of dogmatic and constructive theology at Seattle Pacific University and Seminary. He is also the author of Pneumatology: A Guide for the Perplexed and the Two Horizons Old Testament Commentary volume on Hosea (with Bo H. Lim).

Elaine Heath is the author of eleven books and numerous articles, the most recent books being Loving the Hell Out of Ourselves (and Others) (Birch & Alder, 2021), coauthored with her sister, Jeanine Heath-McGlinn. She formerly served as Dean of the Divinity School at Duke University, where she was also professor of missional and pastoral theology, and the McCreless Professor of Evangelism at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University. Heath cofounded two nonprofits: Missional Wisdom Foundation, and Neighborhood Seminary, a contextualized model of missional theological education for laity. Heath is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church and served in pastoral ministry prior to her academic ministry. She currently lives with her husband at Spring Forest, an intentional Christian community and farm in rural North Carolina where she serves as abbess.

Table of Contents

Foreword Elaine A. Heath viii

Acknowledgments x

Introduction xii

1 The Challenge of Method 1

2 A Mystical Tradition? 37

3 The Epistemological Form of Evangelical Theology 83

4 Expanding the Pentecostal Understanding of Spirit-Baptism 126

5 The Spirit-Baptized Life 158

Postscript 178

Bibliography 181

Index 191

Editorial Reviews

Leah Payne
-- George Fox University
"Daniel Castelo's vision of Pentecostalism as a mystical tradition of the church catholic has power to inspire practitioners in the movement by releasing it from the bonds of American Protestantism and allowing its transcendent theological and practical qualities to freely blossom. A must-read for anyone who wishes to gain insight into the ever-evolving movement called Pentecostalism."

Oliver Davies
-- King's College London
"This is a powerful statement of the depth at which Pentecostalism belongs to the Christian church as a whole. Wide-ranging, engaging, and accessible, this book will open new windows on the worldwide phenomenon of Pentecostalism for many readers, whatever their background. Rarely has Pentecostalism had such a passionate and articulate advocate of its centeredness in deep Christian tradition.".

Amos Yong
-- Fuller Theological Seminary
"There are apologetic claims in this book, about Pentecostalism and mysticism, and even about evangelicalism, that will be provocative on all three fronts. But all who have a vested interest in the Pentecostal and evangelical movements must hereafter grapple with Daniel Castelo's work, particularly if they are also committed to Christian life in the Spirit."

-- Theology
"This is a fine, articulate, informed, and innovative contribution to contemporary Christian thought."

From the Publisher