Pentecostalism and the Reformation: Toward a joint ecumenical commemoration

ABSTRACT

This article identifies Pentecost as a symbol of the church in both Pentecostal and Reformation thought by tracing the identity of Pentecost in the thought of Martin Luther and John Calvin, contrasting their views with contemporary Pentecostal theology, and assessing how each perspective is related theologically to the other through a shared appeal to the mission of the church. The ecumenical implications of Pentecostalism and the Reformation are located outside of either movement in the origin of the church at Pentecost. Although each tradition has obtained its particular form through very different teachings, practices, and experiences in the more immediate historical contexts, a shared appeal to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost can function as the basis for unity.

KEYWORDS:

• Pentecostalism
• Reformation
• Luther
• Calvin
• ecumenical dialogue
• Pentecost

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Wolfgang Vondey is Reader in Contemporary Christianity and Pentecostal Studies in the School of Philosophy, Theology and Religion at the University of Birmingham, where he also directs the Centre for Pentecostal and Charismatic Studies.

Notes

1 See McDonnell, Presence, Power, Praise.

2 “From Conflict to Communion,” no. 14.

3 See, more recently, Smart et al., Pentecostal Outpourings; Weaver, The New Apostolic Reformation.

4 See the documents in Vondey, Pentecostalism and Christian Unity, 199–227; Vondey, Pentecostalism and Christian Unity, vol. 2, Continuing and Building Relationships, 35–47 and 217–67.

5 Word and Spirit, nos. 43 and 46; Experience in Christian Faith and Life, nos. 88 and 104.

6 Lutherans and Pentecostals in Dialogue, 22.

7 Ibid.

8 “From Conflict to Communion,” nos. 16 and 222.

9 For a discussion of origins see Synan, Aspects of Pentecostal; Hollenweger, Pentecostalism.

10 “Word and Spirit, Church and World,” nos. 38 and 39.

11 Ibid., no. 16.

12 Ibid., no. 57.

13 “Experience in Christian Faith and Life,” no. 71.

14 Ibid., 130.

15 See Vondey, Pentecostal Theology, 11–34.

16 See Kane, “The Exercise of Prophecy in the Early Reformation,” 28–41.

17 Valone, “The Pentecost,” 801–28.

18 Mittelstadt.

19 Cf. von Loewenich, “Luthers Auslegung der Pfingstgeschichte,” 181–90.

20 “Pentecost or the Festival of the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit.” In Sermons by Martin Luther, vol. 3, For Pentecost, ed. and trans. John Nicholas Lenker et al. (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1983), no. 8. See Augustine, Questions on Exodus and Second Epistle to Januarius. Ibid., no. 12. See also Second Sermon, no. 12.

21 Ibid., summary, no. 5.

22 “Pentecost or the Festival of the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Third Sermon,” no. 79.

23 Ibid., no. 3. See also “Pentecost Tuesday,” nos. 7–8.

24 “Pentecost. First Sermon,” no. 13.

25 “Pentecost. Third Sermon,” no. 80.

26 Ibid.

27 “Pentecost. First Sermon,” no. 28.

28 “Pentecost Monday. Second Sermon,” no. 2.

29 “Pentecost. First Sermon,” no. 33.

30 Ibid., no. 19.

31 “Pentecost Monday. Second Sermon,” 27.

32 “Pentecost Tuesday,” nos. 11–14; “Pentecost Tuesday. Second Sermon,” no. 33.

33 See also Kay, “Luther and Pentecostalism,” 1–13.

34 See especially Martin Luther, The Freedom of a Christian (1520) and The Babylonian Captivity of the Church (1520). Beyer, “Luthers Ekklesiologie,” 93–117, 755–65.

35 Cf. Douglass, “Calvin and the Church Today,” 135–53; Campi, “Calvin's Understanding of the Church,” 290–305.

36 Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 4.15.18 and 4.19.8. See Riggs, “Emerging Ecclesiology in Calvin's Baptismal Thought, 1536–1543,” 29–43.

37 The only references are Calvin, Commentary upon the Acts of the Apostles, 51.

38 Ibid.

39 Ibid., 25.

40 Ibid., 52.

41 Ibid., 60.

42 Ibid., 87.

43 This position is consistent with Calvin's defense before King Francis that the Reformation is not new (since it originates with the apostles at Pentecost) and that it does not require miracles (since the gospel has been confirmed already by the apostolic signs and wonders). See Calvin, “Prefatory Address to King Francis I of France,” 3, in Institutes of the Christian Religion, 14–8.

44 Ibid., 17.

45 Institutes, 4.3.4 (1057).

46 Lutheran-Catholic Common Commemoration of the Reformation, no. 222. Luther's and Calvin's views can be further extended in the more radical ecclesiology of Zwingli and Simmons. See George, Theology of the Reformers, 113–70 and 267–326.

47 See, however, also the more revivalist connection in Schroeder, In Quest of Pentecost.

48 See Vondey, Pentecostal Theology, 2–3.

49 See Vondey, Pentecostalism, 29–47.

50 See “The Pentecostal Baptism Restored,” 1; “The Church's Privileges,” 14; “Daily Portion from the King's Bounty,” 9; “Satan and Martin Luther,” 2.

51 See Vondey, “Pure Gospel or Full Gospel,” 324–33.

52 “The World's Supreme Need,” 18.

53 Spurling, The Lost Link, 20–21.

54 Flower, “Little Talks with the Office Editor,” 2.

55 Tomlinson, “Confusion of Scriptures,” 1–3 (2).

56 Calvin, The Necessity of Reforming the Church, 184–217.

57 “Paul's Voyage to Rome,” 12–14 (13). See also Spurling, The Lost Link, 20.

58 Tomlinson, “There is a Wrong Somewhere,” 1–3 (2).

59 Ibid., 3.

60 Holland, “Never Lower the Standard,” 4.

61 Whidden, “Latter Rain Revival,” 3.

62 N. a., “A Glimpse at the Church of God,” 2.

63 A. J. Tomlinson, “The Bible Church,” 1–3.

64 Vondey, “Pentecostal Perspectives on the Nature and Mission of the Church,” 55–68.

65 Echoes from the Eighth General Assembly of the Church of God, 39.

66 Echoes from the Ninth Annual Assembly of the Church of God, 4.

67 Tomlinson, “Pray! Pray! Pray!” 1–3 (3).

68 Echoes from the Ninth Annual Assembly, 5.

69 Tomlinson, The Last Great Conflict, 148.

70 Ibid.

71 “Experience in Christian Faith and Life,” no. 162.

72 Vondey, Pentecostalism, 89–110.

73 “Experience in Christian Faith and Life,” no. 150.

74 Cf. Vondey, “The Denomination in Classical and Global Pentecostal Ecclesiology,” 100–16.

75 Buckley, “A Field of Living Fire,” 81–102.

76 Ibid., 87. See Barth, Church Dogmatics, 643–738; ibid., vol. IV, part 2, 614–726; vol. IV, part 3, 681–901.

77 Barth, Church Dogmatics, 795, 797. Cf. Kärkkäinen, An Introduction to Ecclesiology, 56–8.

78 Barth, Church Dogmatics, 843–901.

79 See Lord, Network Church, 161–230; Chan, Pentecostal Ecclesiology, 93–125; Kärkkäinen, “The Church as the Fellowship of Persons,” 1–15; Macchia, Baptized in the Spirit, 155–256.