Pentecostal Addresses NCC General Assembly, Marking a First
CHICAGO, Nov. 11, 1998 ---- In a "first" for the National Council of Churches, a speaker from a Pentecostal tradition addressed the National Council of Churches annual General Assembly and encouraged delegates from the NCC’s 35 Protestant and Orthodox member communions to think beyond the stereotypes of Pentecostal pastors and practices.
"It is important to distinguish between the popular forms and the theological forms of Pentecostalism," said Dr. David D. Daniels III, of the Church of God in Christ. Dr. Daniels is associate professor of Church History in the Modern Period at Chicago’s McCormick Theological Seminary and is a well-known teacher, researcher, author and lecturer.
"This was a first for the NCC," commented the Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell, NCC General Secretary. "We were pleased and honored to have such a first rate Pentecostal scholar and pastor give us insights from his tradition. This is in keeping with the NCC’s commitment opening up new ecumenical dialogues."
Dr. Daniels is no stranger to the ecumenical movement. He served as NCC Faith and Order commissioner from 1988-91 and is an active member of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and Pentecostal International Dialogue.
Dr. Daniels spoke of his involvement in an international dialogue at the Vatican between Roman Catholics and Pentecostals. "It was challenging on both sides, particularly between the years 1976 to 1982 when we took on the topic of Mary."
He said one of the issues for Pentecostals in all parts of the world is that they are often accused by other faith groups of proselytism.
Dr. Daniels provided the NCC delegates with a history of 20th century Pentecostalism starting with the famous holiness revivals held during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He noted the racial and ethnic diversity in the early revivals and churches. "This multi-racial revival provided a vision which shaped Pentecostalism for the 20th century," he explained, but many churches did not continue to model this vision and became more segregated. "However, a few places continued to cross the race barrier," he said.
He said that Pentecostals are known for "exuberant, expressive worship" that is "doxological," or about praising. "We are taught that in worship, people are transformed by the Holy Spirit. This healing power and presence of God and the Holy Spirit in worship is extraordinary. It means that worship must remain open."
"We are at an interesting moment for Pentecostals in the U.S. and throughout the world," Dr. Daniels said. "We are starting to have some sense of unity while recognizing the variety of our differences, particularly around race." He explained that different racial groups within Pentecostalism tend to have radically different political beliefs and affiliations, with many Latino believers being supporters of the Puerto Rican Republican Party, white Pentecostals belonging to the Christian Coalition and Black Pentecostals tending to identify with the liberal wing of the Democratic party.
"At the same time we are struggling within ourselves, we have made links with the charismatic renewal among other churches, including Roman Catholic, Episcopal and African Methodist Episcopal churches. Both within and without, Dr. Daniels said, "there have been new levels of cooperation, including new theological seminaries, conversation and dialogue."
"We are finding places for conversation, for confrontation and places we can be together in praise of our one God," Dr. Daniels concluded.
Dr. Daniels comments provided an opportunity for conversation among NCC delegates, who spent time in "table talk" around the issues he raised.
Delegates were asked to discuss the following questions:
-end-
Write to us at news@ncccusa.org with your opinions, thoughts and observations about the issues with which the General Assembly is wrestling. We'll be sure your comment gets to the appropriate staff person, and publish excerpts on the NCC's website.