EPTA BULLETIN

BULLETIN OF T H E

EUROPEAN

PENTECOSTAL THEOLOG I CAL

A S S O C I A T I O N

ART1 CCE *

Pentecostal Ministry i n a Marxist Context

by Peter KUZMIC

I w i l l b u i l d my church, and t h e g a t e s o f h e l l w i l l not overcome it ( J k s u s i n Matthew 16 : 18 1. There c a n be no d i s p u t i n g t h a t many m i l l i o n s o f r e l i g i o u s b e l i e v e r s i n t h e Sov ie t Union today a r e s u s t a i n e d by t h e i r f a i t h and , by t h e i r deep devotion and h e r o i c courage , t h e y a r e t u r n i n g t h i s b e l i e f i n t o r e a l i t y . ( l )

There a r e two major problems i n w r i t i n g t h i s a r t i c l e . One is t h e c o n t r o v e r s i a l s u b j e c t o f ~ a r x ( i s m ) , e s p e c i a l l y with t h e American r e a d e r s i n mind. Dur ing some r e c e n t l e c t u r e s i n t h e USA I d i scovered t h a t t h e t o p i c o f Marxism is proven t o ' g e n e r a t e more h e a t t h a n l i g h t f ; and I became f u l l y aware o f t h e t r u t h o f P a u l TILLICHts s ta tement about t h e founder o f world communism: " H i s name has become so p o t e n t a p o l i t i c a l and s e m i - r e l i g i o u s symbol, d i v i n e o r demonic, t h a t whatever you s a y a b o u t him w i l l be used a g a i n s t you by f a n a t i c s b o t h s i d e s . ' I ( 2 ) T h i s problem is somewhat a l l e v i a t e d as I am h e r e n o t e l a b o r a t i n g marx i s t d o c t r i n e s and t h e s o c i o - p o l i t i c a l system e s t a b l i s h e d i n m a r x i s t dominated l a n d s . R a t h e r t h i s is a simple p a s t o r a l and m i s s i o l o g i c a l r e f l e c t i o n on t h e f a t e , f a i t h and p r a c t i c e o f p e n t e c o s t a l C h r i s t i a n i t y i n t h e s o c i e t i e s r u l e d by Marx i s t s .

The second problem is t h e t i m i n g , f o r what is w r i t t e n today may be o u t o f d a t e tomorrow. Anything w r i t t e n about t h e 'communist wor ld f t o d a y s h o u l d be

* This essay originally appears i n Called and Empowered: Global Mission

in Pentecostal Perspective, ed . Murray W . DEMPSTER, Byron KLAUS, and Douglas PETERSEN (Peabody, MASS.: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., forthcoming), a n d is used here with the permission of the publisher.

wr i t t en i n p e n c i l , A l l ac roas Eas te rn Europe and i n the S o v i e t Union monumental changes a r e t ak ing p lace a t a b r e a k h t a k i n g o p e d and i n moul: dramatic and unpred ic tab le ways, The impact o f glosnost and perestroika has put i n t o r e v e r s e p r o c e a a t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y even t s o f 1917 and the p o a t World War T I European develcrpmcnts.

Crisis o f Communism and World Evange l iza t ion

I n E a s t e r n Europe we a r e wi tness ing a massive c o l l a p s e of communism, accompanied by a p o l i t i c a l vacuum, t h e i n f a n c y e t r u g g l e a of democracy, a dangerous rise of compet ing n a 2 ; i o n d i s m s , t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n of a market economy and a r e s u r g e n c e o f o l d and new r e l i g i o u s mavcmenta. ] ? :uphorh over newly-won freedoms is marred by chaoe and c o n f u s i o n , One t h i n g , howevor, is s u r e : dogmatic Marxism is dead, Even i f t h e p rocess were r e v e r s i b l e by s h e e r uae of miI.ilxu-y power, ' the people would n o t t a k e it m y l o n g e r , Where a l l o f t h i s l e a d s is impossible t o p r e d i c t . S o c i a l and. p o l i t i c a l a n a l y s i s is n o t s u f f i c i e n t - t h e v i s i o n o f n prophe t is needed,

I n 1976 a 1-eading evangelical m i s s i o l o g i s t , h imself e v i c t e d from China a f t e r t h e communist t akeover , wrote:

The r e c e n t s u c c e s s e s o f t h e Communists a r e caue ing many C h r i s t i a n s t o r e a l i z e t h a t t h e r e is a n o t h e r program of world conquest abroad i n t h e e a r t h today. These Communista a r e a f t e r the same p e o p l e s , k r i b e s , tongues and n a t i o n s t h a t a r e C h r i s t ' ~ concern, Their movement l i k e w i s e embraces evnngolism, t r a i n i n g , and t h e p l a n t i n g of permanent c e n t e r s of I .ndoctrinati .on and ou t reach . And they know how ,to , t r a i n men. Qne of t h e most c r i t i c a l books d e s c r i b i n g t h e i r a c t i v i t i e s is ob l iged t o c o n f e s s ; "The d i s c i p l e s o f MARX a r e t h e most e n e r g s t j x , t h e most a e l f - s a c r i f i c i n g , the most s e l f - c o n f i d e n t , and the most d i s c i p l i n e d group o f modern society. Xn t h e p r e s e n t c r i t i c a l hour , then t h e c r u x o f t h c program of God is i n t h e t r a i n i n g o f

its conver ts . For , i f i t is a m a t t e r o f C h r i s t i a n i t y v e r s u s Communism, it is a m a t t e r o f C h r i s t i a n v e r s u s Communist, a m a t t e r o f d i s c i p l e v e r s u s d i s c i p l e . I 1 ( 3 )

This s t a t e m e n t is an echo o f t h e Communist M a n i f e s t o ( t h e 'Great Commissiont o f Marxism) w i t h its v i s i o n and program f o r world r e v o l u t i o n . It c l o s e s w i t h t h e f o l l o w i n g c l a r i o n c a l l and promise:

Let t h e r u l i n g c l a s s e s t r e m b l e a t a communistic r e v o l u t i o n . The p r o l e t a r i a n s have no th ing t o l o o s e b u t t h e i r cha ins . They have a world t o win. Working men o f a l l c o u n t r i e s u n i t e ! Today t h e r e p o r t s of t h e ' b a t t l e f o r t h e w o r l d f r e a d

d i f f e r e n t l y . Communism is on t h e d e c l i n e as it h a s d i s i l l u s i o n e d m i l l i o n s of i t s f a i t h f u l f o l l o w e r s and h a s l o s t i t s a t t r a c t i o n f o r t h e modern y o u t h and c r i t i c a l i n t e l l i g e n t s i a . C h r i s t i a n i t y , e s p e c i a l l y i t s p e n t e c o s t a l branch, is exper ienc ing phenomenal g rowth , p e r m e a t i n g w i t h t h e Gospel. o f C h r i s t even t h e r e m o t e s t c u l t u r e s and language groups. E v a n g e l i c a l s o f t h e w o r l d , s i n c e Lausanne (Congress o f World E v a n g e l i z a t i o n ) 1974, a r e u n i t i n g a l l o f t h e i r f o r c e s i n obedience t o t h e G r e a t Commission, f o r ' t hey have a world t o win' i n f u l f i l l m e n t o f C h r i s t ' s redemptive e s c h a t o l o g i c a l program o f wor ld e v a n g e l i z a t i o n -- "And t h i s gospe l of t h e kingdom w i l l b e p reached i n t h e whole world a s a t e s t imony t o a l l n a t i o n s , and t h e n t h e end w i l l comeft (Matthew 24 : 1 4 ) .

Communist China i t s e l f , w i t h i t s b i l l i o n s t r o n g p o p u l a t i o n , is n o t o u t s i d e o f t h e p rev iew and program o f t h e Lord o f t h e u n i v e r s e . God r e i g n s i n China is t h e t i t l e o f a r e c e n t book by a fo rmer China m i s s i o n a r y and a watchful c h r o n i c l e r o f t h e e v e n t s i n t h a t g r e a t l a n d . He concludes :

One t h i n g is c e r t a i n : t h e s h e e r power and momentum o f t h e p r e s e n t movement o f God's S p i r i t i n China a r e beyond t h e power of man t o h a l t . No one can f o r e s e e t h e p o l i t i c a l and s o c i a l changes which may t a k e p l a c e dur ing t h e nex t decade, what d i r e c t i o n t h e Church w i l l t a k e o r what p e r s e c u t i o n i t may e n d u r e , b u t one t h i n g is s u r e -- t h a t t h e r i s e n Lord accord ing t o h i s promise w i l l no t c e a s e t o b u i l d H i s

Church: "1 w i l l b u i l d my Church and t h e g a t e s o f h e l l s h a l l n o t p r e v a i l a g a i n s t itlt' The day must s u r e l y come when t h e martyr Church w i l l bea r h e r g l o r i o u s w i t n e s s e s , n o t only t o h e r own people b u t t o t h e whole world. Meanwhile as God pours ou t H i s S p i r i t on His peop le , t h a t Church, martyred through s u f f e r i n g , is p l a y i n g her p a r t in t h e h a r v e s t o f t h e l a s t t ime. ( 4 )

Marxism: More than a N e u t r a l Science

G. WETTER' an a u t h o r i t y on Marxism and S o v i e t ph i losophy and ideo logy , in t roduc ing h i s s t u d y , "Communism and t h e Problem o f I n t e l l e c t u a l Freedom," r e c a l l s a c o n v e r s a t i o n h e had w i t h a group of I t a l i a n communist i n t e l l e c t u a l s i n 1946. One of them, P r o f e s s o r GEYMONAT, asked P r o f e s s o r WETTER why t h e C a t h o l i c Church was opposed .to communim . WETTER r e p l i e d t h a t t h a t was r a t h e r obvious s i n c e communism s u b s c r i b e s t o mater ia l ism and atheism. But P r o f e s a o r GEYMONAT c r i t i c i s e d Professor WETTER f o r such a "misconcept ion o f Mar~ism.'~ According t o him,

Marxism is merely n p o s i t i v e sc ience l i k e medicine, b i o l o g y o r mathematics, b u t dea l ing wi th t h e t r a n s - f o r m a t i o n of s o c i e t y . It h a s no th ing t o do wi th p h i l o s o p h y , world outlook o r r e l i g i o n . J u s t a s a man cou ld be a good d o c t o r and ho ld any one of a v a r i e t y o f philosophies of l i f e , so it is p o s s i b l e t o be a m a r x i s t and s u b s c r i b e t o any phi losophy, any r e l i g i o n , or none a t a l l . ( 5 ) The h i s t o r y of Marxi.sm and t h e t r e a t m e n t o f t h e

C h r i s t i . a n f a i t h i n t h e s o c i a l i s t c o u n t r i e s o f E a s t e r n Europe and e lsewhere provide c o n s i s t e n t s u b s t a n t i a l ev idence t o t h e c o n t r a r y . Marxism, a s it is understood and p r a c t i , c c d i n most of t h e c o u n t r i e s where communists a r e i n power, i s not 'merely a p o s i t i v e s c i e n c e , , no t j u s t a a o c i o - p o l i t i c a l . t o o l o r a program f o r s o c i a l change. I n E a s t e r n 1l:uropc f~ w e l l a s i n China, Cuba, Ethiopi.a, and a number of vkher Third World c o u n t r i e s which a r e o r were i c l e o l o ~ ; i . c a l l y dependent on ef t h e r Moscow o r Peking, d e s p i t e sorrle t h c o r e t i c a l v a r i a t i o n s and d i f f e r e n c e s i n

a p p l i c a t i o n , Marxism and e s p e c i a l l y Marxism-Leninism p r e s e n t s i t s e l f a s a t o t a l Weltanschauung, a comprehensive world-view t h a t encompasses ph i losophy , a n t h r o p o l o g y , and t h e n a t u r a l s c i e n c e s a s we l l a s s o c i o l o g y , economics and p o l i t i c s .

Marxism today is f a r from m o n o l i t h i c and is n o t n e c e s s a r i l y , a s is thought by some Western fundament- a l i s t s , a f i x e d system of r i g i d , never-changing dogmas. It is c o n s t a n t l y undergoing new and i n n o v a t i v e t h e o r e t i c a l developments and r e - i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s , w h i l e a t t i m e s a l s o showing an amazing degree o f f l e x i b i l i t y i n a d a p t i n g i t s e l f t o v a r i e d s o c i a l , c u l t u r a l , p o l i t i c a l and even r e l i g i o u s s i t u a t i o n s .

Never the less , it remains t r u e t h a t i n t h e more r i g i d s o c i a l i s t s o c i e t i e s , where ' o r thodox communists claim a monopoly on power and t r u t h , m a r x i s t d i a l e c t i c a l mate r ia l i sm c o n t i n u e s t o p r e s e n t i t s e l f a s a n a l l - encompassing world-view which r u l e s o u t any s p i r i t u a l r e a l i t y . It views C h r i s t i a n i t y , a s w e l l a s any o t h e r r e l i g i o n , as an o b s o l e t e , o b s c u r a n t i s t , p r e - s c i e n t i f i c and u n d e s i r a b l e view o f r e a l i t y . R e l i g i o n is c o n s i d e r e d a remnant o f t h e o ld s o c i a l o r d e r , a p a r a s i t e on t h e new s o c i e t y , a h indrance t o t h e f u l l development o f human p o t e n t i a l i t i e s , b lock ing man's i n n e r l i b e r a t i o n and s o c i a l engagement and t h u s incompat ib le w i t h human p r o g r e s s and t h e upbui ld ing of a new s o c i e t y i n g e n e r a l . it is t r e a t e d a s being bo th r e a c t i o n a r y and s u p e r s t i t i o u s .

A t t h e same t ime , communist Marxism-Leninism p r e s e n t s and imposes i t s e l f i n an a lmos t o m n i s c i e n t (and a t t imes omnipotent! ) way a s t h e main l i b e r a t o r o f mankind and t h e on ly p r o g r e s s i v e e d u c a t o r o f t h e younger g e n e r a t i o n , b a s i n g i ts cla im on what it c o n s i d e r s t o be t h e on1.y p roper and s c i e n t i f i c ( t h e synonym is : m a r x i s t ) view o f man and h i s t o r y .

Th is e x p l a i n s t h e communis,t e d u c a t i o n a l p h i l o s o p h y a s wel l a s g e n e r a l p o l i c i e s toward r e l i g i o u s b o d i e s . The r e s u l t is t h a t i n t h e c l o s e d s o c i a l i s t c o u n t r i e s t h e l i v i n g C h r i s t i a n f a i t h is a t b e s t o n l y ' t o l e r a t e d and a t worst pe r secu ted and d i s c r i m i n a t e d a g a i n s t by t h e ve ry arrangement o f s o c i a l o r d e r , e d u c a t i o n a l and employment

p o l i c i e s , and a d m i n i s t r a t i v e measures. Though t h e r e a r e c e r t a i n v a r i a n t s i n t h e marxis t theory and p r a c t i c e , a l l communist regimes a r e marked by an a b i d i n g i d e o l o g i c a l h o s t i l i t y t o a l l r e l i g i o u s b e l i e f s , p r a c t i c e s and i n s t i t u t i o n s . Wherever communists ga ined power t h e y implemented a d e l i b e r a t e and mul t i - faceted s t r a t e g y a g a i n s t t h e church.

C h r i s t i a n i t y and Marxism: Convergence and Divergence

Marxism and C h r i s t i a n i t y by and l a r g e view each o t h e r as i r r e c o n c i l a b l e enemies a l though it is n o t o u t o f p l a c e t o a r g u e t h a t t h e y a r e a c t u a l l y r e l a t i v e s ; r e l a t i v e s h i s t o r l . c a l l y and p h i l o s o p h i c a l l y a t odds wi th each o t h e r . Oswald SPENGLER b e l i e v e d t h a t " C h r i s t i a n i t y is t h e grandmother of R o l s h e v i s m . ~ ~ N i c o l a i BERDYAEV argued t h a t communism and C h r i s t i a n i t y a r e r i v a l r e l i g i o n s , and William TEMPLE exp la ined t h e s i m i l a r i t y o f C h r i s t i a n i t y and m a r x i s t s o c i a l i d e a s by pronouncing t h e l a t e r a C h r i s t i a n h e r e s y . ( 6 )

One t h i n g is s u r e , "General ly speaking, Marx i s t s h a t e a l l gods , i n c l u d i n g t h e C h r i s t i a n God-man J e s u s C h r i s t . " ( 7 ) An e x c e p t i o n t o t h i s would be some Western neo-Marxist t h i n k e r s who show an inc reased and a p p r e c i a t i v e i n t e r e s t i n c e r t a i n a s p e c t s of r e l i g i o n . ( 8 )

I n E a a t e r n Europe we have l ea rned t o d i s t i n g u i s h between 'dogmat ic ' ( r i g i d , i n f l e x i b l e , b u r e a u c r a t i c , c o n s i s t e n t l y a n t i - C h r i s t i a n ) and 'non-dogmatic' (humanis t , t o l e r a n t , p h i l o s o p h i c a l l y open f o r d i a l o g u e ) Marxis ts . G l o b a l l y speak ing we m u s t d i f f e r e n t i a t e t h e types o f Marxism i n terms o f t h e i r power s t a t u s . I t is t h i s p o s i t i o n t h a t t o a g r e a t e x t e n t determines t h e i r t r ea tment o f C h r i s t i n n a . Marxism may be i n power ( e . g . Sov ie t Union, C h i n a ) , a marg ina l o r cmerging f o r c e ( i n pa r l i amenta ry oppos j . t ion , c o n l i t j o n governments, i n working agreements w i t h non-Marxist governments, extremely marginal. and even a p l i t up i n t o mutual ly a n t a g o n i s t i c g r o u p s ) , o r outlawed and t h u s underground. I n pos t - revo lu t ionary si t u a t i o n s where Marx i s t s have t h e monopoly on power, C h r i s t i a n s a r e a t wors t o u t r i g h t p e r s e c u t e d : ~ n d a t b e s t b a r e l y t o l e r a t e d .

I n prerevolutionary s i t u a t i o n s of t h e T h i r d World, Marxists a r e f r e q u e n t l y look ing f o r s t r a t e g i c and t a c t i c a l a l l i a n c e s around i s s u e s of i n j u s t i c e , p o v e r t y , o p p r e s s i o n and e x p l o i t a t i o n .

From a pos t - revo lu t ionary East European s i t u a t i o n it is very d i f f i c u l t t o e v a l u a t e t h e c o n v i c t i o n s of L a t i n American theo log ians who c l a i m t h a t t h e

s o c i o - a n a l y t i c a l t o o l , t h e h i s t o r i c a l h o r i z o n of i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , t h e i n s i g h t i n t o t h e dynamics of t h e s o c i a l p rocess and t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y e t h o s and programme which Marxism h a s e i t h e r r e c e i v e d and appropr ia ted o r i t s e l f c r e a t e d a r e , however c o r r e c t e d o r r e j e c t e d , i n d i s p e n s a b l e f o r r e v o l - u t ionary change. ( 9 ) We agree w i t h t h e twofo ld e v a n g e l i c a l r e s p o n s e t o

L ibera t ion Theology a s a r t i c u l a t e d i n t h e Lausanne Occasional Paper ~ h r i s t i a n Witness t o M a r x i s t s . ". . .it is imperat ive first t o l i s t e n t o t h e i r c o n c e r n s f o r j u s t i c e

, fo r t h e poor, t e s t those concerns and t h e i r e x e g e s i s by t h e s c r i p t u r e s ; and, where we a r e t r u l y c h a l l e n g e d t o repen t f o r being b l i n d t o t h e s c r i p t u r e ' s c o n c e r n f o r t h e poor and powerless , t o admi t i n h u m i l i t y t h a t God's p rophe t ic word may have been spoken t o u s t h r o u g h them." We must, however, a l s o remind l i b e r a t i o n t h e o l o g i a n s " t h a t t h e e v i l is more t h a n s t r u c t u r a l ( w h i l e o f t e n f i n d i n g express ion i n s t r u c t u r e s ) ; and t h a t human r e l a t i o n s h i p s cannot be redeemed o r j u s t r e l a t i o n s h i p s e s t a b l i s h e d a p a r t from t h e work o f C h r i s t who d e f e a t e d e v i l . . . " ( 1 0 )

There a r e s e v e r a l c i r c l e s o f b o t h convergence and divergence o f C h r i s t i a n and Marx i s t t h i n k i n g . T h e i r c o n f l i c t i s obvious i n t h e i r t o t a l l y d i f f e r e n t understanding o f u l t i m a t e meaning o f human n a t u r e and o f the methods employed t o t r a n s f o r m s o c i e t y . The agreements , or a t l e a s t some s i m i l a r i t i e s , appear t o l i e i n a r e l a t i v e commonality of s o c i a l i d e a s . The e x c e l l e n t Lu theran document Theological R e f l e c t i o n on t h e E n c o u n t e r o f t h e Church wi th Marxism i n Var ious C u l t u r a l C o n t e x t s o u t l i n e s these as follows.

P o i n t s of a f f i n i t y :

They a r e b o t h supra -na t iona l and world-encompassing in t h e i r concern. They stress s o c i a l r e l a t i o n s among people. Both b e l i e v e t h a t h i s t o r y has a goa l f o r which human b e i n g s m u s t s t r i v e . There can be no ult- imate meaning- l e s s n e s s . Both Marxism and C h r i s t i a n i t y have s t r o n g t r a d i t i o n s of moral p a s s i o n i n t h e i r s o c i a l t each ings . They r e j e c t a l l farms of moral nihi,l.ism o r i n d i f f e r e n c e . Both g i v e o n l y r e l a t i v e va lue t o t h e r i g h t o f p r i v a t e p r o p e r t y ; p r o p e r t y is n o t t o be I l o ~ n e d ~ ~ by persons f o r t h e i r own s e l f i s h purposes . They a l s o a g r e e i n s t r e s s i n g communal v a l u e s . Both see p o ~ s e s s i v e i n d i v i d u a l i s m and extreme forms o f p l u r a l i s m as t h r e a t s t o t h e well-being o f t h e human community. S o l i d n r i t y , espacial1.y wi th t h e poor , weak, and e x p l o i t e d , b u t f i n a l l y wikh a l l human be ings , is an express ion of u n a l i e n n t e d humanity, C h r l s t i n n s a g r e e wi th Marx i s t s on t h e need f o r fundamental change i n econorni.~ and social . r e l a t i o n s among people. ( 11) ~ o i n i w o f d i sagreement : The mn 'ker ia l . i s t i c world view, both a s n a t u r a l i s t i c , h i s t o r i c , and economical ly d e t e r m i n i s t , does not g ive s p a c e enough t o l i f e ' s s p i r i t u a l dimensions. The Marx ia t view of human na,l-ure is o p t i m i s t i c , ignor ing t h e deep moral ambigui ty o f human l i f e . Its b e l i e f i n an I.nevitab1.e human moral p r o g r e s s i n h i s t o r y den ies t h e p e r v a ~ i v e n e s s o f human s i n , The M a r x i s t view of h i s t o r y i s a n t h r o p o c e n t r i c , exclus- ive1.y focused on human autonorny and emancipation. Xn mos.1; casts Marxis t s o v e r s t r e s s t h e importance and va lue of l i f e ' s economic and po1.itica.l dimensions. The Marx i s t c r i t i q u e of r e l i g i o n f a i l s t o s e e t h e u l t i m a t e p o s i t i v o meaning o f t h e C h r i s t i a n f a i t h and its p r o g r e s ~ i v e socia l . i rnpl icat ions. (12)

These d e l i n e a t i o n s help C h r i s t i a n s t o work ou t c r i t e r i a f o r e v a l u a t i o n and p r a c t i c a l p o l i c i e s f o r both oppof i i t ion and c o o p e r a t i o n whon encounter ing Marxist i d e a s and p r - a c t i c e s . Al.though l e s s re l .cvant a t t h i s p o i n t , i t is h e l p f u l ,to s e e how t h e same Lutheran document c a t a l o g u e s

s o c i a l and e t h i c a l i s s u e s where C h r i s t i a n s d i s a g r e e among themselves. My persona l o b s e r v a t i o n s i n v a r i o u s c o u n t r i e s on four c o n t i n e n t s confirm t h a t t h e same and some a d d i t i o n a l disagreements e x i s t among p e n t e c 0 S t a l b e l i e v e r s a s well.. These p o i n t s a r e : What is an adequate C h r i s t i a n approach t o t h e q u e s t i o n of t h e use of v iolence? HOW f a r can C h r i s t i a n s a c c e p t t h e i m p l i c a ' t i o n s of c l a s s a n a l y s i s and t o l e r a t e o r p a r ' t i c i p a ' t e i n t h e c l a s s s t r u g g l e ? TO what e x t e n t can t h e M a r x i s t s o c i a l and economic a n a l y s i s be used a s a ' n e u t r a l ' t o o l f o r e v a l u a t i n g s o c i a l phenomena? To what e x t e n t is t h e p u b l i c (common) o w n e r s h i p o f t h e means of product ion and of o t h e r m a t e r i a l g o o d s u s e f u l , b e n e f i c i a l , and a c c e p t a b l e ? What is t o be t h e s t a t u s o f t h e c h u r c h i n a M a r x i s t soc ie ty? What s t r u c t u r a l s a f e g u a r d s d o e s t h e c h u r c h need f o r t h e f r e e e x e r c i s e of r e l i g i o n ? ( l 3 )

Arthur F. McGOVERN, i n h i s comprehens ive s t u d y Marxism: An American C h r i s t i a n P e r s p e c t i v e , comes t o t h e fo l lowing C h r i s t i a n response :

C h r i s t i a n i t y , a t i ts b e s t , b r i n g s t o t h e problem of s o c i a l change a profound SenBe of t h e d i g n i t y , freedom, and f a l l i b i l i t y o f e v e r y i n d i v i d u a l , . . . C h r i s t i a n s t h u s must work n o t s i m p l y f o r s o c i a l change t h a t minimizes v i o l e n c e and h o s t i l i t y , b u t f o r a s o c i a l change t h a t i n s i s t s on r e s p e c t f o r t h e d i g n i t y and freedom o f e v e r y i n d i v i d u a l , and t h a t accep t s human l i m i t a t i o n s , (14)

From a p e n t e c o s t a l p e r s p e c t i v e t h i s d o e s not; g o f a r enough, f o r ' C h r i s t i a n i t y a't i t s b e s t t is dynamic and empowered by t h e Holy S p i r i t t o a l s o change L i v e s and transform human communities by s u p e r n a t u r a l r e b i r t h , phys ica l hea l ing , r e c o n c i l i a t i o n and s h a r i n g o f r e s o u r c e s . Pen tecos ta l s can be c r i t i c i z e d f o r pu tAing low p r i o r i t y on organized p o l i t i c a l and s o c i a l invo lvement b e c a u s e o f t h e i r preoccupat ion with p r o c l a m a t o r y e v a n g e l i s m and church p lan t ing . However, t h e i r c o n t r i b u t i o n t o s o c i a l change i n many deve lop ing l a n d s i s enormous. The

' r edempt ive l i f t ' o f t h e redeemed masses who have rega ined t h e i r d i g n i t y and improved t h e i r s o c i a l s t a t u s because of t h e tmmsforming power of t h e Gospel canno t go unnot iced by t h e e n g i n e e r s of s o c i a l change. A s I have s t a t e d e lnewhere:

Evangel. ica1 emphasis on t h e r e g e n e r a t i o n o f man, on t h e p o s s i b i l i t y of t r u e rnetanoia, could be s i g n i - f i c a n t f o r Marx i s t s who, more o r l e s s s u c c e s s f u l l y chang ing s o c i a l s ' t r u c i u r e , still have problems i n c r e a t i n g and s o a r c h i n g f o r t h e 'new man,' w i t h o u t whom t h e env i s ioned new s o c i o t y remains an i l l u s i o n . On , the o t h e r hand, because of t h e q u a l i t y o f p e r s o n a l r e g e n e r a t i o n , dynamic of C h r i s t i a n community, and l i v i n g concern f o r t h e poor and needy a s p a r t of i ts miss ion , h e a l t h y e v a n g e l i c a l Chr ls t i .aniZ;y is i n the unique p o s i t i o n t o c o r r e c t t h o M a r x i s t s t e r e o t y p e about C h r i s t i a n i t y and p r o v i d e an a u t h e n t i c C h r i s t i a n a l t e r n a t i v e t h a t can e n r i c h and even challenge Marxism i t s e l f . (15) P e n ~ t e c o a t a l s b e l i e v e i n e v i d e n t i a l C h r i s t i a n i t y ,

fn3.th demonstra ted and v e r i f i e d by c o n c r e t e e m p i r i c a l e v i d e n c e o:f God's dynamic a c t i v i t y i n and th rough His p e o p l e . They would, though, no t f u l l y a t a t h e o r e t i c a l b u t c e r t a i n l y warmly a t u f u n c t i o n a l l e v e l , a g r e e wi th Hugo ASSMANN s c o r n p a r i ~ o n o f ' non-dogmat i c Marxism and a u t h e n t i c B ib l i cn l . C h r i s t i a n i t y , s u b s t a n t i a t i n g t h e C h r i a t 3 . m p a r t by t h e New Testament and contemporary pneumnt icn l a c t 8 o f t r u t h i n c a r n a t e d ' and t r a n s l a t e d i n t o p r a c t i c e . Theology is t r u l y meaningful. on ly by f r u i t f u l obed ience and fu. l .%illed promi.sss. As ASSMANN p u t s it:

Perhaps one of t h e deepes t co inc idences between a non-do&yna,ti.c Marxism and an a u t h e n t i c a l l y B i b l i c a l C h r i ~ t i a n i t y l i e s p r e c i s e l y i n t h i s , t h a t bo th have an absolutely p e c u l i a r r e l a t i o n to t r u t h . Both of ,them clamund . tha t t h e i r t r u t h bc ' v e r i f i e d , ' t h a t it 'became t r u t h t , t h a t it b e f u l f i l l e d . They demand t o be collfirmed by t h e f a c t s . They conceive o f * t ru th as t r u t h i n ,the f a c t s (md it is p r e c i s e l y i n t h i s t h a t t h e y s t a n d opposed t o a l l forms of i d e a l i s m ,

metaphysics or ideology t h a t understand t r u t h a s something ' i n i t s e l f ' ou t s ide t h e f a c t s , i n a ' separate r e a l m . ' ( l 6 )

Temptations Under Pressure

The Withdrawal-Emigration Syndrome Chris t ians who l i v e under r e p r e s s i v e p o l i t i c a l

systems which a r e an t agon i s t i c t o t h e i r f a i t h f a c e severe temptations. The f i r s t temptat ion is t o withdraw from the society, l i t e r a l l y t o ' f l e e t h e world. ' This can take place e i t h e r by i n t e r n a l or e x t e r n a l emigra t ion . Both a r e caused by f ea r of t he new system which is pe rce ived as e v i l , powerful and bent on t h e t o t a l d e s t r u c t i o n of those who would dare t o oppose it. U n t i l r e c e n t l y most of t h e communist countr ies refused t o allow t h e i r c i t i z e n s t o emigrate t o other lands. His tory , however, r e c o r d s s e v e r a l examples of l a r g e exodus movements o f Sov ie t Pentecos ta l s . ( l7 ) Their d e s i r e t o leave t h e i r homeland has been motivated by two f a c t o r s - severe p e r s e c u t i o n , and prophecies warning them of even g r e a t e r c a l a m i t i e s . According t o some' e s t ima te s , up t o s even ty thousand Pentecostals want t o leave t h e USSR. The numbers o f those off i q i a l l y allowed t o emigrate have s i g n i f i c a n t l y increased s ince 1988 due t o GORBACHEV' s glasnost po l i cy . That year alone, some 3500 Pen tecos t a l s left t h e Sovie t Union with 10'00 pro jec ted pen tecos t a l emigrants f o r 1989. (18) This is an unfortunate t r end a s it weakens t h e pentecostal witness i n t h e i r own s p i r i t u a l l y needy l and a t a time of g rea t e r freedom and increased o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r evangelism.

Those who opt f o r t he e a s i e r i n t e r n a l withdrawal by i so l a t ing themselves from the surrounding s e c u l a r s o c i e t y a re by and la rge a l s o l o s t f o r e f f e c t i v e evangelism. They very of ten develop a ghe t to men ta l i t y w i t h a r e a c t i o n a r y l i f e - s t y l e . They a r e marked by a high degree o f l ega l i sm and insu la t ion t h a t prevents them from having a p o s i t i v e ' s a l t and l i g h t ' inf luence on t h e i r s o c i e t y . They develop the i r own p i e t i s t i c subcul ture with i t s own p a t t e r n of behaviour, language, clreas code, e t c . Th i s is very o f t e n

underscored by an apocalypt ic e s c a p i s t eschatology and as a whole seems t o v a l i d a t e c e r t a i n aspec ts of Marxist c r i t i c i s m of r e l i g i o n . Extreme examples of such i so l a t ed groups of conserva t ive Chr is t ians (Pen tecos t a l s , Bapt i s t s and Mennoni t e s ) have unfortunately a t times been h i g h l i g h t e d i n t h e Sovie t ant i -Chris t ian propaganda t o prove t h e s o c i a l l y and mentally harmful e f f e c t s of C h r i s t i a n f a i t h .

This i n t e r n a l withdrawal leads t o a l o s s of r e l evance , denies t he mission of the church and undermines the C h r i s t i a n impact on the soc ie ty . I t dea ls with outda ted i s s u e s , answers quest ions t h a t a r e no longer asked and has nothing t o say t o the contemporary man o r t o 'the s o c i a l i s t soc i e ty , Although some Pen tecos t a l s , along wJ,th o the r conserva t ive Chr i s t i ans , have succumbed to t h i s t empta t ion , it is not an option fo r the au thent ic b i b l i c a l Pentecowtals , Withdrawal is preoccupied with su rv iva l ; Spi r i t - f i3 . led Pen tecos t a l s are concerned with rev iva l .

Crusader Mental i ty A second temptation Tor fol lowers of Chr i s t who have

suddenly found themselves surrounded by an enemy and ru l ed ove r by an a t h e i s t i c system is t o r e a c t by f ighting, W t i n g a pos tu re of active opposition t o t h e government and i ts p o l i c i e s , The simple reasoning is t h a t the new system is ungodly and e v i l , insp i red by the devi l and should n e i t h e r be obsycd nor t o l e r a t e d , b u t r a t h e r a c t i v e l y opposed i n *the name of Chr i s t , There a r e severa l dangers i n t h i s pos tu re of unrelieved h o s t i l i t y . It i s a t tinres based on an oversimplif ied p o l i t i c a l and correspondj.ngly s p i r i t u a l d iv is ion of t he world with the accompanying cha rac t e r of an escha to logica l s t ruggle between ,t;ho ch i ld ren of l i g h t aga ins t 'the ch i ld ren of darkness . Recent h i s t o r y provides many examples of such percept ionn . ''During the times of tho 'Cold Wart when the p o l . i t i c a 1 antagonism between t h e Wes1;ern and Eastern bloc c o u n t r i e s came t o a very c r i t i c a l and dangerous climax, t h e r e was In a fash ion much over-generalized and s i m p l i , ~ t i c speaking of t he 'Chr i s t ian West' and ' a t h e i s t i c E a ~ t and mutunl denimcj.fition i n almost mythological terms. " ( 1 9 ) The percept ion that C h r i s t i a n i t y and Marxism

a r e i r reconci lable enemies which can meet o n l y on a batt leground has enormous d e s t r u c t i v e p o t e n t i a l f o r t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l community and t h e f u t u r e of humani ty . T h i s crusader menta l i ty is a b e t r a y a l of t h e Gospe l , f o r i t reduces Chr i s t i an f a i t h t o a p o l i t i c o - i d e o l o g i c a l f o r c e . ~t may a l s o be a d i s t o r t i o n of Marxism by i t s r e d u c t i o n t o m i l i t a n t atheism, wi thout a p r o p e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g of t h e genes i s , nature and spread o f a theism. Many P e n t e c o s t a l s who have emigrated form t h e S o v i e t Union t o t h e Uni ted S t a t e s a r e d ramat ica l ly d i s i l l u s i o n e d by t h e r e a l i z a t i o n t h a t t h e so-called t l C h r i s t i a n Westtt i s a l s o deep ly permeated by humanis t ic a theism and t h a t w h i l e i n t h e E a s t C h r i s t i a n t r u t h and va lues a r e o f f i c i a l l y opposed , i n t h e West they a r e o f t e n o n l y v e r b a l l y honored w h i l e p r a c t i c a l l y ignored o r even t o t a l l y r e j e c t e d .

P e n t e c o s t a l s who l i v e and e v a n g e l i z e i n Marxist dominated a r e a s have l e a r n e d t h a t s u c h r e a c t i o n a r y a t t i t u d e s a r e coun te r -p roduc t ive . They end up i n u n f r u i t f u l negativism and cause t h e M a r x i s t a u t h o r i t i e s t o t r e a t t h e b e l i e v i n g community as a ' f i f t h column' r epresen t ing f o r e i g n I i m p e r i a l i s t i c i n t e r e s t s t r a t h e r t h a n Chr i s t and H i s Gospel of redemptive l o v e . I tA c h u r c h ' s i n t r a n s i g e n t oppos i t ion t o s o c i a l i s m may e i t h e r r e l e g a t e it i n t o o b s c u r i t y o r c a t a p u l t it i n t o t h e f o c u s of opposi t ion. . . "(20)

His to ry r e c o r d s t h a t i n most c o u n t r i e s t h e first years of t h e communist t akeover were marked by b i t t e r and a t t imes v i o l e n t c o n f r o n t a t i o n . For some c a s e s t h e s t a t e r e s o r t e d t o t h e most b r u t a l r e p r e s s i v e measures t h a t produced coun t less C h r i s t i a n m a r t y r s and caused enormous devas ta t ion of church p r o p e r t y and i n s t i t u t i o n s , C h r i s t i a n s who a r e t rapped i n t o t h e assumpt ion t h a t t h e i r major t a s k is t o f i g h t communism h a n d i c a p t h e m s e l v e s by becoming incapable of winning t h e communists w i t h t h e Good News of C h r i s t . As I have a rgued t e n y e a r s ago, Evangel icals (which i n c l u d e s P e n t e c o s t a l s ) s h o u l d b e f r e e from a l l i d e o l o g i c a l c a p t i v i t y and g e o g r a p h i c a l b i a s i n order t o

make it c l e a r t h a t C h r i s t i a n i t y is n o t t h e o f f i c i a l i d e o l o g y of t h e West and t h a t c a p i t a l i s m is n o t t h e economic t h e o r y o f B i b l i c a l f a i t h . Old extreme p o s i t i o n s must go: C h r i s t i a n i t y shou ld no l o n g e r be i d e n t i f i e d wi th anti-communism nor shou ld Marxism be reduced t o m i l i t a n t a theism, I n t h i s r e s p e c t , both s i d e s must undergo a change o f mental a t t i t u d e s and r e c o g n i z e t h a t open c o n f r o n t a t i o n does n o t b r i n g r e s u l t s d e s i r e d by both and is commonly based on a f a u l t y concep t ion of each o t h e r . ( 2 1 )

Compromise wi th t h e A u t h o r i t i e s The t h i r d , temptation i n t h e new i d e o l o g i c a l

environment it t o conform o r compromise, t o t a i l o r t h e message and t h e method t o t h e new s i t u a t i o n and t o accommodate t o t h e p r e v a i l i n g ideology. Some C h r i s t i a n l o a d e r s i n bo th E a s t e r n Europe and China have y i e l d e d ground t h e o l o g i c a l l y and o therwise t o e s t a b l i s h r a p p o r t w i t h t h e new r u l . e r s and g a i n some concess ions i f no t p r i v i l e g o ~ i n t h e a r e a s of r e l i g i o u s freedom, s o c i a l s t a t u s , i n t e r n a . t i o n a 1 t r a v e l , e t c . Accusat ions o f oppor tunism and ca ree r i sm by t h e s u f f e r i n g b e l i e v e r s a r e n o t uncommon. Al.though t h i s approach was a t t imes na ive and motivee q u e s t i o n a b l e , i n many c a s e s it led t o a temporary modus v i v e n d i between church and s t a t e . In China it found e x p r e s s i o n i n t h e Three S e l f P a t r i o t i c Movement (TSPM) and i n E a s t e r n Europe i n t h e minor i ty approach known as I r e l i g i o n f o r s o c i a l i s m t movement. The u n r e g i s t e r e d and persecu ted P e n t e c o s t a l s and o t h e r R v a n g e l i c n l s of t h o S o v i e t Union accuse t h e All-Union Counci l o f E v a n g e l i c a l C h r i s t i a n s and B a p t i s t s ( t h e major and u n t i l r e c e n t l y t h e only recognized e v a n g e l i c a l body, composed of e v a n g e l i c a l C h r i s t i a n s , B a p t i s t s , P e n t e c o s t a l s and Mennonites) of having made s e r i o u s compromises wi th t h e a t h e i s t i c a u t h o r i t i e s . (22)

Although i n a l l of t h e s o c i a l i s l ; c o u n t r i e s t h e r e is a formal and c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l y def ined s e p a r a t i o n of church and @ t a t @ , r e l i g i o u s a c t i v i t i e s a r e c o n t r o l l e d through n p e c i a l l a g i s l a t i o n and government a p p a r a t u s . I l l e g a l a c t i v i t i e s such as non-regis tered 'underground, and

1. Tha t C h r i s t i a n s w i l l uphold t h e f o u r b a s i c house-churches, i t i n e r a n t evangel ism and r e l i g i o u s p r i n c i p l e s o f t h e Chinese Communist P a r t y (CCP), i n s t r u c t i o n of c h i l d r e n a r e e s p e c i a l l y a b h o r r e d by t h e namely, i n s i s t on Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedoung' s government and a r e p u n i s h a b l e under t h e law, The t h o u g h t , i n s i s t on t h e people s democrat ic government uses t h e recognized church b o d i e s t o impl.ement d i c t a t o r s h i p , and i n s i s t on walking t h e pathway of i ts p o l i c i e s . I n t h e P e o p l e ' s Republ ic of' China .the soci .a l ism. government's appara tus of c o n t r o l i n v o l v e s t h e Uni ted 2, That C h r i s t i a n s should n o t i n t e r f e r e wi th Front Work Department (UFWD) of *the Communist P a r t y , t h e p o l i t i c s , educa t ion , marriage o r fami ly planing. Re l ig ious A f f a i r s Bureau ( R A B ) o p e r a t i n g under t h e S t a t e 3. Tha t C h r i s t i a n s w i l l no t p r o s e l y t i z e o r b a p t i z e Council and l o c a l governments, t h e P u b l i c S e c u r i t y Bureau t h o s e under 18 y e a r s of a g e ; t h a t t h e y may not pray (PSB) which s tands f o r C h i n a ' s p o l i c e s y s t e m , and t h e f o r the s i c k and e x o r c i s e demons. p a t r i o t i c o r g a n i z a t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g t h o s e t h a t a re under 4 , Tha t C h r i s t i a n s w i l l ab ide by a l l t h e laws and government's s u p e r v i s i o n o rgan ized as r e l i g i o u s b o d i e s , p o l i c i e s o f t h e S t a t e and w i l l r e s o l u t e l y r e s i s t a l l such a s t h e p r o t e s t a n t TSPM and C a t h o l i c P a t r i o t i c i n f i l . t r a . t i o n by churches abroad, i n c l u d i n g B i b l e s , Associa t ion (CPA). A t t h e c e n t r a l l e v e l t h e P a r t y ' s UFWD li t e r a ' t u r e and economic a s s i s t a n c e from abroad. formulates r e l i g i o u s p o l i c i e s which a r e supp lemented a t 5. Tha t t h e churches w i L 1 p r a c t i c e t h e th ree - t h e p r o v i n c i a l and l o c a l l e v e l s t h r o u g h t h e R e l i g i o u s d e s i g n a t e s p o l i c y : des igna ted p l a c e , pe r sonne l , and A f f a i r s Bureau and wi th t h e c o o p e r a t i o n o f t h e p a t r i o t i c a r e a s ( t i m e s added l a t e r ) . (23) church o rgan iza t ions such as TSPM. Such an o b e d i e n t a t t i t u d e to t h e government is t y p i c a l of

An example of t h e Church ' s s u b s e r v i e n c e and some I.eadors who a r e s i n c e r e l y mat ivated and j u s t i f i e d by compromise i n China is t h e p r o c e s s o f i m p l e m e n t a t i o n of t h e i r p a t r i o t i s m and by appea l s t o t h e a p o s t l e P a u l ' s 'Document No. 19' which is t h e d e f i n i t i v e s t a t e m e n t on admoni t ion t o "submit t o t h e governing a u t h o r i t i e s , f o r c u r r e n t Chinese communist r e l i g i o u s p o l i c y . I t was i s s u e d t h e r e is nu a u t h o r i t y except t h a t which God has i n March 1982 by t h e Communist P a r t y ' s C e n t r a l Committee. e s t a b l i s h a d " (Romans 13:l). T h i s submiss ion, however, has I n September o f 1982 t h e n a t i o n a l l e a d e r s h i p of TSPM was a t timen l e d t o i d o l a t r o u s a d u l a t i o n and ex t ravagan t c a l l e d t o Be i j ing t o hear UFWD and RAB o f f i c i a l s e l a b o r a t e p r a i s e t h a t h a s no j u s t i f i c a t i o n whatsoever. For example, on the document's r e l i g i o u s p o l i c y and i n s t r u c t on i t s on August 1, 1989, an " I n t e r c o n f e s s i o n a l Conference o f implementation, The l e a d e r s o f t h e TSPM t h e n o r g a n i z e d Ilornage" s e n t ,the Romanian D i c t a t o r Nicolae CEUSESCU a s i m i l a r meetings i n t h e i r p r o v i n c e s and c i t i e s f o r t h e ,I;elcgram c o n g r a t u l a t i n g him a s " t h e most beloved son of TSPM p a s t o r s and w i t h UFWD and RAB o f f i c i a l s e x p l a i n i n g *tho Romanian n a t i o n , a he ro among heroes of our coun t ry , a t h e po l icy . The same procedure was t h e n a p p l i e d a t t h e b r i l l i a n t foundor of s o c i a l i s t Romania... a man whose mind l o c a l l e v e l s . The r e s u l t was t h a t s e v e r a l l o c a l TSPM and ~ o u l have r e a l i z e d .the i n t e r e s t s of t h e people ."(24) committees produced " p a t r i o t i c covenant^'^ which C h r i s t i a n s No wander t h a t somo of t h e s e and o t h c r churchmen went i n t o a r e asked t o obey. S ince e a r l y 1983 t h e s e p a t r i o t i c h i d i n g o r were swept away by t h e i r b e l i e v i n g communities covenants were a l s o used t o e x e r t p r e s s u r e on t h e house o n l y a few months l a t e r wi th the downfall of t h e t y r a n t - churches (many of them d i s t i n c t l y p e n t e c o s t a l i n b e l i e f The Chtlrch of J e s u s C h r i s t is a p i l g r i m community - and p r a c t i c e ) t o j o i n t h e TSPM and a b i d e by t h e s e conunllnio viatorllm - ' i n t h e wor.lcll bul: no t 'of t h e world , ' r e g u l a t i o n s , These " p a t r i o t i c covenan ts t1 a r e a t e n - p o i n t 8ti~.l on t h e journey t o t h e e t e r n a l c i t y and t h e r e f o r e swnmary of t h e ' 'Spir i t ; o f Document 1 9 , " Some o f t h e n e v e r comfori;ably a t home in m y s o c i e t y . AS Jan M i l k e s s e n t i a l p o i n t s of t h i s r e s t r i c t i v e document i s as LOCHMAN, a Czech t h e o l o g i a n reminds, "any a t tempt t o f 01 lows :

r e l a t e t h e Gospel t o o c l o s e l y t o an i d e o l o g y , i s dangerous f o r i ts i n t e g r i t y and i ts i d e n t i t y . I f ( 2 5 ) An u n c r i t i c a l i d e n t i f i c a t i o n wi th t h e world i n e v i t a b l y l e a d s t o a c r i t i c a l l o s s of b o t h i d e n t i t y and s p i r i t u a l a u t h o r i t y .

Evaluat ion and P e r s p e c t i v e s

S t r e n g t h s and Mopes P e n t e c o s t a l b e l i e v e r s i n Marx i s t dominated l a n d s a r e

marked by a theology of the cross. The words of J e s u s - ltIf anyone would come a f t e r me, he must deny h i m s e l f and take up h i s c ross and fo l low melt (Mark 8: 3 4 ) - have a deep exper ient ia l . meaning f o r them. They a r e n o t a d h e r e n t s of popular r e l i g i o n o f f e r i n g ready-made answers t o a l l o f t h e problems and needs o f t h e i r v u l n e r a b l e e x i s t e n c e . T h e i r C h r i s t i a n l i f e has a depth o f commitment and a s p i r i t o f s a c r i f i c e going f a r beyond a n y t h i n g known i n a s u p e r f i c i a l and se l f -cen te red response t o 'cheap g r a c e ' and i ts pseudo-pentecostal v a r i a b l e s such as ' h e a l t h and w e a l t h , 'name it - claim i t ' o r ' p r o s p e r i t y g o s p e l , ' a l l p o p u l a r i n some segments of Western c u l t u r e dominated C h r i s t i a n i t y . T h e i r f a i t h and s u f f e r i n g have t a u g h t them t h a t e x t e r n a l p r e s s u r e s , l e g a l r e s t r i c t i o n s , s o c i a l d i sc r imina t ion and even p h y s i c a l p e r s e c u t i o n s s e r v e t h e noble purpose of p u r i f y i n g and s t r e n g t h e n i n g t h e Church. They have e m p i r i c a l l y l e a r n e d t h e t r u t h o f t h e p r o p h e t i c assurance t h a t it is "Not by might , n o t by power, b u t by my S p i r i t , f ' s a y s t h e Lord Almighty ( Z e c h e r i a h 4 : 6 ) . Relying t o t a l l y on t h e Lord t h e y have n o t o n l y s u r v i v e d b u t a l s o grown under d i f f i c u l t c i r c u m s t a n c e s .

William FLETCHER, a no ted a u t h o r i t y on r e l i g i o n i n t h e USSR, concludes h i s r e c e n t s t u d y S o v i e t C h a r i s m a t i c s : The P e n t e c o s t a l s i n t h e USSR, w i t h t h e f o l l o w i n g observat ion: "The P e n t e c o s t a l s i n t h e USSR can l o o k t o t h e f u t u r e wi th some conf idence. Should t h e s t a t e r e v e r t t o unres t ra ined s e v e r i t y i n i ts p o l i c y a g a i n s t them, t h e p a s t h i s t o r y o f t h e movement h a s demons t ra ted t h a t Pentecosta l ism can endure whatever measures t h e s t a t e can apply. . . . P e n t e c o s t a l s have demons t ra ted a b i l i t y t o su rv ive handi ly and even t o grow... i n t h e m a s s i v e l y

unequal ei truggle a g a i n s t t h e h o s t i l i t y and t h e concer ted migh t of t h e s t a t e t h e P e n t e c o s t a l s . . . have been winning h a n d i 1 y o 1 ' ( 2 6 ) The same has been s t a t e d o f t h e church i n C h i n a , which has miraculously survived t h e f i e r y fu rnace o f . the c u l t u s a l . r e v o l u t i o n . " In s p i t e o f t h e dark days o f t r i a l . t h e t r u e Church has n o t on ly survived but f louriruhed, emerging from v i r t u a l i n v i s i b i l i t y t o be seen c l . ea r ly by a l l . " ( 2 7 )

Prayer i a cons idered a holy t a s k , t h e most v i t a l p a r k o f C h r i ~ t i a n l i f e and t h e s u p e r n a t u r a l l y e f f i c i e n t weapon i n everyday s t r u g g l e s and s p i r i t u a l b a t t l e s . Emphasis on PrayCr 18 ev iden t i n b o t h i n d i v i d u a l s p i r i t u a l i t y and c o n g r e g a t i o n a l worship. Many l a y p a s t o r s r i n e d a i l y a t f o u r o ' c l o c k t o spend a couple o f hours i n p r a y e r b u f o r e t h e i r s e c u l a r job requirements . Very f r e q u e n t l y t h e f irst hour of t h e Sunday morning s e r v i c e t h e e n t i r e congrega t ion w i l l spend on t h e i r knees i n f e r v a n t p r a y e r . Weekday congrega t iona l p,rayer meetings a r e u r e g u l a r featkure o f t h e church l i f e and a r e taken a s s e r i o u s l y as Sunday worship a@rvi.ces.

Ivan Ef imovich VQRONAEV, t h e b e s t known p e n t e c o s t a l p i o n e e r in t h e 8ovie . t Union, wrote of t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h o i n d i v i d u a l ' s p r i v a t e p r a y e r l i f e . "Our d a i l y , p r i v a t e converaa.t:ions wi th t h e Lord, by some unique and i n e x p l i c a b Je means, c o n c e n t r a t e s t h e divi.ne presence. If o n l y we c o n s c i o u s l y p e r s o n i f y , embody t h e t r u t h of C h r i s t i n o u r a o l v e s , Idis presencc immediately b e g i n s t o a c t w i t h i n us i n every d i r e c t i o n , and a f t e r such conversa t ion and i n s p i r n ' t i o n we can perform t h o most e x c e l l e n t ~ c t l . o n s . ~ ' ( 2 8 ) The S o v i e t Marxist e x p e r t on r e l i g i o n and a the i sm, Al.eknci Trofimovich MOSI(ALENK0 in h i s book P i a t i d e s i a t n i k i ( P e n t e c o s t a l s ) , a f t e r d i s c u s s i n g t h e r o l e of glossolalia nr~d f e r v e n t p r a y c r , concl.udes : Y3uch is t h e i n f l u e n c e o f t h e p r a y e r meetings of ,the P e n t e c o s t a l s on t h e conrsciousnens and f e e l i n g o o f b e l i e v e r s . I t is one of t h e most powerful. means of r s l i g i o n t s i n f l u e n c e , Very n f t s n on ly ,two o r t h r e e v i s i t s ,to t h e s e meetings a re q u i t e s u f f i c i e n t f o r t h e I .eaders of ,the congregat ion t o t u r n a nov ice in'tca a r e l i g i o u s f a n a t i c , a zealous; adheren t o f t h e p e n t a c o s t a l . a e c t , I' (29 )

Church Membership Church membership is t a k e n w i t h utmost s e r i o u s n e s s ,

f o r t h e c o s t o f p u b l i c l y i d e n t i f y i n g w i t h t h e b e l i e v i n g community has been counted i n advance and d o e s f o s t e r unwavering commitment. The f a i t h of t h o s e who are b a p t i z e d - u s u a l l y a f t e r prolonged p e r i o d s o f w a i t i n g and p r e p a r a t i o n t o see t h e genu ine ' f r u i t o f r e p e n t a n c e f - and thus rece ived a s church members h a s been e x p e r i e n c e d and t e s t e d . There is a deep s o l i d a r i t y of l o v e , mutua l s u p p o r t and p r o t e c t i v e c o n f i d e n t i a l i t y between t h o s e who a r e bona fide members of t h e new s p i r i t u a l household. Every church member is expected t o l i v e a l i f e of h o l i n e s s , have a good pub l ic r e p u t a t i o n , c o n t r i b u t e s a c r i f i c i a l l y t o t h e c h u r c h , c a r e f o r t h e poor , widows and needy, a t t e n d a l l s e r v i c e s and p rayer meetings and w i t n e s s f o r C h r i s t t o u n b e l i e v e r s . If a member is caught i n s i n o r h i s b e h a v i o u r is n o t deemed i n accordance w i t h b i b l i c a l s t a n d a r d s , church d i s c i p l i n e is p r a c t i c e d . I n m i l d e r c a s e s it means temporary p r o h i b i t i o n from p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n t h e L o r d ' s supper and i n more s e r i o u s f a i l u r e s r e s u l t i n p u b l i c excommunication from church membership.

P e n t e c o s t a l s i n most M a r x i s t dominated l a n d s p r a c t i c e t h e b i b l i c a l priesthood o f a l l believers. Church l e a d e r s h i p is b o t h p l u r a l and p l u r i f o r m and t h e c le rgy- la ie ty d i v i d e is p r a c t i c a l l y n o n - e x i s t e n t . Due t o pe rsecu t ions and l e g a l r e s t r i c t i o n s i n t h e S o v i e t Union and China t h e r e is no p r o f e s s i o n a l i s m i n t h e m i n i s t r y , no s a l a r i e d and no t r a i n e d c l e r g y . I n most c o u n t r i e s t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l terms l i k e ' c l e r g y ' and ' r e v e r e n d ' a r e abhorred by t h e P e n t e c o s t a l s a s t h e y smack o f t h e non- S p i r i t f i l l e d r e l i g i o u s f u n c t i o n a r i e s o f t h e t r a d i t i o n a l churches and have no b i b l i c a l f o u n d a t i o n s . Every member m i n i s t r y is encouraged and t h e m i n i s t r y o f p r o c l a m a t i o n is shared by a number of ' p r e a c h e r s ' r a t h e r t h a n c o n t r o l l e d by a p r o f e s s i o n a l p a s t o r . For example, t h e l a r g e s t p e n t e c o s t a l church i n Romania ( i n T i m i s o a r a ) h a s an a t tendance of about 5000 w i t h o v e r 3000 a c t i v e members b u t has never had one s a l a r i e d m i n i s t e r , P e n t e c o s t a l s under p r e s s u r e have discovered t h e b i b l i c a l p a t t e r n s o f s h a r e d

m i n i s t r y under t h e Lordship o f C h r i s t who by h i s S p i r i t g i v e s g i f t s and m i n i s t r i e s t o a l l members o f t h e body f o r t h e common good o f e d i f i c a t i o n .

The Marxis t r e v o l u t i o n i n China used two s t e p s t o weaken and f i n a l l y d e s t r o y t h e church. F i r s t , a l l t h e p a s t o r s and church l e a d e r s were s e p a r a t e d from t h e i r congrega ' t ions and s e n t t o l a b o r camps i n far o f f p l a c e s . Second, most of t h e church b u i l d i n g s were des t royed o r a p p r o p r i a t e d by t h e government and t ransformed f o r s t a t e o r p u b l i c purposes . The i n t e n t was t o d e s t r o y t h e c o n g r e g n t i o n by t a k i n g away Irom it t h e two b a s i c p i l l a r s of osganised church l i f e - leadership a n d b u i l d i n g s . This , however, h a s n o t weakened b u t r a t h e r s t r e n g t h e n e d t h e Chinese church , which was fo rced t o d i scover New Testament p r i n c i p 1 . e ~ o f congregational, l i f e and growth and thus s t a r t e d on t h e pathway o f an unprecedented r e v i v a l i n t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e church u n i v e r s a l .

l3y s e p a r a t i n g p a s t o r s from t h e i r congrega t ions , t h e Communis.t~ have forced t h e Chinese Church t o seek loaderrjlhip from w i t h i n t h e congregat ion. These lenders a r e laymen or laywomen who, f o r t h e most p a r t , were n o t i n d o c t r i n a t e d w i t h t h e Western concept-s of church l e a d e r s h i p . The r e s u l t has been t h a t t h o Chinese Church has sought i ts own l e v e l , a l e v e l 3n which it could f u n c t i o n most e f f e c t i v e l y . Thun t h e church i n mainland China h a s formed i t s e l f i n t o fami ly u n i t s where l e a d e r s h i p would a l r e a d y e x i s t . . , The p r e o e n t form o f t h e Chinese Church is b o t h t h e i d e a l form In t h e Chinese c u l t u r e and t h e c l o a e s t .to t h e New Testament p a t t e r n . (30) Evangelisam Evangc;lism, a l though o f t e n d i s c r e t e i n proclamat ion,

is amnzing1.y e f f e c t i v e because o f t h e a t t r a c t i v e q u a l i t y of new l i f e e v i d e n t i n b e l i e v e r s a n d t h e i r f a m i l i e s . I n t h o p e r s e c u t e d church i n China t h e e x p l o s i v e growth i n t h e p redominan t ly p e n t e c o s t a l t y p e o f house churches i s i n many c a s e s a s c r i b e d t o 'power evangelism, ' t h e Holy S p i r i t conf i rming t h e Word o f God by e x t r a o r d i n a r y phenomena, t h e bFhLical s i g n s and wonders. E a s t European P e n t e c o s t a l s a r e known f o r t a k i n g evangelism very s e r i o u s l y and f o r us ing a

va r i e ty of approaches t o reach t h e i r f r i e n d s and neighbors fo r Chr is t . Weddings and f u n e r a l s a r e two t o t a l l y d i f f e r en t publ ic occasions on which nonbe l i eve r s p r e s e n t a r e r egu la r ly challenged t o r e c e i v e C h r i s t a s t h e i r Saviour. Personal evangelism is thorough and most: e f fec t ive . A book publ ished by Moscow U n i v e r s i t y on Certain P e c u l i a r i t i e s of Contemporary R e l i g i o u s Ideology contains the following i n t e r e s t i n g note .

In one of t h e Moscow Distx?icts t h e notebook of one Pentecostal was found. There she had t r a n s c r i b e d t h e names and addresses of those she in t ended t o e n t i c e i n t o the s e c t . No prRyers were wr i tken i n t h e book. In i t , with thorough p r a c t i c a l i t y , s e v e r a l biographical d a t a were w r i t t e n : Opposi te each name what d i s t u r b s t h e person i n h i s l i f e and what d i f f i c u l t i e s s tand i n h i s way were noted. (31)

Until recent ly Pen tecos t a l s a long wi th o t h e r b e l i e v e r s have suf fered when caught openly e v a n g e l i z i ng. Sov ie t courts have in t e rp re t ed a r t i c l e 52 o f t h e i r c o n s t i t u t i o n t o allow only worship (confined t o t h e w a l l s o f t h e r eg i s t e r ed church bu i ld ing ) while fo rb idd ing t t r e l i g i o u s propaganda.'' The a r t i c l e r e f e r r e d t o i n t h e 1977 Sov ie t Cons t i tu t ion reads : l tCi t izens of t h e USSR a r e guaranteed freedom of conscience, t h a t is , t h e r i g h t t o p r o f e s s o r not t o profess any r e l i g i o n , and t o conduct r e l i g i o u s worship or a t h e i s t i c propaganda. Inc i tement o f h o s t i l i t y o r hatred on r e l i g i o u s grounds is p r o h i b i t e d . I n t h e USSR the church is sepa ra t e from the s t a t e , and t h e schoo l from the church. S t i l l FLETCHER concludes: t t P e n t e c o s t a l s i n the USSR seem thoroughly committed t o r e a c h i n g ou t t o o thers i n Soviet soc i e ty wi th t h e i r f a i t h . "(32)

Problems and Weaknesses

Pentecos ta l s and o t h e r Evange l i ca l s i n communist dominated areas a r e a small b u t growing m i n o r i t y , tha t faces many probl.ems. They l i v e i n s o c i e t i e s where Marxis t d i a l e c t i c a l materialism imposes i t s e l f as an all-encompassing world-view and atheism is g i v e n t h e pr iv i leged s t a t u s of a new ' s t a t e - r e l i g i o n . ' Various s t a t e

p o l i c i e s , admin i s t r a t i ve measures and educational methods a r e sys t ema t i ca l ly employed t o speed up t h e process of, to u se a Marxist expression, t he 'withering away' of r e l i g i o n . ( 3 3 ) C h r i s t i a n s a r e a t a g r e a t disadvantage in combating Marxist atheism due t o no or l imited o p p o r t u n i t i e s ( d i f f e r e n t from country t o country) for provid ing C h r i s t i a n education f o r t h e i r ch i ld ren and young people, l a c k of s o l i d Chr i s t i an l i t e r a t u r e , and no access t o pub l i c means of communication. By s p e c i a l r e s t r i c t i v e l e g i s l a t i o n t h e i r f a i t h is confined t o the privacy of o n e ' s i n n e r p i e t y and t o t h e walls of s ca rce ly ava i l ab l e church bu i ld ings . A s a r e s u l t , the chances of pentecostal C h r i s t i a n s making a s i g n i f i c a n t impact on t h e i r s o c i e t i e s and in f luenc ing c u r r e n t a f f a i r s a re minimal. They lack t r a i n e d l eade r sh ip , a r e usua l ly marked by a weak o rgan iza t iona l appara tus and have no publ ic platforms to a r t i c u l a t e t h e i r convic t ions .

Lack of systema'tic t heo log ica l . t ra ining ( t h e B i b l i c a l Theologica l I n s t i t u t e i n Zagreb, Yugoslavia, in 1972 was t h e first, and fo r a long time t h e only, p e n t e c o s t a l educa t iona l i n s t i t u t i o n i n t he communist world! ) , coupled wi th the pressure of ex terna l circum- s t m c e s , o f t e n l e a d s t o specu la t ive e scap i s t eschatology t h a t i n t u r n j u s t i f i e s the Marxist charge of a l i ena t ion . C h r i s t i a n f a i t h is o f t e n , i n most ca ses unfa i r ly but a t t imes j u s t i f i a b l y , suspected of reac t ionary ideology a s a remnant of t he old bourgeois order o r an i n f i l t r a t i o n of ' i m p e r i a l i s t i c ' Western inf luences , Due t o such a s s o c i a t i v e accusations some r e l i g i o u s act ivism has been considered synonymous with po l i t i ca l . diss idence.

The gene ra t ion gap is another problem evident i n many segments of Pentecostal ism. Older Chr is t ians w i t h t h e i r time condit ioned forms of p i e t y , t r a d i t i o n a l ways of worship coupled wi th legal ism as t h e norm of Chris t ian l i f e , and a lack o f concern f o r l a r g e r human and soc ia l i s s u e s , have o f t e n a l i ena t ed t h e more en thus i a s t i c and be.ttor educated young people who a re f ac ing t h e challenges of modern l i f e and new s o c i e t y and a r e a t t r a c t e d t o a more innovat ive , l i v e l y and r e f l e c t i v e presenta t ion of the Gospel. Unfortunately, u n t i 1 very r ecen t ly , the

evangel ical and pentecos ta l es tabl ishment was marked by a r e t r e a t from the world, fo rc ing them i n t o t h e undes i red pos i t ion of merely t o l e r a t e d and l a r g e l y i r r e l e v a n t minority.

Pentecostals have t o grow out of ( i n some p l a c e s ) prevalent suspicion of education and l e g i t i m a t e i n t e l l e c t u a l pu r su i t s i f they a r e t o make an impact on t h e youth and i n t e l l i g e n t s i a who inc reas ing ly a r e s ea rch ing f o r acceptable s p i r i t u a l r e a l i t i e s . B e l i e v e r s , and espec ia l ly min i s t e r s , w i l l have t o overcome widespread ignorance of Marxism and o the r s e c u l a r s t reams o f thought. They need t o study and take them s e r i o u s l y so a s t o be able t o r e l a t e t h e i r own f a i t h and experience i n terms and concepts t h a t a r e f i rmly rooted i n t h e Word o f God whi le a l so re levant t o , and understood by, t h e s e c u l a r i z e d man t ra ined in I s c i e n t i f i c atheism.'

For the evangel izing minority t h i s is an enormous and complex challenge. The v a s t majori ty of t h e paople i n Eastern Europe, China, e t c . a r e b i b l i c a l l y t o t a l l y i l l i t e r a t e . The r a d i c a l , i deo log ica l ly i n s p i r e d secu la r - i za t ion has t o t a l l y d i s t o r t e d , i f n o t completely abolished, the bas ic f a c t s of t h e C h r i s t i a n f a i t h , The message of the c ros s and s a lva t ion can h a r d l y have any meaning fo r those who grew up i n a system which den ie s t h a t Jesus ever ex i s t ed and argues with t h e au tho r i ' t y of the 'goddess of s c i e n c e , ' t h a t b e l i e f i n God i s super- s t i t i o n and a dangerous escape from r e a l i t y . S o v i e t government, fo r example, proud1.y claims t h a t one of t h e successes of its educat ional system is t h a t around 90 percent of t h e i r young people ages 16-20 adhere t o atheism a s t h e i r world-view. A l l o f these and unto ld h ~ ~ n d r e d s of mi l l ions of o the r s must hear and r ead t h e gospe l t r ans l a t ed and i .nterpreted i n t o t h e i r language and thought-categories i n order t o understand i ts s i g n i f i c a n c e for t h e i r own l i v e s and sa lva t ion .

Tasks and P r o s ~ e c t s

Twentieth century Pentecostalism is a recovery of t he f l ~ l l - f l e d g e d a p o s t o l i c C h r i s t i a n i t y , of the Whole Gospel. The Whole/ ' F u l l ' Gospel means t o t a l commitment t o a l l t he demands of Jesus , including t h e whole spectrum of e t h i c a l (pe r sona l and s o c i a l ) requirements t h a t a r e i nhe ren t i n t he Gospel message. The Whole Gospel implies joyfu l c e l e b r a t i o n of God's g i f t of s a lva t ion and continuous openness t o t h e Holy S p i r i t t o confirm t h e word by s i g n s and wonders. The Whole Gospel covers proclamation of t r u t h and exh ib i t i on of love , manifestat ion o f power and i n t e g r i t y o f l i f e . I t is i n word, deed and sign.

Only such a Gospel in i t s t o t a l i t y o f beauty, t ru th and power, f a i t h f u l l y proclaimed, cons is ten t ly l ived , l ov ing ly exemplif ied and powerfully demonstrated, w i l l r e s t o r e c r e d i b i l i t y to the message o f Chr i s t in Marxist dominated a r e a s of t h e world. Pentecos ta l s recognize t h a t C h r i s t i a n r e l i g i o n haa a long and heavy h i s t o r i c a l b a l l a s t which p re sen t s a se r ious hindrance to world evangelizat3i.on. I n Eastern Europe we have learned t h a t Marxist c r i t i c i s m o f r e l i g i o n - with a l l i t s s te reo types , abuse o f s c i ence and f a l s e propaganda - is not a l l wrong and have come t o acknowledge t h a t t h e r i s e and spread of (Western and) Marxiat atheism is proport ionately re la ted t o t h e sh r ink ing c r e d i b i l i t y of t h e i n s t i t u t i o n a l C h r i s t i a n church. Pen tecos t a l s , due t o t h e i r ecclesio- l o g i c a l self-understanding and h i s to r i ca l , experience, agree wi th t h e Czech theologian I-IROMADKA, when he s t a t e s : V h c r e a l Church is always being born anew, always in t ens ion wi th t r a d i t i o n and i t s o f f i c i a l l a b e l s . "(34) Much of communist atheism is a t l e a s t p a r t i a l l y a reac t ion a g a i n s t backsl idden C h r i s t i a n i t y and may leg i t imate ly be i n t e r p r e t e d a s God's judgment on the h i s t o r i c a l un fa i th fu lnees of t h e Church. This is why when going out t o evangel ize I t e l l our seminary ~ t u d e n t s i n Yugoslavia t h a t our pre l iminary t a sk may be t o 'wash the face of J e ~ u s , ' f o r it h a s been d i r t i e d , d i s t o r t e d and made

unrecognizable by both t h e compromises o f t h e C h r i s t i a n through t h e c e n t u r i e s and t h e an tagon i . s t1 .c

propaganda of a t h e i s t i c communism i n t h i s c e n t u r y . We must humbly acknowledge t h a t r e1 . ig ion was

f requen t ly used a s a manipula t ive t o o l of t h e p o w e r f u l and mighty and has o f t e n served a s an i d e o l o g i c a l s c r e e n ,to j u s t i f y t h e a c t i o n s o f t h e powerful o p p r e s s o r s t o p a c i f y t h e poor and e x p l o i t e d . White-washing u n j u s t wars, j u s t i f y i n g economic i n j u s t i c e s and b l a t a n t e x p l o i t a t i o n , and smoke-screening r a c i a l d i s c r i m i n a t i o n a r e o n l y some of t h e obvious e v i l s t h a t t h e church has p r a c t i c e d f o r a g e s , Although somewhat over -genera l i zed , t h e s t a t e m e n t o f G I R A R D I is h i s t o r i c a l l y demonstrable: 'tWllenever t h o working c l a s s expressed its a s p i r a t i o n s and demands, ,the Church s tood with t h e o p p o s i t i o n , a g a i n s t t h e workers . The workers grew up, t h e r e f o r e , c o n s i d e r i n g t h e Church a s t h e i r c l a s s enemy.11(35) We humbly a g r e e w i t h C h a r l e s WEST:

It is t h e d i s g r a c e o f C h r i s t i a n t h e o l o g y *l;hat MATiX found i n i t , no t t h e Gospel o f Good News t o 'the whole man, body and s o u l , e s p e c i a l l y 'to t h o humble and t h e poor, no t t h e promise o f , the coming o f an a l r e a d y r i s e n and r u l i n g C h r i s t , b u t o n l y .the d i v i s i o n of body from S p i r i t , t h e hope o f a s p i r i t u a l e t e r n a l l i f e , and t h e n e g l e c t o r t h e s a n c t i f i c a t i o n of t h e m a t e r i a l a r rangements o f t h i s world. ( 36 )

The Pentecostals a s t h e ' church o f t h e working c l a s s 1 - a s they have been o c c a s i o n a l l y l a b e l l e d - and as , the movement of t h e twhole / fu l l Gospe l ' , a r e i n a un ique p o s i t i o n t o overcome t h i s and o t h e r Marx i s t p r e j u d i c e s and s t e r e o t y p e s . I n o r d e r t o do so i t is i m p e r a t i v e t h a t we p r a c t i c e C h r i s t i a n love wi thou t c r e a t i n g o u r own i d e o l o g i c a l p r e j u d i c e s and s t e r e o t y p e s t h a t would b l i n d us t o r e a l human needs and problems. M a r x i s t a n a l y s i s of s o c i a l r e a l i t i e s o f t e n uncover c o n c r e t e s i t u a ' t i o n s which have d e f i n i t e i m p l i c a t i o n s f o r C h r i s t i a n e t h i c s and s h o u l d n o t he suppressed o r ignored merely on t h e b a s i s of t h e f a c t t h a t they have been exposed by M a r x i s t s . A s FIORDEIZN p u t s it, "No C h r i s t i a n h a s a r i g h t t o condemn Comtnunism u n t i l h i s own pass ion f o r s o c i a l jus.t;ice e q u a l s i,Ls

p a s s i o n and s u p e r s e d e s it. To paraphrase t h e saying of J e s u s , 'Except y o u r r i g h t e o u s n e s s s h a l l exceed t h e r i g h t e o u s o f t h e Communists and t h e C a p i t a l i s t s , ye s h a l l i n no way e n t e r t h e Kingdom of God.I1(37) The famous e x i l e d Russ ian p h i l o s o p h e r Nico las BERDYAEV, h imse l f a conver t from Marxism t o C h r i s t i a n i t y , concludes h i s book The O r i g i n o f Russ ian Communism w i t h t h e fol lowing s ta tement abou t human need i n our world and t h e s p i r i t u a l answer t o it:

The world is l i v i n g through t h e danger of a dehumanizat ion of s o c i a l l i f e , t h e dehumanization of man h imse l f . The very e x i s t e n c e of man is i n danger from a l l t h e p r o c e s s e s which a r e going on i n t h e world. Only t h e s p i r i t u a l s t r e n g t h e n i n g of man can combat t h i s danger . When C h r i s t i a n i t y appeared i n t h e world it defended man from t h e danger a r i s i n g from demonolatry. Man was i n t h e power of cosmic f o r c e s , of demons and s p i r i t s o f n a t u r e which tormented him. C h r i s t i a n i t y focused man s p i r i t u a l l y and s u b j e c t e d h i s f a t e t o God; t h i s h a s prepared t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f manta power a v e r Nature. A t t h o p r e s e n t t ime C h r i s t i a n i t y i s aga in c a l l e d upon t o p r o t e c t man, t o p r o t e c t h i s whole image from a demonolat ry which t o r t u r e s him anew, from s e r v i t u d e t o t h e o ld cosmic and t h e new t e c h n i c a l f o r c e s . But t h i s can o n l y be done by a re juvena ted C h r i s t i a n i t y which is t r u e t o i t s p r o p h e t i c s p i r i t and which is t u r n e d toward t h e Kingdom o f ~ o d . ( 3 8 ) Today BERDYAEVts own homeland, and t o a g r e a t e x t e n t

t h e o t h e r l a n d s s o long c a p t i v a t e d by t h e f o r c e s of t h e most power fu l s e c u l a r s u b s t i t u t e r e l i g i o n , s t and on t h e t h r e s h o l d o f a new e r a , The Marxis t s o c i e t i e s a r e i n a p e r i o d of r a p i d t r a n s i t i o n w i t h a new s p i r i t o f hope and immense e x p e c t a t i o n s on t h e widened hor izons o f new f reedom. Though %he dramat ic changes c o n t a i n many elements o f u n p r e d i c t a b i l i t y , t h e f o l l o w e r s o f C h r i s t a r e aware t h a t t h i s is t h e time o f s p e c i a l g r a c e - kniros. The problems a r e many, b u t t h e S p i r i t - f i l l e d b e l i e v e r s r e c o g n i z e b o t h t h e problems and t h e whole range of new p o s s i b i l i t i e s a s o c c a ~ i o n f o r t h e Kingdom of God. May t h e

Pentecostal movement be a t l e a s t i n p a r t an answer t o BERDYAEVIS i n s igh t and p lea f o r a ' r e j u v e n a t e d Chr i s t i an i ty1 and thus , G o d ' s answer t o Marxism,

Pe t e r K U Z M I C Bib l i sko Teoloski I n s t i t u t D. Tucovica 32 P.P. 370 YU - 54103 Osijelc

Endnotes

(1) Trevor BEESON, D i s c r e t i o n and Va lou r (London: C o l l i n s , 1974 ) , p.135, ( 2 ) Paul TILLICH, IIHow Much T r u t h i s There i n K a r l Marx,l l C h r i s t i a n Century ~ X V 1 / 3 6 (Sept. 8, 1949), p. 906. (3) A r t h u r F. GLASSER, t1An ~ n t r o d u c t i o n t o M i s s i o n Theo logy , " i n - C r u c i a l Dimensions i n World E v a n g e l i z a t i o n , ed. by A r t h u r GLASSER e t , a l . ( S o u t h Pasadena, CA: W i l l i a m Carey L i b r a r y , 1976), p. 9. (4) L e s l i e LYALL, God Reigns i n Ch ina o on don: Hodder and S t o u g h t o n , 1985), pp. 217-218. On the chu rch i n Ch ina f r o m an e v a n g e l i c a l p e r s p e c t i v e see a l so D a v i d H. ADENEY, China: The C h u r c h ' s Long March - (Ventura , CA: Regal Books, and S ingapore : OMF P u b l i s h e r s , 1985) . (5) quoted by Gustav WETTER, "Communism and t h e P rob lem o f I n t e l l e c t u a l Freedom," i n R e l i g i o n and the Search f o r New I d e a l s i n t h e USSR ( N ~ W York: F r e d e r i c k A. Praeger , 1967), p. 1. ( 6 ) Cf. Dav id LYON, K a r l Marx: A C h r i s t i a n A p p r e c i a t i o n o f H i s L i f e and Thought (London: L i o n ~ u b l i s h i n g / ~ n t e r - V a r s i t y Press, 1979) , pp. 11-12. (7) P e t e r KUZMIC, ItHou M a r x i s t s See Jesus,l l i n Handbook o f C h r i s t i a n B e l i e f , ed, by Robin KEELEY ( T r i n g , He r t s , Eng land: L i o n P u b l i s h i n g , 1982), p. 108, (8) See R.J. SIEBERT, UThe Neu R e l i g i o u s D imens ion i n Wes te rn Marxism,l l Hor izons 312 (1976), pp. 217-236 and the second p a r t o f t h i s a r t i c l e i n t he f o l l o u l n g i ssue o f Hor izons. ( 9 ) Jose Miguez BONINO, C h r i s t i a n s and M a r x i s t s : The M u t u a l C h a l l e n g e t o R e v o l u t i o n (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1976), p. 0, F o r an e v a n g e l i c a l response t o l i b e r a t i o n t h e o l o g y see J. Andrew KIRK, L i b e r a t i o n Theology: An E v a n g e l i c a l View . f rom t h e T h i r d W o r l d ( A t l a n t a : John Knox Press, 1979).

(10) Lausanne O c c a s i o n a l Papers , NO. 12, C h r i s t i a n Wi tness to M a r x i s t s (Wheaton: Lausanne Commit tee f o r Wor ld E v a n g e l i z a t i o n , 198O), p. 27. F o r a somewhat more d e t a i l e d e v a n g e l i c a l t h e o l o g i c a l rcsponse t o Marxism see K l a u s BOCKMUEHL, The C h a l l e n g e o f Marxism: A C h r i s t i a n Response ( ~ o u n e r s Grove, I L : I n t e r - V a r s i t y Press , 1980) and J. Andrew KIRK, Theo loav -, Encoun te rs R e v o l u t i o n ( L e i c e s t e r , England: I n t c r - V a r s i t y Press, 1980). (11) " T h e o l o g i c a l R e F l e c t i o n on the Encoun te r O F the Church With Marxism i n V a r i o u s D ia logue , ed -

C u l t u r a l C o n t e x t s " i n Varieties OF C h r i s t i a n - M a r x i s t by P a u l MOJZES ( P h i l a d e l p h i a : The Ecumenical Press, 1978),

p. 67. (12) I b i d . (13) I b i d . , p. 68. (14) A r t h u r F. McGOVERN, Marxism: An American C h r i s t i a n P e r s p e c t i v e ( M a r y k n o l l , ZY: O r b i s Books, 1980), p. 327. (15) P e t e r KUZMXC, l l E v a n g e l i c a l Wi tness i n Eas te rn Europe," i n S e r v i n g Our Genera t i on : E v a n g e l i c a l S t r a t e g i e s f o r the E i g h t i e s , ed. by Waldron SCOTT ( C o l o r a d o S p r i n g s : WEF, 1980), p. 03. See a l s o P. KUZMIC, "Chr is - t i a n s i n E a s t e r n Europe,I1 i n C h r i s t i a n i t y : A Wor ld F a i t h , ed. b y Robin KEELEY ( T r i n g , I l e r t s , Enga lnd: L i o n P u b l i s h i n g , 1985). (16) q u o t e d by J. Miguez BONINO, C h r i s t i a n s and M a r x i s t s , p. 18. (17) See W a l t e r J. HOLLENWEGER, The P e n t e c o s t a l s : The Char i sma t i c Movement i n t h e Churches (London: SCM Press, 1972). p, 274; Kent R, HILL, The P u z z l e o f t h e s o v i e t Church: An I n s i d e ~ o o k a t C h r i s t i a n i t y and G l a s n o s t ( P o r t l a n d , OR: Multnomah Press, 1989), pp. 292-296. . . (18) K.R. HILL, - puzzle , pp. 292-293. (19) P e t e r KUZMIC, I t C h r i s t i a n - M a r x i s t D ia logue : An E v a n g e l i c a l Pe rspec t i ve l l t i n P r o c l a i m i n g C h r i s t i n C h r i s t ' s Way: S t u d i e s i n I n t e g r a l Evange l ism, ed. by V inay SAMUEL and A l b r e c h t HAUSER (Oxford : Regnum Books, 1989), p. 161, (20) Pau l MOJZES, ' I Impact o f t h e E a s t e r n Europcan Churches Upon T h e i r Own S o c i e t i e s , l l i n I n f o r m a t i o n L e t t e r OF t h e L u t h e r a n Wor ld F e d e r a t i o n , Marx ism and Ch ina Study No. 37 (Geneva, S w i t z e r l a n d : LWF, Feb. 1983), p. 11. (21) P. KUZMIC, I ~ E v a n g e l i c a l Witness, ' t pp. 03-04. (22) See W a l t e r S A W A T S K Y , S o v i e t E v a n g e l i c a l s S ince World War I1 ( K i t c h e n e r , Ont : H e r a l d Press , 1981); K , R , HILL, Puzz le ; Steve DURASOFF, P e n t e c o s t B e h i n d t h e I r o n C u r t a i n ( P l a i n f i e l d , NJ: Logos I n t e r n a t i o n a l ,

1972) and The Russ ian P r o t e s t a n t s : E v a n g e l i c a l s i n the S o v i e t Union, 1944-1964 (C ranbu ry , ZJ: A s s o c i a t e d U n i v e r s i t y Presses Inc., 1969).

( 2 3 ) J o n a t h a n CHAU, ed., The C h i n a M i s s i o n Handbook: A P o r t r a i t o f C h i n a and I t s C h u r c h ( ~ o n q Hong: C h i n e s e C h u r c h R e s e a r c h C e n t e r , 1 9 8 9 ) , p. 38.

11, BOOK REVIEWS - -

( 2 4 ) Newsweek, J a n u a r y 29, 1990, p. 20. (25) Jan ~ i l i c LOCHMAN, E n c o u n t e r i n g Marx : Bonds a n d B a r r i e r s B e t w e e n C h r i s t i a n s and M a r x i s t s ( P h i l a d e l p h i a ; F o r t r e s s P r e s s , 1 9 7 7 ) , p . 15, LOCHMAN, an a c t i v e Czech p a r t i c i p a n t i n t h e C h r i s t i a n - M a r x i s t d i a l o g u e of t h e s i x t i e s and f o l l o w i n g 1968 a Czech I t t h e o l o g i a n i n e x i l e , l ' has q i v e n us a v e r y h e l p f u l case s t u d y o f C h r i s t i a n - M a r x i s t r e l a t i o n s i n C z e c h o s l o v a k i a i n Church I n a M a r x i s t S o c i e t y (New Y o r k : H a r p e r E Row, 1970). ( 2 6 ) W i l l i a m C. FLETCHER, S o v i e t C h a r i s m a t i c s : The P e n t e c o s t a l s i n t h e USSR (New York : P e t e r Lang, 1985) , pp. 161-162. - ( 2 7 ) L e s l i e LYALL, God R e i g n s , p. 179. ( 2 8 ) Q u o t e d by W . C . FLETCHER, S o v i e t C h a r i s m a t i c s , p. 72. (29) A l e k s e i T r o f i m o v i c h MOSKALENKO, P i a t i d e s i a t n i k i ne he P e n t e c o s t a l s ) (Moscow: P u b l i s h i n g House f o r P o l i t i c a l L i t e r a t u r e , 1 9 6 6 ) , p, 1 9 0 . (30) P a u l E. KAUFFMAN, C h i n a Tomorrow: C h i n a ' s C o m i n g R e v o l u t i o n (Wong Kong: A s i a n O u t r e a c h , 1977) , p. 132. ( 3 1 ) W.C. FLETCHER, S o v i e t C h a r i s m a t i c s , p. 112, ( 3 2 ) I b i d . , p. 113. ( 3 3 ) F o r a comprehens ive and w e l l documented s t u d y o f v a r i o u s S o v i o l : means and methods t o f i q h t r e l i g i o n see D a v i d E. POWELL, A n t i r e l i o i o u s Propaganda i n t h e S o v i e t U n i o n ( C a m b r i d g e and L o n d o n : The M I T P r e s s , 1975). F o r MARX1s o r i g i n a l v iews on r e l i g i o n see S a u l K . PADOVER, ed,, K a r l Marx on R e l i g i o n (New Y o r k : M c G r a w - H i l l , 1 9 7 4 ) a n d t h e m o s t h e l p f u l s t u d y b y D a v i d McLELLAN, Marx ism a n d R e l i g i o n (New Y o r k : H a r p e r E Row, 1987). ( 3 4 ) Joseph 1. 1970), P. lOQ.

HROMADKA, T h o u g h t s o f a Czech P a s t o r ( L o n d o n : SCM P r e s s ,

( 3 5 ) GIRARDI, q u o t e d by J.M. BONINO i n C h r i s t i a n s a n d M a r x i s t s , p. 60. (36) C h a r l e s WEST i n Thomas W . OGLETREE. ed.. O a e n i n a s F o r M a r x i s t - C h r i s t i a n D i a l o g u e ( N a s h v i l l e : A b i n g d o n P r e s s , l 9 6 9 ) , p, 331. ( 3 7 ) W i l l i a m HORDERN, C h r i s t i a n i t y , Communism a n d H i s t o r y ( N O H Y o r k : Ab ingdon P r e s s , 1954), p. 105. (38) N i c o l a s BERDYAEV, The O r i g i n o f R u s s i a n Communism ( A n n A r b o r , M I : The U n i v e r s i t y o f M i c h i g a n P r e s s , 1960) , p. 188.

Stanley BURGESS, The Holy S p i r i t : Eastern Chr is t ian Trad i t i ons (Peabody, MA: Mendrickson, 1989) v i i i , 260 pp, Reviewed by David BUNDY, Lexington, KY, U.S.A.

This volume is t h e second of a projected three volume s e r i e s on C h r i s t i a n pneurnatology . The f i r s t volume, The Holy S p i r i t : Ant iqui ty ( Peabody, MA : I-Iendrickson, 1984) was reviewed by J .D . PLUESS i n EPTA Bul le t in 5 (1986) , 23-26. The present volume continues khe t r a j e c t o r i e s of t he f i rst volume, introducing individual au thors and summarizing t h e i r teaching about t h e Holy S p i r i t , It provides an in t roduct ion t o Chr is t ian t e x t s f o r which, i n s e v e r a l i n s t ances , t h e r e are no o ther access ib le t r a n s l a t i o n s or i n t roduc t ions i n English. The mater ial i s organi zed i n t o e i g h t chapters divided according t o e c c l e s i . a s t i c a l t r a d i t i o n s which a r e categorized according t o t d e i r adherence t o t h e Chalcedonian formula, or by o t h e r t h e o l o g i c a l cont rovers ies .

BURGESS is at h i s bes t when he is summarizing t h e views of t h e va r ious wr i t e r s . However, t h e introduct ions t o t he va r ious s e c t i o n s w i l l r e s u l t i n some confusions. For example, John CASSIEN , founder of Western monasticism, was a d i s c i p l e of EVAGRIUS PONTICUS, a Greek Origenis t t h i n k e r , who was r a t h e r a l i ena t ed from the Coptic monks among whom he l i v e d i n t he Egyptian deelert. The V o p t i c M church, proper ly so-cal led, was a l a t e r development and CASSIAN1s thought wao d i s t i n c t l y not Cop,l;ic, but Greek i n t h e A1.exandrian t r a d i t i o n . However, t h e secondary c r i t i c a l l i t e r a t u r e is so v a s t ' that it is perhaps unreasonable t o expect one person t o provide up-to-date c r i t i c a l i n t r o d u c t i o n s t o t h e twenty-three authors discussed.

Perhaps t h e g r e a t e s t anomalies a r e in the seventh chapter . There t h e Odes of Solomon (usua l ly daked from t h e e a r l y c e n t u r i e s of t h e Chr i s t i an e ra ) and EPHREM of Syria (circa 306-373 A . D . ) a r e consigned t o t h e category T h e Nnn-Chnl c ~ d n n 4 nn K n ~ f ern C l h ~ ~ r n h e ~ : Wes t S v r i a n (,Jacobite 1"

(pp. 169-191). Both predate t h e Council o f Chalcedon (451 A . D . ) by more than a century1 The s p l i t between E n s t (so-called Nestorian, o r ~ s s y r i a n ) and West ( t h e so-cal1,ed ~ a c o b i t e ) Syriac Churches did not occur u n t i l t h e l a t e 420's. Furthermore, EPHREM is one of t h e ve ry few theologians who is accepted by a l l branches of t h e church including both East and West Syrians. T r a n s l a t e d i n t o Greek, Latin and o ther Western languages, he also served a s a resource fo r Western theologians.

The volume w i l l serve pentecos ta l t h e o l o g i a n s , and others , with a concise access ib le i n t r o d u c t i o n t o a p a r t of the Chris t ian i n t e l l e c t u a l and s p i r i t u a l t ~ n d i t i o n which has r a r e ly been discussed. The ex tens ive n o t e s and bibliography w i l l l ead s e r i o u s r e a d e r s t o c r i t i c a l l i t e r a t u r e . A glossary of technica l t h e o l o g i c a l and philosophical terms (pp. 227-232) w i l l h e l p t h o s e f i r s t enter ing t h i s r a t h e r e s o t e r i c area of C h r i s t i a n thought .

Jimmy JIVIDEN, Miracles f ~ m God o r Man? (Abilene, TX: Abilene C h r i s t i a n Universi ty Press , 1987), pp. 163.

. Reviewed by Keith WARRINGTON, Natwich, England.

I n an in t roductory chap t e s , JIVIDEN develops h i s main ' thes i s : t he miraculous is h i s t o r i c a l l y v a l i d in t h e New Testament, bu t similar, c u r r e n t , phenomena are not t o be expected i n t h e Church. I-ie then at tempts to show t h a t tlmiracles were not s o numerous o r importanttt (p. 22) during t h e growth of t h e New Testament church.

He then e s t a b l i s h e s the p r i n c i p l e t h a t t he d i f f e r e n t w r i t e r s had d i f f e r e n t purposes when descr ib ing miracles, t hus accounting f o r t h e d i f f e r e n t uses of miracle events within t h e t e x t . For example, MATTHEW r e l a t e d miracle events t o show t h a t they f u l f i l l e d Old Testament Messianic p r e d i c t i o n s , t o confirm t h e power of Jesus t o fo rg ive s i n s and t o emphasis0 t h e compassion of Jesus.

This e x e r c i s e a s he p re sen t s it f o r t h e Synoptic Gospels is b r i e f , h e l p f u l , though not new, Idis exegesis of Mark 16:17f. r ep re sen t s h i s main t h r u s t . He suggests t h a t - t h e s ta tement t tSigns w i l l accompany thase who have be l ievedH means "they do becaum wherever and whenever t he Gospel is preached, t he s igns t h a t Jesus did a r e a l so t o l d t f (emphasis added). Thus f o r , JIVIDEN, the s igns have value i n confirming contemporary messages but only in so fa r as they a r e o r a l reminders of ancient miracles, not p re sen t phenomena. Thus, f f t ho multitude of s igns and mirac les recorded i n the New Testament a r e s t i l l accompanying the preaching of tho Gospel, . . It; thus, there is no need f o r f u r t h e r s igns. This i n t e r p r e t a t i o n does not s i t comfortably wi th t h e t e x t i t s e l f in t h a t it s t a t e s t h a t b e l i e v e r s themselves w i l l oxpel demons, w i l l speak i n tongues, w i l l l a y t h e i r hands on t h e s i ck leading t o recovery. Inao fa r a s t h e r e is no evidence i n the minis try of J e sus of people p ick ing up fmakes or drinking poison, one wonders how it w i l l be poss ib l e f o r such be l ievers t o descr ibe such events in t h e i r preaching when there i s no evidence t h a t they had occurred i n the minis try o f Jesus.

The author claims t h a t i n t h e book of Acts, t h e miraculous is seen t o be wrought only by t h e a ~ o s t l e f i o r those who have received the lay ing on of hm'lds by tho apostles. Secondly, t h e i r purpose is t o confirm t h e man and message a s being from God.

However, though the l a t t e r aspec t is n o t debaked, one s t ruggles t o see how t h e former sugges t ion can be accepted within the framework placed on such m i r a c l e s , Is it r e a l l y bel ievable t h a t when PAUL desc r ibes t h e g i f b of healing i n I Corinthians he is assuming t h a t such may on ly be exercised by those upon whom he layed hands when wi th them, a s J I V I D E N s t a t e s ? Is it not a l s o i n e v i t a b l e t h a t the reason t h a t t he apos t l e s a r e t h e ones s e e n *to be moving i n g i f t s of hea l ing is due mainly t o t h e f a c t t h a t the book of Acts is almost a biography o f t h e a p o s t l e s and - i n p a r t i c u l a r , of two of t he main a p o a t l e a , PETER and PAUL? Despite of t h e l a t t e r two ques t ions , t h e evidence J I V I D E N provides is constructed well and i s worthy of consideration.

In chapter 6 he examines the e p i s t l e s and s u g g e s t s t h a t t he paucity of miracles i l l u s t r a t e s t h o diffaren.1; circumstances of the church which demand a d i f f e r e n t purpose on the p a r t of God in ed i fy ing it, I n i.4x incept ion, miracles were used t o s t imu la t e f a i t h . Now t h a t f a i t h has been provoked i n t o being, e d i f i c a t i o n becomes more important and, s ince t h i s is achieved by t e a c h i n g , miracles are l e s s s i g n i f i c a n t now.

Inasmuch as PAUL s teaching concerning s u p e r n a t u r a l phenomena i s often t o check t h e i r abuses, he s u g g e s t s t h a t such abuse was due t o t h e i r dec l in ing s t a t u s . I.,iltewise, the references t o f a l s e prophets a r e symptomntic o f t h i s decl ining s ignif icance. S imi l a r ly , t h e non-healing of TROPHIMUS, TIMOTHY, PAUL and EPAPHRODITUS a r e claimed a s fu r the r proofs t h a t miracles were now be ing abandoned by God.

Then J I V I D E N provides a concise d i s c u s s i o n o f t h e purpose of miracles. He quest ions Ittongues, I t heali .ngs and exorcism on the bas i s of t h e i r being counterrei, i ;ed, though

t h i s is c l e a r l y theologica l ly (and log ica l ly ) unacceptable , A l l t h e same, h i s con t r a s t of pagan and New Testament mirac les i s use fu l ,

Chapters 9 t o 12 a r e by way of a lengthy conclusion i n which he d e s i r e s " t o expose the f a l s e , " but in SO

doing, he concludes with "a r e j e c t i o n of contemporary miraculous claims." Ne does not deny the a c t i v i t y of God i n t h e world today , bu t argues t h a t miracles a re t o confirm r e v e l a t i o n and aince the re is no new reve la t ion , t h e r e is no nsed f o r f u r t h e r miracles.

He r e j e c t s any occurence a s being a miracle in the New Testament sense unless it is "instantaneous, complete and i n c o n s i s t e n t wi th t h e known laws of medical science.11 Any contemporary inexp l i cnb le occurences, he ignores or p u t s down t o psychosomatic causes or autosuggestion, wh i l s t mirac le workers a r e c a s t i g a t e d , bu t s u p e r f i c i a l l y so ( they claim i n s p i r a t i o n , aeok money, e t c , ).

Me r e j e c t s any ob jec t ive evidence of contemporary mi rac l e s , p r e f e r r i n g t o accept t r i c k e r y and deception on t h e p a r t o f t h e mirac le workers and g u l l i b i l i t y (o r worse. . . p r o f e s s i o n a l l fhealeesl l . , . people employed to be hea led) on t h e p a r t of those experiencing such miracles.

He argues a g a i n s t miracles today on the bas i s t h a t no-one l i v i n g is q u a l i f i e d t o work such miracles - ignor ing I Cor in th ians 12 and t h e injunct ion i n James f o r - a l l t o p ray , F i n a l l y , h i s argument t h a t t o accept miracles is t o undermine the s u f f i c i e n c y o f Scr ip ture and the na tu re of God is based on unprovon presupposi t ions, and though one may welcome h i s motivation f o r s t r e s s i n g the sovere ignty and w i l l of God and h i s d e s i r e t o r e j e c t p o s i t i v i s t t h ink ing i n the scenar io of miracles , h i s premises have t o o r e a d i l y determined h i s agenda.

Sylv ia LEE, ed., The Holy S p i r i t i n C h r i s t i a n E d u c a t i o n ( S p r i n g f i e l d , MO: Gospel P u b l i s h i n g Ilouse, 1988). Reviewed by John L. KARSTEN, Z c i s t , *the Netherlands.

Seven au thors of t h e American Aasembliee of Gad presen t i n t h i s p u b l i c a t i o n b i b l i c a l , h i s t o r i c a l and p a c t i c a l m a t e r i a l s t o inform and i n s p i r e S u n d ~ ~ y Schao l t eachers t o evangel ize and e d i f y a l l ago l e v e l s ,

HALL g i v e s a thumbnail s k e t c h o f p e n t e c o s t a l h i s t o r y seen from a r e s t o r a t i o n i s t p e r s p e c t i v e from A c t s 2 t h r o u g h Church h i s t o r y t o Azusa S t r e e t (Los Ange les ) and khe Assemblies of God i n 1914.

KLAllS focuses on I t ou r Sunday S c h o o l s , ' I t h e i r h i s t o r y , o b j e c t i v e s ( s a l v a t i o n , b i b l i c a l knowledge, S p i r i t - f i l l e d l i f e , C h r i s t i a n growth, p e r s o n a l commitment, C h r i s t i a n s e r v i c e and l i v i n g ) and t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s f a r renewal. Renewal is necessa ry t o keep t h e c h u r c h e a growing d e s p i t e t h e upward move i n t o t h e middle c l a s s . S i x f a c t o r s of growth a r e given: 1. l e a d e r s h i p g i v e n by c l e r g y and p r o f e s s i o n a l C h r i s t i a n educa to rs ; 2, a s 'kreas p l a c e d upon what it means t o t e a c h and l e a r n ; 3. a f e a r l e s s emphasis on induc t ive b i b l i c a l s c h o l a r s h i p ; 4 , an u n d e r s t a n d i n g and accomplishment of t h e g o a l s of Sunday S c h o o l ; 5 , t h e s t reng then ing of widespread suppor t structure^ t o g i v e Sunday School workers t h e v i s i o n and t r a i n i n g n e c e s s a r y t o maintain t h e i r commitment t o t h e t a s k ; 6 , a p r a y e r f u l openness t o t h e Holy S p i r i t ' s renewal.

PALMA defends t h e p e r s o n a l i t y and d e i t y o f ,the S p i r i t f rom S c r i p t u r e , f i n i s h i n g w i t h quokes from .the Apost les ' Nicene and Athanasian c reeds .

LEE provides two c h a p t e r s . She a d d r e s s e s t h e S p i r i t and t h e Word ( ~ i b l o ) . The i n i t i a t i v e of God i n r e v e l a t i o n , c o g n i t i v e l y understood, l e a d s t o d i v i n e and human s i d e s o f t h e Bib le . I n s p i r a t i o n is defended i n t h e llWARPIEIAD , t r a d i t i o n , 'I i . e . it is p l e n a r y , v e r b a l and i n e r r a n t . Consequently, i l l u m i n a t i o n by t h e I-Ioly S p i r i t 1s understood as a p rocess by which t h e b e l i e v e r u n d e r s t a n d s

S c r i p t u r e s o t h a t it may b e exper ienced and app l ied . 11luminat ion is n o t r e v e l a t i o n , hence n o t c o g n i t i v e b u t c o n v e n t i o n a l and working through a s s o c i a t i o n s .

BICKET t u r n s t o t h e s t u d e n t who must come t o know C h r i s t . The S p i r i t c o n v i c t s and e n a b l e s f o r v i c t o r i o u s l i v i n g t h r o u g h p r o g r e s s i v e s a n c t i f i c a ' t i o n f o r wi tness ing, p r a y i n g , p r a i s i n g , guidance and matur i ty .

BARTEL a d d r e s s e s t h e theme of t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e Moly S p i r i t and t h e t eacher . F a l s e views a r e r e j e c t e d ( t h e Holy S p i r i t does n o t make t h e human teacher unnecessa ry , h e is n o t a s u b s t i t u t e f o r human e f f o r t , one cannot j u s t add a s p i r i t u a l f o o t n o t e ) . The S p i r i t works w i t h t h e Word i n t h e t e a c h e r and t h e s t u d e n t . Turning t o t h e t a s k s o f t e a c h i n g , p r e s e n t a t i o n is seen as important. F a c i l i t a t i o n s o t h a t t h e meaning o f S c r i p t u r e is d i s c o v e r e d , a p p l i e d and responded t o is what t h e teaching g i f t i n v o l v e s . The whole d i d a c t i c p rocess , from p r e p a r a t i o n though c lassroom i n t e r a c t i o n t o modeling o u t s i d e o f c l a s s is o u t l i n e d and r e l a t e d t o t h e S p i r i t .

G. Raymond CARLSON, t h e g e n e r a l super in tenden t of t h e Assemblies o f God, a d d r e s s e s t h e t eacher as t h e I ' pe rpe tua to r o f t h e P e n t e c o s t a l h e r i t a g e . " This r e q u i r e s commitment t o t h e Lordship o f C h r i s t , t h e a u t h o r i t y of t h e Word, d o c t r i n ~ l p u r i t y , t h e pe rson and work o f t h e S p i r i t , t h e g r e a t commission o f t h e Church, ho ly l i v i n g , fel low b e l i e v e r s , a t e a c h i n g m i n i s t r y .

I n e v a l u a t i n g t h i s compact, we l l -wr i t t en book, the f o l l o w i n g o b s e r v a t i o n s seem r e l e v a n t . This is not a s c h o l a r l y book a t t e m p t i n g t o c r e a t e new knowledge. It; is i n t e n d e d t o i n a p i r o and inform t e a c h e r s wi th in the movement, For outs i .dera it shows a l a r g e , t h i r d genera t ion p e n t e c o s t a l denomination a s it unders tands i t s e l f : a p a r t o f American Evangel.J.call.srn, y e t pentecosta l . and committed.

Garth M. ROSELL and Richard A.G. DUPUIS, eds . The Marnoips of Charles G . Finnex: The Complete R e s t o r a d Text (Grand Rapids, M I : Zondervm, l 9 8 9 ) , x l v i i , 736 pp. Reviewed by David BUNDY, Lexington, KY , 11. S . A .

F O ~ a century, t h e s c h o l a r l y wor ld t o o k Jamas X.I.

FAIRCHILD, FINNEY s s u c c e s s o r as P r e s i d e n t o f O b e r l i n College and t h e e d i t o r o f h i s memoirs, at: h i s word. FAIRCHILD s t a t e d i n h i s i n t r o d u c t i o n t o t h e 18'76 r?diStion, I g iv ing it ( t h e memoirs) t o t h e p u b l i c , i t i e manifestly necessary t o p r e e e n t it e s s e n t i a l l y u s we f i n d i . t . No l i b e r t i e s can be t aken w i t h i,I;, t o modify viowe o r s ta tements which may sometimes seem extreme o r par 'k ia l . , o r even t o subdue a s t y l e which though ruggad a t ' t imes , is always dramatic and f o r c e f u l (p . x l v i i ) ." T h i s t u r n e d o u t not t o have been t h e case! I n 1976, ROSELL, w h i l e s t u d y i n g a microfilm of t h e o r i g i n a l manuscr ip t f o r u n o t h e r resea rch p r o j e c t , d iscovered t h a t FAJIICX.1ILD had indeed ed i t ed out s i g n i f i c a n t m a t e r i a l . The s u b s e q u a n t pa r tne rsh ip between ROSELL and DUPUIS t o p r o v i d e an a u t h o r i t a t i v e e d i t i o n of t h i s c r u c i a l t e x t f o r t h e h i s t o r y of revival ism and North American r e l i g i o u s h i s t o r y h a s been emminently s u c c e s s f u l .

There a r e a number o f f e a t u r e s which e n h a n c e ,khe use fu lness of t h e volume f o r s c h o l a r s . A c:r i t i .cal . apparatus desc r ibes v a r i o u s l e v e l s o f r e d a c t i o n w i t h i n t h e t e x t u a l t r a d i t i o n (emendations by FINNEY a n d / o r editors). FAIRCHILD'S d e l e t i o n s a r e p r i n t e d i n b o l d f a c e t y p e , The notes r e f l e c t t h e ass iduous d e t e c t i v e work: of DUPUIIj and ROSELL i n t r a c k i n g down persons i d e n t i f i e d o n l y by an i n i t i a l in t h e manuscript as w e l l a s reference^ i n t h e t e x t which escape even informed r e a d o r a , The b i b l i o g r a p h i c s e c t i o n , Itsources and S e l e c t e d B i b l i o g r a p h y , i s q u i t e extensive and p rov ides an e x c e l l e n t i n t r o d u c t i o n b o t h to FINNEY research and t o t h e h i s t o r i c a l p e r i o d . An extensive index f a c i l i t a t e s use . Well chosen p l a t e s (32) and mupa ( 5 ) a r e both i n t e r e s t i n g arid h e l p f u l . The c a r e w i t h which t h i s e d i t i o n has been produced by b o t h e d i t o r s and pub l i shers w i l l make it t h e definitive e d i t i o n o f t h i e

i m p o r t a n t t e x t . It is hoped t h a t i t s a v a i l a b i l i t y w i l l s p a r k a r e s u r g e n c e of r e s e a r c h on FINNEY, h i s in f luence , h i s a s s o c i a t e s and h i s causes .

The i n t r o d u c t i o n t o t h e volume d i s c u s s e s the l i t e r a r y h i s t o r y of t h e Memoirs, t r a c i n g t h e i r journey from FINNEY, through t h e hands of a numbor of suppor te r s and would-be e d i t o r s , t o t h e FAIRCHILD e d i t i o n . The n a r r a t i v e i n v o l v e s prominent h e i r s o f , the FTNNEY r e v i v a l s i n c l u d i n g Lewis TAPPAN, and Boston p u b l i s h e r Henry MOYT as w e l l a s FAIRCHILD. We a r e informed t h a t FINNEY s purpose was t o w r i t e an a p o l o g e t i c t o argue, a g a i n s t d e t r a c t o r s of t h e e a r l y 1 9 t h c e n t u r y r e v i v a l s , t h a t t h e even t s had indeed been d i v i n e moments. His method was t o p rov ide a d e t a i l e d i n t r o d u c t i o n t o t h e methods used , t h e doc t r ines preached and t h e r e s u l t s wi th in t h e context of h i s m i n i s t r y as a r e v i v a l i s t and a s one ins t rumenta l in a t t e m p t i n g t o i n s t i t u t i o n a l i z e t h e r e s u l t s o f the r e v i v a l .

W r i t t e n y e a r s a f t e r t h e e v e n t s , t h e d e t a i l is o f ten imprec i se . I-lowever, t h e volume prov ides an account o f the l i f e and work o f one o f t h e most i n f l u e n t i a l persons of t h e 1 9 t h c e n t u r y , whose c a r e e r as r e v i v a l i s t , educator , p a s t o r , w r i t e r , s o c i a l r e fo rmer , and au thor defined t r a d i t i o n s which still shape American c u l t u r e . One branch o f h i s l e g a c y has found form i n the Wesleyan/lloliness and p e n t e c o s t n l t r a d i t i o n s , which c a r r i e d an unders tanding of h i s v i s i o n f o r r e v i v a l , "h igher l i f e t t s p i r i t u a l i t y , s o c i a l reform and educa t ion throughout t h e world. Wesleyan/Noliness e d u c a t i o n a l i n s t i t u t i o n s of t h e l a t e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y d i d n o t have an Ober l in connection. Most developed t h e i r c u r r i c u l a and e d u c a t i o n a l philosophy on t h e b a s i s o f t h e O b e r l i n model. Many f a c u l t y o f these i n s t i t u t i o n s had been educated a t Ober l in . Generat ions of Wesleyan/Holiness and p e n t e c o s t a l p a s t o r s and e v a n g e l i s t s have found FINNEY1s e f f o r t s a model f o r t h e i r own. P e n t e c o s t a l p u b l i ~ h e r s in s e v e r a l c o u n t r i e s keep por t ions o f FINNEY s l i t e r a r y l egacy i n p r i n t .

The new m a t e r i a l v a r i e s i n subs tance and importance, Many d e t a i l s such as names, p r o f e s s i o n a l t i t l e s and place names w i l l b e of i n t e r e s t on ly t o s p e c i a l i s t s . Other m a t e r i a l on PINNEY' s problems i n mainta ining an

e g a l i t a r i a n i n t e r r a c i a l community a t O b e r l i n , n~ wa1.l as

accounts of r e v i v a l e f f o r t s and c o n f l i c t i n Great: I l r i ktljn, add s i g n i f i c a n t l y t o o u r knowledge of t h e y w i o d , Important nuances t o p r e v i o u s FINNEY r e s c a r c h c a n now made. Thanks t o t h e e f f o r t s o f ROSELI, and IIIPlllS rmd ( ; ~ I Q f i n e work of t h e p u b l i s h e r s , t h i s semina l t e x t mulcaw tlw unexpurgated FINNEY a v a i l a b l e . I t is i n d e e d a m u g i a t a r i a l work, produced a t a r e a s o n a b l e p r i c e .

111, NOTES

H.M. ERVIN, S p i r i t Baptism: A B i b l i c q l Inv@c~'tif{kltd.on (Peabody, MA : Hendrickson P u b l i s h e r s , 1'98'?), p p ,

The book under c o n s i d e r a t i o n is an oxix!naive r e v i s i o n of "These a r e not Drunken, a s Ye Supp0i.3(1~ (X,og08 I n t e r n a t i o n a l , P l a i n f i e l d , N J : , 1 9 6 8 ) , an e a r l y 8choLar ly defense of char i smat ic d i s t i n c t i v e a , The p r a ~ e n ' ( ; tax( ; i t 3

l e s s polemical , a l though some e r r o r s a r e rc f 'u te t l . Thc r e l e v a n t verses a r e e x h a u s t i v e l y a n a l y s c d i n Groek, u a i n g s tandard t o o l s and c i t i n g works i n E n g l i s h .

Hermeneutically, t h e a u t h o r s t r e s s o s t h e ncwncus o f the s i t u a t i o n a f t e r C h r i s t t s r e s u r r e c t i o n , f a l l o w i n g t h e Johannine unders tanding of t h e S p i r i t , I n Luks ' 8 writxi.ngs, ERVTN emphasizes t h e i m p a r t a t i o n o f power f o r witne~lfd. Turning t o Paul, he c a r e f u l l y d i s c u s s e s t h o C o r i n t l l i u n correspondence. O n 1 C o r i n t h i a n s 1 2 ; 1 11s r e j e c t u t h e i n s e r t i o n of t t g i f t s t t a f t e r t t s p i r i t u a l t t , as i s common t o English t r a n s l a b i o n s , showing c o n v i n c l n g l y tha t l tmani fes ta t ion t t is more a p p r o p r i a t e , ns t h o S p i r i t h i m e e l f is t h e g i f t .

It is unfor tuna te t h a t t h e a u t h o r b r i e f l y and r u b h c r offhandedly dismisses t h e possi.bi1iZ;y of women

occupying any o f f i c e i n t h e church. Th is is a b e t r a y a l of t h e freedom o f t h e S p i r i t , who may and does use anyone He chooses , r e g a r d l e s s of gender. Otherwise, t h e book o f f e r s v a l u a b l e e x e g e s i s and is t o be recommended.

J.L.K.

W e i l u n g - mediz in i sche und t h e o l o g i s c h e Aspektell Theolofi ia P r a c t i c a 24, 1 /89.

A whole i s s u e of t h i s p e r i o d i c a l is ded ica ted t o the t o p i c o f h e a l i n g . One of t h e c o n t r i b u t o r s is Roswith GERLOFF w i t h h e r a r t i c l e t t N i s t o r i s c h e Aspekte von Heilung. I t F i r s t , s h e t a k e s a journey through d i f f e r e n t p e r i o d s o f church h i s t o r y , t h e n she p o i n t s t o a t t i t u d i n a l changes i n contemporary medicine and psychology. F i n a l l y s h e d i s c u s s e s t h e impact o f b l a c k p e n t e c o s t a l churches on t h e religious, s o c i a l and communicative aspec t s of h e a l i n g .

Monika K. MELLWIG, " I n S p i r i t and i n Truth: A Catho l ic P e r s p e c t i v e on t h e Holy S p i r i t , " i n Q u a r t e r l y Review, 8 /2 (Summer 1 9 8 8 ) , 36-48.

Although C a t h o l i c theo logy a t no time denied the p r o p h e t i c r o l e o f t h e Holy S p i r i t , it h a s tended t o d o m e s t i c a t e t h e power o f t h e S p i r i t and t o m e it o p e r a t i n g e x c l u s i v e l y through o f f i c i a l e c c l e s i a s t i c a l channe l s . New o p p o r t u n i t i e s , however, were o f f e r e d by Pope John X X L I I : when he c a l l e d f o r t h e Second Vmti.can Council. The model r e v i v e d b y t h e Council ~ E I dynamic and allows f o r d i f f e r e n c e s a s w e l l 8s f o r l e a r n i n g by t r i a l and e r r o r . New v i s t a s on S c r i p t u r e and on t h e e a r l y C h r i s t i a n t r a d i t i o n and i n d i v i d u a l mode i n the course o f h i s t o r y as t h e S p i r i t works i n t h e Church and world i n p repara t ion f o r t h e Kingdom o f God.

This a r t i c l e is but one sample frarn a c o l l e c t i o n of s t u d i e s on t h e Holy S p i r i t pub l i shed i n t h i a i s a u e , O.l,hers include: Albert C . OUTLER on t h e S p i r i t and s p i r i t u a l i t y i n John WESLEY, Edward WIMBERLY on t h e Black e x p ~ r l e n e e of t h e S p i r i t and Timothy SMITH on t h e Holy S p i r i t and t h e Holiness movement.

Pe te r MOCKEN, I tCecil M. P o l h i l l - P e n t s c o s t a & Layman, Pneuma 10/2 ( F a l l 1 9 8 8 ) , 116-140

Although C e c i l POLHILL was a w e a l t h y , educa ted Anglican layman, he was a l s o one o f t h e e a r l y p r o m o t o r s of the pen tecos ta l message among t h e E n g l i s h l o w e r c l a s s e s and around t h e world. F a t h e r MOCKEN n o t o n l y c o r t t r u c t s POLNLLLts biography, b u t he o f f e r s an asttlassment o f h i s r o l e a s an e a r l y p e n t e c o s t a l l e a d e r , POLI.1ILLts cwrwgs as a pen tecos ta l p ioneer (1908-1914) is prattlontad i n t h r e o s t a g e s : a s a promotor of meet ings and convent:lrsne, as an advocate o f p e n t e c o s t a l miss ions , and as an i n t e r n a t i o n a l pen tecos ta l l eader . POLHILL was a lmost un ique amon Pen tecos ta l s because he had s o c i a l s t a t u s , e d u c a t i o n , p roper ty and money. The a r t i c l e s u g g e s t s t h a t t h e s e asssts a l s o c r e a t e d problems t h a t l i m i t e d POLHJLIlis a b i l i t y t o r e l a t e t o t h e growing Assemblies o f God movement i n England.

Walter A . MAIER, t lChar ismat ic Renewal Church: "Renewal i n Missour i , I t

logical, 53/ 1-2, 21-37,

i n , the Lu.kheran C o n c o r d i a Theo-

Beginning wi th an h i s t o r i c a l s u r v e y o f t h e l a a t twenty-five y e a r s , MAIER shows how t h e Lutheran Church h a s d e a l t with t h e char i smat ic e lements i n i t s r a n k s and t h e n he o f f e r s a c r i t i q u e of t h e c h a r i s m a t i c o lementf j i n t h e

Missour i Synod. S p e c i f i c a l l y , h e cha l l enges t h e s ta tements r e c e n t l y p u b l i s h e d by a group of Luthesans c a l l e d "Renewal i n Missour i ." He concludes t h a t many of t h e c la ims of t h i s Lutheran Renewal a r e incornpat i b l e wi th t h e t r a d i t i o n a l Lu theran unders tand ing t h a t renewal comes through t h e Word and sac rament b u t n o t through ex t raord inary m a n i f e s t a t i o n s .

D.D.S.

CONTRIBUTORS: J.L.K. = John L . KARSTEN: J.D.P. = Jean-Daniel PLUESS; D.D.S. = Donald D. SMEETON

I V , RECENT PUBLICATIONS E d i t h

Vescy

Judy

BLUMHOFER, t lPen tecos t i n My Soul t1 : Explora t ions in t h e Meaning o f P e n t e c o s t a l Experience i n t h e Ear ly Assemblies of God ( S p r i n g f i e l d , MO: Gospel Pub- l i s h i n g House, 1989) , pp. 265.

J. BROOKE, The Uni ted Apos to l i c F a i t h Church Story (London: n . d . ) , pp. 4 0 ,

BROWN, A P a s t o r ' s Guide t o C h r i s t i a n Education Programs and M a t e r i a l s o f t h e Assemblies of God ( S p r i n g f i e l d , MO: CBC P r e s s , 1 9 8 9 ) , pp. 269.

Harold R, CARPENTER, Mandate & Mission: The Theory and P r a c t i c e o f Assemblies o f God Missions (Spring- f i e l d , MO: CBC P r e s s , 1 9 8 8 ) , pp. 285.

Mathew S. CLARK, Henry I. LEDERLE, e t , a l , , What is D i s t i n c t i v e abou t P e n t e c o s t a l Theology? ( P r e t o r i a : U n i v e r s i t y o f South A f r i c a , n.d. ) , pp. 184,

Cl i f fo rd H I L L , Prophecy, P a s t and P r e s e n t , f'orc:wor-d by F.F. BRUCE (Crowborough: Highland Iloolte, 1Dtl9 ) , pp .

James HUTCHINSON, S i e r a Leone Chul longa ( K'i, l u y t t l , Scotland: p r i v a t e l y p u b l i s h e d , 1 9 8 8 ) , pp. 126,

James NUTCIIINSON, Weavers, Minera and thc? Qpon 1Jook: A History of K i l s y t h ( K i l s y t h , Sco t l a n d : p r i v r \ t e l y publ ished, 1 9 8 6 ) , pp. 254.

F.P. MOELLER, Church and P o l i t i c s : A fJC3nt0~0E3'ktal V i e w o f t h e South Af r i can S i t u a t i o n ( B r a a m f o n t a i n : Gaspol Pub l i she r s , n.d, ) , pp. 50,

Margaret M . POLOMA, The Assomblias o f (:(~d a t t h e Crossroads : Charisma and Institutional JIiXarnmns (Knoxvil le: U n i v e r s i t y o f Tonnossea P r o s e , XOLalS), pp. 309.

Opal L. R E D D I N , ed . , Power E n c a w t o r , A P o n t o c o 8 t a l Perspect ive: Can C h r i s t i a n s ba I n h a l s i t ~ d by Dotnone? Foreword by S tan ley M, HORTON ( S p r i n g f i e l d , MO : CBC P r e s s , 1 9 8 9 ) , pp, 291.

David SHIBLEY, A Force i n the E a r t h : Tha C h a r i s m a t i c Renewal and World Evangelism (Al tanlonta S p r i n g 8 : Creat ion House, l 9 8 9 ) , pp, 176,

Howard A. SNYDER, Signs o f t h e S p i r i t : Flow God Roshapcs t h e Church (Grand Rapids : Zondervan , 3.989 ) , pp. 336.

T.F. TENNEY, The Flame S t i l l Burns: A I l i s t a r y of ' the P e n t e c o s t a l s o f Lou i s iana ( ~ i o g a , LA : Focusaod L igh t , 1989) , pp. 194.