Expert: Brian Thompson - 3/30/2004

Question
I'm doing some research on a couple of issues right now:
1) I'm looking for accounts of pentacostal experiences in works of Christian writers or historians between the aposolic age and the outpouring circa 1900.
2) I'm investigating origins of freewill vs. predestination and election theology. I particularly want to read some pre-Arminius writers who were not predestinational thinkers.

Can you also recommend some solid works by Pentacostal and A/G theologians that address these issues?

Thanks for any light you can shed on these topics.

Answer
Hi Maureen

A tough ask and you may have to look outside the Pentacostal movement to find what you are looking for.

Go to a good Christian bookstore particularly one that services theological colleges.

"The Happiest People on Earth" contains description of "pentacostal" people in Southern Russia, Aremenia, prior to 1900. The migration of these people to America is an interesting path in the development of modern pentacostalism to consider.

Examine the life of Wesley, His ministry took off after he came in contact with the Moravians, a german sect, and began to speak in tongues.

William Booth founder of the Salvation Army exhibited the gifts of the Holy Spirit

Francis of Assisi was spirit filled and speaking in tongues.

There was a revival in America where people were mainfesting the gifts of the Spirit prior to the American Revolution. This caused the British to insist the population attend the Church of England Churches.

I would search the net using a good search engine like google (www.google.com) with the key words like revival, giftings, persecutions and many more I'm sure you can think of.

I wish you well with your research

vaya con Dios