Could someone help me, as a moderator, to understand what an ideal Pentecostal answer looks like? I'm a Catholic and I have very little practical understanding of the teachings that make up the various Pentecostal churches.
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1 Answer
Like many other Christian movements there are a family of Pentecostal denominations.
General characteristics:
- Protestant
- Evangelical
- Baptistic
- Charismatic
- Polity is often a weak association of churches, or an independent church, each headed by a (senior) minister
I'm not aware of a single creedal document that holds the kind of influence that, for example, the Westminster Confession holds for the Presbyterian denominations.
An ideal answer would therefore seek to give an overview of the positions held by the many Pentecostal churches. Quoting from some of the big denominations like Assemblies of God, Hillsong, or the big single churches like Bethel should be expected.
But IMO potential answerers should also use wisdom in knowing when not to answer a question and vote to close instead. Pentecostalism has a lot of strong commonalities, but there are some things we shouldn't expect consensus about. Asking about spiritual gifts makes sense, Pentecostals have written lots about them. Asking about pacificism less so, because it's not a big focus, and answerers are much more likely to just say what they personally think.
answered Feb 5, 2019 at 8:40
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So you wouldn't include the oneness pentecostals in your definition? Of course, if they are included, then the usefulness of the "pentecostal" label goes down even more. Feb 5, 2019 at 14:20
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Ugh They complicate matters. I guess I wouldn't if the question just asks for "Pentecostal" - Oneness Pentecostal are their own thing now.– curiousdannii ModFeb 5, 2019 at 21:08
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Oneness is a separate beastie for sure. They're more likely to diverge not only from other Pentecostals, but from Christianity as a whole.– rjeFeb 8, 2019 at 19:45