Renewal Dynamics

Pentecostal Manifestos is a new book series by the William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company edited by James K. A. Smith and Amos Yong. The series will provide a forum for exhibiting the next generation of Pentecostal scholarship. Having exploded across the globe in the twentieth century, Pentecostalism now enters its second century. For the past fifty years, Pentecostal and charismatic theologians (and scholars in other disciplines) have been working “internally,” as it were, to articulate a distinctly Pentecostal theology and vision. The next generation of Pentecostal scholarship is poised to move beyond both the merely internal conversation to an outward-looking agenda, in a two-fold sense: first, Pentecostal scholars are increasingly gaining the attention of those outside pentecostal/charismatic circles as Pentecostal voices in mainstream discussions; second, Pentecostal scholars are moving beyond simply reflecting on their own tradition and instead engaging in theological and cultural analysis of a variety of issues from a Pentecostal perspective. In short, Pentecostal scholars are poised with a new boldness:

• Whereas the first generation of Pentecostal scholars was careful to learn the methods of the academy and then “apply” those to the Pentecostal tradition, the next generation is beginning to interrogate the reigning methodologies and paradigms of inquiry from the perspective of a unique Pentecostal worldview.
• Whereas the first generation of Pentecostal scholars was faithful in applying the tools of their respective trades to the work of illuminating the phenomena of modern Pentecostalism, the charismatic movements, and (now) the global renewal movements, the second generation is expanding its focus to bring a Pentecostal perspective to bear on important questions and issues that are concerns not only for Pentecostals and charismatics but for the whole church.
• Whereas the first generation of P/C scholars was engaged in transforming the anti-intellectualism of the tradition, the second generation is engaged in contributing to and even impacting the conversations of the wider theological academy.

Pentecostal Manifestos will bring together both high-profile scholars and newly emerging scholars to address issues at the intersection of Pentecostalism, the global church, the theological academy, and even broader cultural concerns. Authors in Pentecostal Manifestos will be writing to and addressing not only their own movements but those outside of Pentecostal/charismatic circles, offering a manifesto for a uniquely Pentecostal perspective on various themes. These will be “manifestos” in the sense that they will be bold statements of a distinctly Pentecostal interjection into contemporary discussions and debates, undergirded by rigorous scholarship.

PUBLISHED TITLES

J. K. A. Smith, Thinking in Tongues (summer 2010)

Frank Macchia, Justified in the Spirit (summer 2010)

Wolfgang Vondey, Beyond Pentecostalism (fall 2010)

FORTHCOMING TITLES

Amos Yong, The Spirit, Creation, & New Creation (spring 2011)

Nimi Wariboko, The Pentecostal Principle (fall 2011)

Steven Studebaker, From Pentecost to the Triune God (spring 2012)

Paul Alexander, Jesus Shaped and Spirit Empowered (fall 2012)

Tags: Eerdmans, Pentecost, pentecostalism

This entry was posted by Amos Yong on Wednesday, January 19th, 2011 at 1:52 pm and is filed under Book Reviews, Pentecostal Manifestos. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.