Land’s theological approach to affections in spirituality is significant not only to describe the centrality of affections in spirituality but also to overcome the dispensational
eschatology of Pentecostal fundamentalism. However, in Land’s approach to embodying Pentecostal affections and spirituality there is a lacuna as to the process of affective
transformation. He ignores to offer a detailed transformation of affections in human beings and is vague as to the process of transformation to Pentecostal spirituality. This lack of clarity not only weakens Land’s own claim regarding Pentecostal affections and
spirituality but also potentially undermines the authenticity of Pentecostal affections and spirituality in general. To strengthen Land’s approach to Pentecostal spirituality and his explanation of the transition process it is necessary to extend Land’s theological
anthropology, because affections are revealed, activated and transformed in the human self, and because the transformation from Pentecostal affections to spirituality reveals Pentecostal identity.
The key to Land’s theological anthropology is the triad of orthodoxy, orthopathy and orthopraxy, represented by beliefs, affections and practices respectively. The triad is
62
the heart of Land’s theological anthropology for the embodiment of Pentecostal spirituality and reveals the basic components in human spirituality, such as human understanding, feeling and practicing. For Land, the authentic integration of beliefs, affections and
practices accomplishes the wholeness of human beings, created in the image of God.161 He emphasizes not only the integration but also each component of the triad. For example, he defines human spirituality as an integration of beliefs, affections and practices, which are interdependent and interrelated. Each component of human spirituality affects the other two. Land would say that ‘knowing’ relates us to Jesus and directs us toward being and doing like Christ. In the same way, doing relates us to knowing and being, and being relates us to knowing and doing. Through the intimate relationship among the triad, one may glimpse Land’s theological anthropology regarding the wholeness of the human being, because knowing, being and doing symbolize human understanding, feeling and acting respectively. Ultimately, for Land, the purpose of Pentecostal spirituality is to embody the whole image of God, as a new creation, through the integration of orthodoxy, orthopathy and orthopraxy.
Within the triadic relationship of knowing, being and doing, Land attempts to develop the first transformation of Christian affections into Pentecostal affections (See Figure 1). He embodies Pentecostal affections through the relationship between Christian affections and an apocalyptic vision derived from Pentecostal beliefs and practices. As shown in subsection 1.3.1, however, he is vague regarding the transformation process in the Christian self, and offers little detail as to where it happens or who transforms the affections. The reason for this vagueness can be found in his arguments regarding the heart. Throughout his thesis, Land makes several references to the human heart.162 For
161 Land, Pentecostal Spirituality, 30–7.
162 Ibid., 11, 31, 33, 46, 50, 58, 65, 70, 74, 80, 82–3, 85, 99, 100, 103, 106, 123–4, 126, 128–9, 137,
63
Land, the heart is the centre of the person and the seat of mind, will and affections.163 The human heart that is motivated by affections characterizes Pentecostals:
This love is shed abroad in human hearts by the Holy Spirit who moves Christians in a compassionate following of Christ. If the heart is understood to be the integrative centre of the mind, will, and emotions then it is clear that affections are more than mere feelings and Christian affections are meant to characterize a person’s life.164 As such, for Land, the human heart is the integrating arena of the triad. In turn, the triad is integrated in human hearts, and the integration of affections identifies the theological human self. However, he neglects to elucidate thoroughly as to where the affections are located and how the affections are transformed in human hearts. For Land, neglect of the transformational process may be intentional, due to the difficulty of grasping fully the nature of the human heart. Paul Pipkin notes that the heart is ‘a tricky thing – it is the seat of all our affections, our passions, and our appetites’ and ‘[it] is impressionable, it is pliable, it is sensitive, it may be broken and wounded and crushed – and it may be hardened’.165 Nevertheless, if Land considers beliefs, affections and practices not as balanced features but as an integrated whole in human hearts, then the human heart as the integrating seat of the triad should be elucidated fully to allow detailed examination of the triad and the transformational process regarding Pentecostal affections. In order to
overcome the vagueness regarding this transformational process, it is necessary to investigate the human hearts, which are the arena of human faculties: beliefs, affections and practices.
163 Ibid., 99 . 164 Ibid., 128.
165 Paul H. Pipkin, ‘Know Your Heart’, Pentecostal Evangel: The Weekly Magazine of the
64
At the core of Land’s argument concerning the triad are the affections which integrate beliefs and practices. According to Land, the affections, which are objective, relational and dispositional,166 characterize a person as abiding dispositions that dispose the person towards God and others.167 They are understood as ‘construals of and concerns for the world. As such they are also reasons for action’.168 In Pentecostals, as the affections interplay with an apocalyptic vision, they are transformed into apocalyptic affections. As shown in section 1.1, apocalyptic affections enable Pentecostals to live their lives directed towards the kingdom of God. Thus, Land’s theological anthropology is cohesively located in apocalyptic affections, because Pentecostal human beings are shaped and expressed by apocalyptic affections.
Land’s apocalyptic affections merge into the ruling affection, a passion for the kingdom. The ruling affection characterizes Pentecostal human beings as those who have a passion for the kingdom. By shifting the concept of the ruling affection to Pentecostal spirituality, Land tries to embody Pentecostal spirituality as a passion for the kingdom of God. Through the embodiment of Pentecostal human beings shaped by apocalyptic affections, Land reveals a distinctive characteristic of Pentecostal personhood, namely their passion for the kingdom.
As mentioned above, Land’s core values regarding the triad, apocalyptic affections and passion for the kingdom in spirituality, are closely related to human faculties, human affections and human identity. Yet while Land’s proposal does contain some expressions regarding theological anthropology within the relationship of the triad, he does not
adequately express what happens to believers in the affections.169 This is because he omits
166 Land, Pentecostal Spirituality, 130. 167 Ibid., 132.
168 Ibid.
169 Land sometimes uses the phrase ‘image of God’ or ‘God’s image’. However, he does not suggest
how the human beings created in God’s image are affected by affections. See, Land, Pentecostal Spirituality, 174, 177, 179.
65
the anthropological feature of affective transformation and identity formation in human beings. One cannot talk about the affections and spirituality without sufficient theological anthropology regarding the process of their operation. This process contains the
relationships with God and others, so that affections occur between the self and God, and between the self and others; it concerns how the affections function in human beings within the relationship with God and others. How can we manifest beliefs, affections and practices without discussion of human beings as subjects of knowing, being and doing? Affections operate always ‘in relation of the self to others’.170 That is, as Land also asserts, the affections take as subject the human heart, and grasp an object ‘toward which they are disposed’.171 Thus, in order to embody the distinctive Pentecostal affections, it is necessary first to pursue basic investigations regarding theological anthropology in relation to God and others. A fundamental investigation regarding human beings is crucial to answer the questions of where the affections are in human beings, and how those affections function. In Chapter Two, in order to embody a central element of Pentecostal spirituality and to apply the element to Pentecostal beliefs, affections and practices, I will correct Land’s apocalyptic approach by strengthening the element of theological anthropology.
Conclusion
In this chapter, I have shown the significance of Land’s work regarding the centrality and relationality of a passion for the kingdom as the ruling affection. The passion for the kingdom is crucial not only in Pentecostal affections but also in spirituality, because it transforms other affections and gives definite direction to Pentecostal spirituality. The relationship of affections with beliefs and practices is significant in order to find ways to
170 Vondey, Pentecostal Theology, 186.
66
embody Pentecostal affections and spirituality. In this respect, I believe, Land’s work constitutes the definite foundation of Pentecostal affections and spirituality, because the centrality and relationality of affections offer the framework of Pentecostal spirituality. On the other hand, Land reveals a lack of clarity regarding external criticism and internal problem. Externally, the waning of eschatology means that it is doubtful whether Land’s apocalyptic model can be applied to contemporary Pentecostal spirituality. If, as seems to be the case, there is a waning of apocalyptic vision, due to the delay of Christ’s return, then the central element of Pentecostal spirituality needs to be re-visioned.
Internally, Land also neglects to provide a clear explanation regarding the transformational process of affections. The transformational process is vague, because the proposal lacks anthropological reflection of affections. In any discussion of affections the implications of theological anthropology are necessary to reveal human beings as a subject of affections and the transformational process of the affections in those human beings. Thus, the
reflection of apocalyptic affections in theological anthropology and the dynamic feature of the transformational process regarding affections are indispensable to supplement the lacunae in Land’s proposal.
Therefore, in order to embody authentic affections within Pentecostal spirituality, the focus of my thesis is upon Land’s transformational process of apocalyptic affections, viewed through the lens of relationality. This approach helps to embody Pentecostal affections, because affections are evoked and integrated in relationality between the Christian self as a subjective reality of affections and God or others as objects of the affections. In the next chapter, I will discuss the centrality of Pentecostal spirituality and the transformation of affections through relationality in theological anthropology. This investigation will resolve the vagueness of the transformational process, provide an alternative approach in the light of the waning of eschatology, and offer a fundamental
67
framework for Pentecostal affections and spirituality. Based on the relationality shown on Chapter 2, the application of practices, affections, and beliefs in Pentecostal spirituality will follow in Chapters 3, 4 and 5 respectively, then Chapter 6 will reconfigure Pentecostal spirituality in relationality.
68
CHAPTER 2: MAPPING RELATIONALITY IN SPIRITUALITY THROUGH