DE ALGUNOS PREJUICIOS E IDEAS FALSAS

Land’s work does not end with the ruling affection but closes instead with a proposal for a revision to reconstruct and maintain authentic Pentecostal spirituality.128 _{Specifically, he} suggests a trinitarian approach for Pentecostal spirituality and theology, that represents both the direction of Pentecostal affections, and the framework of his proposal.129 _For Land, this trinitarian framework becomes a perspective from which can take place a restoration of Pentecostal spirituality against the dispensational eschatology of early Pentecostal fundamentalism. With this approach, Land leads believers to participate in theological re-envisioning of Pentecostal spirituality. In this subsection, I will examine

128 _{‘What is needed is a revision of the old models, a reappraisal of dispensational association, an}

integration of soteriological “experiences”, a concerted effort toward unity and inclusiveness, and an expanded definition of mission which will move Pentecostalism away from some of the more individualistic understandings of the past.’ Land, Pentecostal Spirituality, 195–6.

129 _{Land’s trinitarian concept is based on the belief that a passion for the kingdom of God is a passion}

for the trinitarian God. In his thesis, Land consistently maintains the trinitarian attitude. Most notably, he claims the Pentecostal journey towards God is ‘walking toward the Father with Jesus in the Spirit’. See, Land, Pentecostal Spirituality, 69. For example, with regard to sanctification, he asserts that the believer is perfected in love from ‘the Father in Christ through the Spirit’. See Ibid., 82–4. And, through the Word, the believer is fused to ‘the Father in Christ through the Spirit’. See Ibid., 92–7.

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Land’s trinitarian approach, which is important for the authentic direction of Pentecostal affections in spirituality.

The soon coming of Jesus Christ was a powerful cry of early Pentecostal churches. Pentecostals lived in anticipation of the coming of Christ. The imminence of the kingdom of God seemed to be indicated through signs and wonders such as healing and tongues in prayer and worship. This eschatological expectation and sense of imminence of the kingdom of God strengthened the affections of Pentecostals and intensified Pentecostal affections. For Land, in this respect, eschatology is a crucial element to characterize Pentecostal affections and spirituality.

Land rejects the dispensational eschatology of Pentecostal fundamentalism, which refers to different ages of the Father, Son and the Spirit. He warns against a Pentecostal dispensationalism influenced by such dispensational eschatology, favouring instead the trinitarian Pentecostalism. He states the influence of fundamentalist dispensationalism on Pentecostals in the following terms:

Although Pentecostals generally had a different kind of dispensationalism than Fundamentalists, they were nevertheless influenced by their use of Fundamentalist publications and speculations concerning end-time events and characters.130 Early Pentecostals were influenced by the dispensational attribute of the fundamentalist eschatology, because dispensationalism131 _{teaches more than one plan of salvation: God’s}

130 _{Ibid., 193.}

131 _{There are two basic dispensational patterns: the sevenfold model and the twofold model. The}

sevenfold model divides salvation history into seven ages: the ages of ‘innocence’, ‘conscience’, ‘human government’, ‘promise’, ‘law’, ‘grace’, and ‘Christ’s kingdom’, whereas the twofold model distinguishes two periods: the age of Israel and the church age. John Darby created a threefold model by adding a period of ‘tribulation’ to the ages of Israel and the church. Although some early Pentecostals adopted a sevenfold model, their theology was more consistent with the threefold model. They were influenced by the threefold model of John Fletcher, who divided salvation history into three ages: of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. The threefold pattern allowed Pentecostals to apply Old Testament prophecies and promises to the church. See, Althouse, Spirit of the Last Days, 23–5. See also, D. William Faupel, The Everlasting Gospel: The

Significance of Eschatology in the Development of Pentecostal Thought (Blandford Forum: Deo Publishing,

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plan for Israel and that for the church. This understanding leads to a Pentecostal dispensationalism regarding the three ages of the Father, Son, and the Spirit.132 _Land points out the lack of integration of the stages of salvation of the fundamental

dispensationalism,133 _{and notes that fragmentation should be avoided, in favour of the} unity of the Trinity and the community in communion with God and believers.134 _{Owing to} the influence of fundamentalist eschatology, the apocalyptic passion began to wane.135

In order to escape from the fundamentalist eschatology, Land offers a trinitarian revisioning of Pentecostal spirituality, ‘which remains in continuity with the original spirituality of the movement’.136 _{He asserts that a passion for the kingdom of God is a} passion for the King, Jesus Christ, while the passion for the King is also a passion for the trinitarian God. This is because:

There is one presence but three persons whose unity and identity consists and is given in perichoretic interrelatedness, in which each person fully participates in the life of the others; the unity is in the community.137

Through this approach, Land advocates that the authentic model of Pentecostal spirituality starts from the trinitarian God. He suggests a revision in five relational realms,138 _namely God, history, salvation, the church, and mission. He begins with God, who is perpetually one presence existing in three persons. Each person participates in the life of the others. The trinitarian God works in history, which is working towards God. Salvation history reveals the trinitarian presence of God through the process from the Father through the Son

132 _{Land, Pentecostal Spirituality, 193.} 133 _Ibid.

134 _Ibid. 135 _Ibid.

136 _{Ibid., 181–208.} 137 _{Ibid., 196–7.}

138 _{Ibid., 196–208. Among the five realms of a trinitarian revision, God is the eschatological}

trinitarian presence. History is eschatological trinitarian process. Salvation is eschatological trinitarian passion. The church is eschatological trinitarian fellowship. The mission of the church is eschatological trinitarian transformation.

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in the Spirit.139 _{Land asserts that ‘salvation is a passion for God who is at work in all} things moving history toward the consummation’.140 _{In short, salvation is apocalyptic} trinitarian passion. The church, which is a communion in God, is apocalyptic trinitarian fellowship. In the fellowship, the church exists in unity and diversity as a communion in and with God. Lastly, the mission of the church is apocalyptic trinitarian transformation.141 The church is being transformed by God, who is the apocalyptic trinitarian presence. These loci are correlated and transformed by the apocalyptic trinitarian revision.

The trinitarian revision of Pentecostal spirituality opens up the possibility of the transformation of Pentecostal affections. For Land, the nature of affections is not only formative but also transformative, because his triadic concept of beliefs, affections and practices is not a simple spiritual formation nor a mere pattern of spirituality. Pentecostal affections evoked by beliefs and practices then re-transform the Pentecostal beliefs and practices. In this respect, the ruling affection expands not only to the integrating core but also to the concept of an organizing principle in Pentecostal spirituality. According to this organizing principle, Pentecostal affections, which integrate beliefs and practices,

transform/pentecostalize142 _{the integration of beliefs and practices into Pentecostal} spirituality, then a new form of Pentecostal affections is embodied by the transformed beliefs and practices in spirituality. Thus, Pentecostal affections are transformative, and the transformative nature of affections makes feasible a continual revision of the central Pentecostal ethos and the integrating core. In this way, Land succeeds in overcoming the

139 _{Ibid., 199.} 140 _{Ibid., 201.} 141 _{Ibid., 206.}

142 _{Which means, to be Pentecostal and to have Pentecostal reality. As pointed out in sections 1.1.3}

and 1.3.1, Land explains that the sense of urgency and readiness for the coming of Jesus Christ alters affections ‘not only in quantitative intensity but also in terms of the qualitative mix or characteristic gestalt’. In other words, the ruling affection transforms affections into Pentecostal affections. This process of transformation can be described as ‘pentecostalization’.

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traditional eschatology, which is dispensational, and amalgamating the past and the present engagement of Pentecostal spirituality for renewal.

Accordingly, Land makes a significant contribution to rejecting the dispensational eschatology of fundamentalists and offers the possibility of Pentecostal renewal through the eschatological Trinity. Pentecostals need an authentic perspective to reform

spirituality, because spirituality transforms. This is not a dispensational approach but a creative transformation of Pentecostal spirituality for renewal. Land’s trinitarian approach to an apocalyptic vision avoids a bias of Pentecostal affections driven by the dispensational eschatology, because Pentecostal affections driven by a passion for the kingdom are

directed to the trinitarian God, who is relational. In this way, the trinitarian revision strengthens the relationality of the core value of affections in spirituality. Thus, Land’s trinitarian revision offers Pentecostal affections in spirituality as a possible alternative to dispensational eschatology and a solution to issues such as waning eschatology.

In this subsection, I have shown Land’s contributions to Pentecostal affections and spirituality. In short, affections drive Pentecostal spirituality and theology, and a passion for the kingdom directs affections to the trinitarian God. For Land, a passion for the kingdom is the integrating core of the affections, which are the centre of Pentecostal spirituality. The relational and integrative core of affections transforms other affections in spirituality. In this respect, I believe, Land has significantly contributed to the notion that the centrality and the relationality of affections are significant values that embody

Pentecostal affections and spirituality. The centrality and relationality of affections will be the basic framework of this thesis.

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