A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library

A History of Christian Doctrine
Spiritual Gifts by David K. Bernard.)
Conclusions
The post-war healing evangelists brought Pentecostal
concepts, such as the supernatural gifts of the Spirit, to
the average American. In doing so, they prepared the way
for the Charismatic movement and later helped attract
many people to it. Their message and methods, often suspect
by classical Pentecostal standards, became typical
among Charismatics. Today, most of these evangelists or
their successors identify primarily with the Charismatic
movement rather than classical Pentecostalism.
The Latter Rain movement was another significant
catalyst for the Charismatic movement of the late 1950s
and early 1960s. Indeed, most of the characteristic innovations,
beliefs, and practices of the Latter Rain have
found their way into the Charismatic movement. Put
another way, most of the distinctive Charismatic tenets
have their roots in Latter Rain theology.
Classical Pentecostals were correct to withdraw from
the New Order of the Latter Rain. While in many ways it
was a sincere manifestation of spiritual hunger, and while
in some cases it brought revival, most often it resulted in
confusion, division, doctrinal compromise, neglect of
holiness lifestyle, mysticism, and unscriptural excesses.
Today, however, many classical Pentecostals, particularly
trinitarians, have in essence endorsed some of the same
beliefs and practices by an unreserved endorsement of
the Charismatic movement.
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