A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library

A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library

ntslibrary.com
from ntslibrary.com More from this publisher
13.02.2013 Views

A History of Christian Doctrine with the Holy Spirit was Gerald Derstine (born 1928). He was asked to leave his church in Ogema, Minnesota, when he received this experience in 1955. An early catalyst for charismatic experiences was the Order of St. Luke, an Episcopalian organization that promoted healing. While it did not explicitly advocate the baptism of the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues, many people who sought divine healing also received the Holy Spirit. Richard Winkler (born 1916) was one of the early participants to receive the Holy Ghost (1956). As rector (parish pastor) of Trinity Episcopal Church in Wheaton, Illinois, he began a charismatic prayer group there in the 1950s. A Presbyterian pastor, James H. Brown (1912-87), received the Holy Ghost in 1956 after contact with Pentecostals. He followed the advice of David du Plessis, who urged him to stay within his denomination to renew it. Brown soon instituted a charismatic service on Saturday evening at his pastorate, Upper Octorara United Presbyterian Church in Parkesburg, Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia. The main church services remained traditional, however. In 1958, John Osteen (1921-99), a Southern Baptist pastor in Houston, Texas, received the Holy Spirit after being influenced by Pentecostal literature. About that time, his daughter, who was born with cerebral palsy, was healed. He was tried for heresy by the Southern Baptists in Texas and left his pastorate to form the independent Lakewood Church. The Beginning of the Movement The Charismatic movement became a distinct movement in the eyes of the public in 1960. As we have just 280

The Charismatic Movement seen, a number of Protestants who would become leaders in the Charismatic movement had received the Holy Spirit before this time. Most historians, however, identify the defining event with Dennis Bennett (born 1917), rector at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Van Nuys, California. Bennett and some of his parishioners had received the Holy Spirit with tongues in November 1959, but it was not until April 1960 that he announced this news to his congregation. The announcement proved to be quite controversial, and Bennett was soon forced to resign his pastorate. Jean Stone (born 1924), a church member who had received the Holy Spirit along with Bennett, alerted the news media to the controversy, including Newsweek and Time. Both of these national news magazines carried the story of mainline Protestants who had embraced Pentecostal experiences. It was also widely reported in the religious press and on television. As a result of the publicity, many people began to inquire about the Pentecostal experience and to seek it. Many who had already received the Holy Spirit in mainline churches began to openly acknowledge the fact and to make contact with one another. A network of Spiritfilled Protestants grew, and the Charismatics became a distinct, identifiable movement. Protestant Charismatics By the early 1960s, all the major Protestant denominations had a Charismatic movement within them. Eternity magazine labeled it Neo-Pentecostal, but Harald Bredesen and Jean Stone proposed the name that the participants preferred: the Charismatic Renewal. 281

A <strong>History</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Doctrine</strong><br />

with the Holy Spirit was Gerald Derstine (born 1928). He<br />

was asked to leave his church in Ogema, Minnesota, when<br />

he received this experience in 1955.<br />

An early catalyst for charismatic experiences was the<br />

Order <strong>of</strong> St. Luke, an Episcopalian organization that promoted<br />

healing. While it did not explicitly advocate the<br />

baptism <strong>of</strong> the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues, many<br />

people who sought divine healing also received the Holy<br />

Spirit. Richard Winkler (born 1916) was one <strong>of</strong> the early<br />

participants to receive the Holy Ghost (1956). As rector<br />

(parish pastor) <strong>of</strong> Trinity Episcopal Church in Wheaton,<br />

Illinois, he began a charismatic prayer group there in the<br />

1950s.<br />

A Presbyterian pastor, James H. Brown (1912-87),<br />

received the Holy Ghost in 1956 after contact with<br />

Pentecostals. He followed the advice <strong>of</strong> David du Plessis,<br />

who urged him to stay within his denomination to renew<br />

it. Brown soon instituted a charismatic service on<br />

Saturday evening at his pastorate, Upper Octorara United<br />

Presbyterian Church in Parkesburg, Pennsylvania, just<br />

outside Philadelphia. The main church services remained<br />

traditional, however.<br />

In 1958, John Osteen (1921-99), a Southern Baptist pastor<br />

in Houston, Texas, received the Holy Spirit after being<br />

influenced by Pentecostal literature. About that time, his<br />

daughter, who was born with cerebral palsy, was healed. He<br />

was tried for heresy by the Southern Baptists in Texas and<br />

left his pastorate to form the independent Lakewood Church.<br />

The Beginning <strong>of</strong> the Movement<br />

The Charismatic movement became a distinct movement<br />

in the eyes <strong>of</strong> the public in 1960. As we have just<br />

280

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!