A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library

A History of Christian Doctrine
The term “Charismatic” identified the movement with
the diversity of spiritual gifts of I Corinthians, rather than
stressing the uniqueness of tongues in Acts 2 as the label
“Pentecostal” would. Most of the early Charismatics spoke
in tongues, but unlike the classical Pentecostals most of
them did not accept tongues as the necessary, initial evidence
of Spirit baptism.
The Charismatic movement was particularly strong
among Episcopalians. Early Episcopalian leaders were
Sanford, Winkler, Bennett, and Stone. After resigning his
church in Van Nuys, Bennett became pastor of St. Luke’s
Episcopal Church in Seattle, Washington, which was at
the point of closing down. He revived the church and
transformed it into a powerful Charismatic center. Both
Bennett and his wife, Rita (born 1934), became prominent
Charismatic teachers. To promote the movement,
Jean Stone (later Williams) founded the Blessed Trinity
Society and Trinity magazine, published from 1961 to
1966.
Among Lutherans, the foremost Charismatic leader
and theologian was Laurence “Larry” Christenson (born
1928). An American Lutheran pastor in San Pedro,
California, he received the Holy Spirit at a Foursquare
Gospel church in 1961. His church became a strong center
for Lutheran Charismatics.
Among Presbyterians, key leaders were James Brown,
Robert Whittaker, George “Brick” Bradford, and J. Rodman
Williams (born 1918). The United Presbyterian
Church sought to expel Whittaker for his Pentecostal
beliefs, but after two appeals in which his case went to
the highest church court, he won the right to remain in
the denomination. Williams received the Holy Spirit in
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