A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library

Oneness Pentecostal Organizations
While all Spirit-filled ministers agreed that with
God there is not a color line and in the hearts of the
people of God there should be none, yet ministers
laboring in the South had to conform to laws and customs.
James Tyson, a contemporary black historian with the
PAW, offered the following analysis: 92
Racial prejudice was a factor in the development
of early Pentecostalism. . . . Barely two generations
had passed since the eradication of slavery, and there
still remained a mindset of white/black, superior/inferior
attitudes. These deeply entrenched philosophies
unfortunately carried over into many Pentecostal
organizations, as is demonstrated by the fact that up
until 1918 most groups were either all white or all
black.
This attitude was not just relegated to the white
brethren, for many blacks distrusted whites. . . . Much
suspicion and reverse discrimination was expostulated
by blacks against their white brethren. When
doors were opened for blacks to join ranks with
whites of like spiritual persuasion, many refused the
invitation with the general feeling they would be cast
in secondary roles. . . .
The merging of the General Assemblies of the
Apostolic Assemblies and the Pentecostal Assemblies
of the World was a bold and courageous move. The
new group would be one of the first Pentecostal organizations
to truly attempt to promote racial harmony,
and initially this move was more than symbolic. Even
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