Dismantling the dualisms for American Pentecostal women in ministry : a feminist-pneumatological approach

The pneumatological magna carta of Acts 2 has never translated into a fully liberating praxis for Pentecostal women in ministry. Scholars have given this problem limited attention, but their works do not adopt the perspective of pneumatology or engage feminist theology. In neglecting pneumatology, Pentecostals have ignored a methodological approach and a dominant orienting motif that is fundamental to their spirituality. In neglecting feminist theology, they proffer an incomplete solution that addresses anthropological paradigms to the exclusion of ecclesiological ones. After analyzing the historical and theological factors resulting in the present situation among American Pentecostal women in ministry, this book proposes a Feminist-Pneumatological anthropology and ecclesiology that address the problematic dualisms that have perpetuated Pentecostal women's ecclesial restrictions. Dismantling the Dualismsfor American Pentecostal Womenin Ministry 3 CONTENTS 6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 8 chapter one INTRODUCTION 10 1.1. Methodological Justifications 11 1.2. Analyzing the Issue of American Pentecostal Women in Ministryfrom a Feminist-Pneumatological Approach 17 PART I SETTING THE STAGE: HISTORICAL CONTEXT 23 chapter two AZUSA AND BEYOND: AN ACCOUNT OF AMERICANPENTECOSTAL WOMEN IN MINISTRY 24 2.1. Th e Emergence of Classical Pentecostalism in the United States 26 2.2. The Church of God 30 2.3. The Church of God in Christ 41 2.4. Th e Assemblies of God 48 2.5. The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel: Aimee Semple McPherson 56 2.6. Conclusion 63 chapter three LOOKING BACK, GOING FORWARD: CONTEMPORARY WORKS ON AMERICAN PENTECOSTAL WOMEN IN MINISTRY 65 3.1. Looking Back: Descriptive Accounts 66 3.2. Going Forward: Constructive Proposals 77 3.3. Conclusion 89 PART II DISMANTLING THE DUALISM OF THEOLOGICALANTHROPOLOGY: MALE AND FEMALE 93 chapter four PENTECOSTAL INTERPRETATIONS OF LUKANPNEUMATOLOGY: RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT 94 4.1. The Problem of Dominant Pentecostal Interpretations of Lukan Pneumatology 96 4.2. An Alternative Account of Lukan Pneumatology: Th e Isaianic New Exodus 104 4.3. Conclusion 118 chapter five THE SPIRIT POURED OUT ON ALL FLESH: A FEMINIST-PNEUMATOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 120 5.1. Creation: Imago Dei 122 5.2. New Creation: Imago Christi and Imago Spiritus 128 5.3. Conclusion 140 PART III DISMANTLING THE DUALISM OF ECCLESIOLOGY: THE PEOPLE OF GOD 141 chapter six CONTRIBUTIONS TO FEMINIST ECCLESIOLOGIES: ELISABETH SCHÜSSLER FIORENZA, ROSEMARY RADFORDRUETHER, AND LETTY RUSSELL 142 6.1. Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza: Th e Ekklesia As a Discipleship of Equals2 143 6.2. Rosemary Radford Ruether: The Church As a Community of Liberation from Patriarchy 155 6.3. Letty Russell: Th e Church As a Sign of God’s Household of Freedom 162 6.4. Conclusion 168 chapter seven THE SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY: A FEMINIST-PNEUMATOLOGICAL ECCLESIOLOGY 169 7.1. The Pentecostal Church As a Discipleship of Equals 169 7.2. The Pentecostal Church As an Exodus Community from Patriarchy 176 7.3. The Pentecostal Church As a Household of Freedom 183 7.4. The Pentecostal Church and the Ekklesia of Women 189 7.5. Conclusion 191 chapter eight CONCLUSION 193 8.1. Embodying a Feminist-Pneumatological Anthropology and Ecclesiology 194 8.2. The Future 196 BIBLIOGRAPHY 198 INDEX 210 AcknowledgementsChapter One. IntroductionPart ISetting the Stage: Historical ContextChapter Two. Azusa and Beyond: An Account of American PentecostalWomen in MinistryChapter Three. Looking Back, Going Forward: Contemporary Works onAmerican Pentecostal Women in MinistryPart IIDismantling the Dualism of Theological Anthropology: Male and FemaleChapter Four. Pentecostal Interpretations of Lukan Pneumatology:Retrospect and ProspectChapter Five. The Spirit Poured Out on All Flesh: A Feminist-PneumatologicalAnthropologyPart IIIDismantling the Dualism of Ecclesiology: The People of GodChapter Six. Contributions to Feminist Ecclesiologies: Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, Rosemary Radford Ruether, and Letty RussellChapter Seven. The Spiritual Community: A Feminist-PneumatologicalEcclesiologyChapter Eight. ConclusionBibliography This book analyzes the historical and theological factors resulting in the present situation among American Pentecostal women in ministry, and proposes a Feminist-Pneumatological anthropology and ecclesiology that address the problematic dualisms that have perpetuated Pentecostal women's ecclesial restrictions.