The Holiness-Pentecostal Tradition : Charismatic Movements in the Twentieth Century

Called "a pioneer contribution" by Church History when it was first published in 1971 as The Holiness-Pentecostal Movement in the United States, this volume has now been revised and enlarged by Vinson Synan to account for the incredible changes that have occurred in the church world during the last quarter of the twentieth century. Synan brings together the stories of the many movements usually listed as "holiness," "pentecostal," or "charismatic," and shows that there is an identifiable "second blessing" tradition in Christianity that began with the Catholic and Anglican mystics, that was crystallized in the teaching of John Wesley, and that was further perpetuated through the holiness and Keswick movements of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries to the appearance of modern Pentecostalism. Synan then chronicles the story of the spread of Pentecostalism around the world after the heady days of the Azusa Street awakening, with special attention given to the beginnings of the movement in those nations where Pentecostalism has become a major religious force. He also examines the rise of various mainline-church charismatic movements that have their roots in Pentecostalism. Because of the explosive growth of the Pentecostal movement in the last half of the century, Pentecostals and Charismatics now constitute the second largest family of Christians in the world after the Roman Catholic Church. "This could well be the major story of Christianity in the twentieth century," writes Synan. "Pentecostalism has grown beyond a mere passing 'movement' . . . and can now be seen as a major Christian 'tradition' alongside the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Reformation Protestant traditions." The Holiness-Pentecostal Tradition will continue to be an important handbook for shaping our understanding of this phenomenon.

From the Catholic Charismatic renewal in the 1960s to the Pentecostal revival in Pensacola, Florida in the mid 1990s, the staggering growth of the Pentecostal-charismatic movement has impacted the world. Research data shows that in 1965 there were 50,000,000 Pentecostals throughout the world and that by 1995 the numbers had grown to 463,000,000. Because of this explosive growth, Pentecostals and Charismatics now constitute the second largest family of Christians in the world.

Vinson Synan s book, The Holiness-Pentecostal Tradition: Charismatic Movements in the Twentieth Century, accounts for the incredible growth and changes that have occurred in the church world over the past twenty-five years.

First published in 1971 as The Holiness-Pentecostal Movement in the United States, this completely revised and enlarged edition includes five new chapters on the worldwide expansion of the Pentecostal Movement in the early part of the twentieth century. Synan s revision enhances his already detailed history of the rise and development of the Pentecostal tradition which begins with John Wesley, founder of Methodism and spiritual and intellectual father of the modern holiness and Pentecostal movements.

First seen as simply a movement, Pentecostalism has grown far beyond this definition. This could well be the major story of Christianity in the twentieth century, writes Synan. If what Peter Wagner says is true, that in all of human history, no other non-political, non-militaristic, voluntary human movement has grown as rapidly as the Pentecostal-charismatic movement in the last twenty-five years, then Pentecostalism indeed deserves to be seen as a major Christian tradition alongside the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Reformation Protestant traditions.

Synan s revision will be an important handbook in shaping our understanding of the Pentecostal-charismatic tradition.

Christian Scholars Review

An indispensable and highly readable account of the origins and growth of what is clearly the most significant movement in the twentieth-century church... With the growing charismaticization of the contemporary church, this book should be of interest to Christians in all academic disciplines.

Called "a pioneer contribution" by Church History when it was first published in 1971 as The Holiness-Pentecostal Movement in the United States, this volume has now been revised and enlarged by Vinson Synan to account for the incredible changes that have occurred in the church world during the last quarter of the twentieth century. Synan brings together the stories of the many movements usually labeled "holiness," "pentecostal," or "charismatic," and shows that there is an identifiable "second blessing" tradition in Christianity that began with the Catholic and Anglican mystics, that was crystallized in the teaching of John Wesley, and that was further perpetuated through the holiness and Keswick movements of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries to the appearance of modern Pentecostalism. Synan then chronicles the story of the Azusa Street awakening, with special attention given to the beginnings of the movement in those nations where Pentecostalism has become a major religious force. He also examines the rise of various mainline-church charismatic movements that have their roots in Pentecostalism. Called "a pioneer contribution" by Church History when it was first published in 1971, this volume has now been revised and enlarged by Vinson Synan to account for the incredible changes that have occurred in the church world in the last 25 years.