Pentecost: Women's Emancipation Day? (original) (raw)

Pentecostal Women and Religious Reformation in the Progressive Era the Political Novelty of Women S Religious and Organizational Leadership

2020

Tom who brought a much needed professionalism and high standard of academic accountability to the task of historical research. I would also like to thank Jennifer Axsom Adler for her timely advice on the religious history of women in America and for her service on the Committee. As a highly respected leader in the field of religious studies, Jennifer contributed her knowledge of religion to shaping the issues surrounding women, power, and religious authority. My thanks to Jennifer for her keen editorial review and commentary that has greatly improved the academic quality of this study. Finally, I would like to thank William Douglas Burgess for his critical review, keen insight, and good humor in his comments on the text and for his service on the Committee. As an editor, Burgess performed the task with patience and goodwill refining the text to meet the high standard required of historical writing. I also want to acknowledge the generous contribution of Holston Conference Archivist Daniel Ferkin, Tennessee Wesleyan University Library, Athens, Tennessee for his time, effort, and diligence in providing documents needed for this paper. As well, a special thank you to Archivist Steve Zeleny, Heritage Archives Department, Foursquare Church, Los Angeles, California for his cooperation and provision of primary documents used in the production of this paper. These archivists epitomize the professionalism of their occupation. Last, I would like to extend a sincere thank you to the staff of Sherrod Library, East Tennessee State University for their cooperation in procuring the many books needed to write this paper.

Spiritual mothers and prophesying daughters : the practice of female ministry among North American radical evangelicals, 1875-1943

2021

This project would not have been possible without the help of many people. 1 owe a special debt to Roger Simpson, my church family at Holy Trinity, Vancouver, John McClennan, and Ruth Gill, as well as untold others for their moral, spiritual, and financial support. Special mention is due to John Enns of Prairie Bible College, who introduced me to the school archives, and, more importantly, to the diaries of Dorothy Ruth Miller. Research librarian Flora Forbes also proved invaluable, arranging access to the archives, coordinating interviews, and organizing my accommodation while in Three Hills. Brian Wiggins of the Christian and Missionary Alliance archives, as well as library staff at the Alliance University College in Calgary were also of great help. I am also grateful to my supervisors and teachers. I owe a particular debt to my initial advisor, Esther Reed, who steered me to ask the right questions of my own heritage, and from whom I learned much about the art of teaching. I am especially grateful to Alan Torrance and John Clark, who together guided this work to completion. John cheerfully oversaw my introduction into the world of historical research, and read and commented upon numerous drafts of this work in the process. Alan's confidence in me and his unfailing enthusiasm for this project even when unforeseen events delayed its submission have been invaluable sources of strength. Thanks are also due to George Marsden, who, during his short sojourn in St. Andrews, helped fill in many of the gaps in my knowledge of American evangelical history. List of Figures vi Chapter One Introduction: Female Ministry and Evangelical Spirituality 1 Chapter Two 'An association, of one mind and aim': Fraternity and Unity at Midland

PENTEcOSTAl HErmENEuTIcAl cONSIDErATIONS AbOuT WOmEN IN mINISTry

At first, the Pentecostal movement made no distinction between genders in the ministry. Anyone anointed by the Spirit was allowed to minister, whether to pray for the sick, testify about an encounter with God, preach or teach. The emphasis was not on the person of the one ministering, but on the Spirit equipping and empowering the person. Due to Pentecostals' upward mobility and alliance with evangelicals in order to receive the approval of the society and government since the 1940s, women's contribution to the ministry faded until in the 1970s some Pentecostals with an academic background started debating about Pentecostal hermeneutics; questioning also the omission of women from ministry. Although many Pentecostals still read the Bible in a fundamentalist manner, the article proposes a hermeneutical strategy-in accordance with the way early Pentecostals interpreted the Bible-that moves from the experience with the Spirit to the Bible, allowing one to experience the confusion and conflict necessarily associated with contradictory statements found in the Bible about issues such as women in the ministry. While the author agrees it is important that discrimination against women in the church should cease, the purpose of the article is not primarily to discuss this discrimination; it is rather to show how a movement's hermeneutical viewpoint and considerations can cause the movement to change its stance about an important issue such as women in ministry.