Tag: ecumenism

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Why the Pope Matters to All Christians

With the death of Pope Francis, and the upcoming conclave to elect the next Pope, all eyes are on Rome. This will be the fifth papal conclave in my memory.  I remember the election of John Paul I and his unexpected death just a month later. In October 1978, the world was introduced to Karol Wojtyła, archbishop of Krakow, Poland as John Paul II. He served as Pope until his death in 2005 and is now revered as St. John Paul II the Great. He is widely remembered as one of the most influential Christian leaders of the twentieth century.

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Reflecting on the Christian Forum

Recently (Jan 19-20, 2023), I was honored to participate in the Christian Forum in Atlanta, Georgia. The gathering consisted of about forty pastors and other clergy from Roman Catholic, Baptist, and Pentecostal churches. We came together holding to a simple theological commitment – belief in the Triune God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The agenda was likewise simple: “to build bridges of unity through the sharing of faith stories or testimonies.”

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Is the Pentecostal Brand worth Saving?

Recently, there have been suggestions that the Pentecostal Movement needs to be rebranded. This assumes that the Pentecostal movement of the twentieth century has lost its appeal for a 21st century audience. As I have written before, there is a distinction between Pentecostal culture and Pentecostal theology.  As any Pentecostal will testify, the Spirit moves; so as the Spirit moves into the 21st century the Pentecostal culture will be transformed by a revisioned Pentecostal theology. Theology informs practice; and practice reflects theology. Theology that is not practiced is a dead faith. Practice that does not reflect biblical theology is “form without power.”

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Reflections on the Believers Baptism Consulation

Recently, I was honored to participate in the Believers Baptism Consultation in Kingston, Jamaica (press release and final report). This event was attended by leaders and scholars representing a variety of Christian theological traditions and a representative of the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches. My presentation was entitled “Believers Baptism in the Pentecostal Tradition.”

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