Skip to main content

Love & the Assemblies of God -- A Book Review by Sutton


THE ASSEMBLIES OF GOD: 

 GODLY LOVE and the 

 REVITALIZATION of

 AMERICAN PENTECOSTALISM.    

      By 

 Margaret M. Poloma 

 & John C. Green. 

            

Poloma and Green report findings from a sociological study of the Assemblies of God by interpreting interview and survey data from 447 clergy and 1,827 congregants, contextualized by historical narratives, website documents, previous research, and sociological theories. 

They posit that organizational tension between charisma (primal spirituality) and social structure (pragmatic, organizational concerns) can catalyze revitalization; however, extant data are not quite sufficient to support the hypothesized dynamic. Data illustrate both a commitment to classic Pentecostal experiences (e.g., glossolalia, divine healing) as well as concerns for orthodoxy and structure. We also see a strong moral stance consistent with their history.

 Godly Love is offered as a theory to explain a dynamic interaction between believers and God, which yields love energy flowing outward in benevolent service. Attitudinal and benevolent activities data suggest the potential for Godly Love as a relational model of the Pentecostal experience.

The analyses and interpretations are heavily dependent upon self-reported attitudes and behaviors. Some survey scales are challenged by low scale reliability and limited construct validity. The lack of cohort-based longitudinal data in the context of the American host culture and other religious bodies may relegate trend analysis to speculation. Nevertheless, the authors successfully maintain a delicate balance between a plethora of statistics and readable narratives making the work a primary source for a wide audience of scholars interested in this century-old American Pentecostal journey.

When I think about Christian love, I think about forgiveness, but forgiveness is not a concept listed in the index. My colleagues and I explored the concept of forgiveness and reconciliation in a few publications, including a a research study (See references below.)

The tables at the end of the book are a bonus, which offers useful information to generate hypotheses for future studies and implications for consultants. I included references to some of their findings in Counseling and psychotherapy with Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians: Culture & Research | Assessment & Practice (2021).


Some examples of pastors' Pentecostal practices from Table A.2, p. 208

Pastors: 16% reported speaking in tongues with interpretation at least weekly. And 82% pray in tongues at least weekly. The percentages were low for weekly or greater experiences of singing in the spirit (18%), Holy laughter (5%), and dancing in the Spirit (8%).

Examples of beliefs and values from Table A.5, p. 210.

Pastors' Beliefs- data for those who Agree and Strongly Agree
The devil actually exists 99%
Scriptures are literally accurate 98%
Christ is the only way to salvation 100%
Immanent rapture 99%

Pastors' morality
No dancing 76%
No gambling 99%
No movies 51%

References

 Mittelstadt, M. & G. W. Sutton (eds.) (2010) Forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration: Multidisciplinary studies from a Pentecostal perspective. Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications. ISBN: 9781608991945

Poloma, M. M. & Green, J.C. (2010). The assemblies of God: Godly love and the revitalization of American Pentecostalism. New York: New York University Press.

Sutton, G. W. (2011). [Review of the book The Assemblies of God: Godly love and the revitalization of American Pentecostalism by M.M. Poloma & J.C. Green]. Religious Studies Review, 37, 185. Accepted 3 February 2011.   Academia Link    Research Gate Link  

Sutton, G. W. (2021). Counseling and psychotherapy with Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians: Culture & Research | Assessment & Practice. Springfield, MO: Sunflower. ISBN-13 : 979-8681036524 (See review) AMAZON 

Sutton, G. W., Jordan, K., & Worthington, E.L., Jr. (2014). Spirituality, hope, compassion, and forgiveness: Contributions of Pentecostal spirituality to godly love. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 33, 212-226. Academia Link     ResearchGate  

 Sutton, G. W. & Mittelstadt, M. W. (2012). Loving God and loving others: Learning about love from psychological science and Pentecostal perspectives. Journal of Christianity and Psychology, 31, 157-166.  Academia Link Research Gate Link

 Related Books

Counseling and psychotherapy with Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians: Culture & Research | Assessment & Practice AMAZON










Forgiveness, Reconciliation, Restoration: Multidisciplinary Studies from a Pentecostal Perspective
Published by Pickwick / WipfandStock  FREE copies to Reviewers and Instructors










Related Posts





Links to Connections

Checkout My Page    www.suttong.com

  

My Books  AMAZON          and             GOOGLE STORE

 

FOLLOW me on   FACEBOOK   Geoff W. Sutton   TWITTER  @Geoff.W.Sutton

 

PINTEREST  www.pinterest.com/GeoffWSutton

 

Articles: Academia   Geoff W Sutton   ResearchGate   Geoffrey W Sutton 







Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Changing Our Mind by D. Gushee - Review

Changing Our Mind   by David P. Gushee    Reviewed by Geoffrey W. Sutton Changing Our Mind by David P. Gushee is a transformative book that explores the author's evolving views on LGBTQ inclusion within Christianity. Gushee, a prominent Christian ethicist, shares his journey from holding traditional evangelical views to advocating for full acceptance of LGBTQ Christians in the church. He examines biblical texts and theological positions, encouraging readers to reconsider their beliefs in light of new understandings and the lived experiences of LGBTQ individuals. The book is a call for empathy, inclusivity, and a more loving faith community. ***** I read the Kindle version of the third edition of Changing Our Mind as part of my research into Christian worldviews focused on Christian moral perspectives toward people who identify as LGBTQ. I had previously addressed the topic from the perspective of moral psychology in A House Divided (2016) and in a few research studies co...
Post a Comment
Read more

Pentecostal & Charismatic Studies- Book List & Reviews

  I read a number of books reporting research with Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians as a part of my own investigations and when writing Counseling and Psychotherapy with Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians (2021). This book list with links to reviews or book summaries is the product of that research. I am using the concept, studies , to refer to scientific investigations that report quantitative or qualitative data. Some references refer to theorizing by scholars.  I do not include religious studies or theological sources because that is not my area of expertise, although I did read several of these works in preparing the aforementioned counselling book. Key Topics: Anthropology, Counselling, Criminal Justice, Psychology, Psychotherapy, Sociology, Integrating Christianity and Counseling or Psychotherapy   Counseling and Psychotherapy with Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians by Geoffrey W. Sutton. A summary of research studies about beliefs, pract...
Post a Comment
Read more

JESUS AND JOHN WAYNE - A book review

  JESUS AND JOHN WAYNE How White Evangelicals        Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation By    Kristin Kobes Du Mez Reviewed by    Geoffrey W. Sutton   Kristin Kobes Du Mez begins and ends her assault on militaristic white American evangelical men with their contemporary sociopolitical leader, former president, Donald Trump. In the Introduction we learn the short doctrinal list of what it means to be a Bible-believing evangelical, but the author posits that American evangelicals are more than a set of theological statements. Instead, since the early 1900s they have embraced a John Wayne view of what it means to be a Christian man—a powerful warrior for country and God—a man who leads his troops into battle to uphold the values of God’s chosen people, the Americans. It was the title, Jesus and John Wayne , that was off-putting. I didn’t grow up with John Wayne films or a love of American westerns. I was after...
Post a Comment
Read more