Roman Catholics and Pentecostals in Dialogue

Ecumenical Review, The, April, 1999 by Walter J. Hollenweger

NOTES

(1) The exceptions have been the Pentecostal journal Pneuma: The journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies, in the USA, and the Catholic ecumenical periodical One in Christ, published in the UK.

(2) Jerry L. Sandidge, Roman Catholic-Pentecostal Dialogue: A Study in Developing Ecumenism, 1977-1982, Studies in the Intercultural History of Christianity no. 44, vol. 1, Frankfurt, Peter Lang, 1987, p.366. Thomas Zimmerman, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, was personally opposed to the dialogue (p.331), but seemed to reconsider his position when Du Plessis gave up his leading role (p.365). On this issue see also W. Hollenweger, Pentecostalism: Origins and Developments Worldwide, Peabody MA, Hendrickson, 1997, pp.165f.,350-55.

(3) Sandidge, op. cit., p.176.

(4) Ibid., pp.175f.,333. Du Plessis told me that he was barely allowed to say "Hallelujah" at the meetings of the WPC, whose first conference he had organized in 1947 in Zurich, and which he had served as unpaid general secretary until 1958.

(5) Ibid., p. 175; see also the letter from Vinson Synan to Robert McAlister of 1 May 1977, a copy of which was sent to Du Plessis (cf. p.326). The WPC was also strongly opposed to Pentecostal dialogue with the World Council of Churches and pressured Donald Gee (1891-1966) not to attend WCC meetings; cf. W. Hollenweger, The Pentecostals, 3d ed., Peabody MA, Hendrickson, 1988, pp.208-13, and Pentecostalism, p.349.

(6) The major final reports are published in Pneuma, vol. 12, no. 2, fall 1990, and Pneuma, fall 1998. A good overview is found in Kilian McDonnell, "Improbable Conversations: The Classical Pentecostal-Roman Catholic Dialogue", One in Christ, vol. 31, no. 1, 1995, pp.20-31; and "Five Defining Issues: The International Pentecostal-Roman Catholic Dialogue", ibid., vol. 31, no. 2, 1995, pp. 100-21. See also Terrance Roberts Crow, Pentecostal Unity: Recurring Frustration and Enduring Hopes, Chicago, Loyola UP, 1993; Peter Hocken, "Ecumenical Dialogue: The Importance of Dialogue with Evangelicals and Pentecostals", One in Christ, vol. 30, 1994, pp.101-23; Cecil M. Robeck, "What Should Roman Catholics Know about Pentecostalism?", The Catholic World, Nov.-Dec. 1995.

(7) Cecil M. Robeck, "Specks and Logs: Catholics and Pentecostals", Pneuma, vol. 12, no. 2, 1990, p.82.

(8) Peter Hocken, "Dialogue Extraordinary", One in Christ, vol. 24, no. 2, 1988, p.204, writes: "In retrospect it is amazing that an official church office would agree to meetings with an unofficial group of Christians described by one participant as 'David Du Plessis and his friends'." Cf. also Sandidge, op. cit., p,384.

(9) Arnold Bittlinger, Papst und Pfingstler: Der romisch-katholische/ pfingstliche Dialog und seine omenische Relevanz, Studies in the Intercultural History of Christianity no. 16, Frankfurt, Peter Lang, 1978.

(10) Bittlinger edited the report of the WCC consultation with the charismatic renewal, The Church Is Charismatic, Geneva, WCC, 1981. On WCC dialogues with Pentecostals see Hollenweger, The Pentecostals, pp.438-51; Pentecostalism, pp.367-87.