Signs & Sighs
a conversation on what it means to be "Pentecostal"
In this episode, Dr Chris Palmer and I discuss the meaning of miracles in Pentecostal tradition, as well as early Pentecostal views of the sacraments and their relationship to the suffering of Jesus.
Oh man I have so many thoughts on this great conversation. I was brought up in AOG UK Pentecostalism, and now I still consider myself a Pentecostal though I am now a confirmed Anglican. In regard to the discussion on sacraments, I’m wondering if you could speak to an ironic and common issue raised in certain Pentecostal circles. I was raised with the belief that the elements are pure symbols with no ‘real presence’ involved. And yet, we also had this fear of taking communion wrongly (I.e with sins still not dealt with) because we thought God would justifiably kill us if we contaminated the Lords table in this way. I’m wondering if you could speak to this ironic, contradictory element in some (and I emphasize “some”) Pentecostal circles. I.e was this something that developed more recently, or was this teaching present in some of the early Pentecostal writings?