Restoring the Faith: The Assemblies of God, Pentecostalism, and American Culture [Paperback]

Edith L. Blumhofer (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Along with an excellent denominational history of the Assemblies of God, Blumhofer (Wheaton Coll.) offers a thoughtful look at the growth of Pentecostalism in the 20th century. She sees four stages of development: 1) "restorationism" in the early years; 2) affinity with fundamentalism, which broadened its base in the 1920s; 3) the Charismatic renewal, which crossed all denominational boundaries after World War II; and 4) the growing incorporation of popular culture since the 1970s. Each chapter presents a period from the 1880s to the present. Unlike many studies, this work predicts the beginnings of a decline in Pentecostal growth, which is attributed to the loss of a prophetic message in favor of affinity with popular culture. This is a well-researched, readable work with some new thoughts on the subject. Recommended for informed lay readers.
- C. Robert Nixon, Lafayette, Ind.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: University of Illinois Press (April 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0252062817
• ISBN-13: 978-0252062810
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #693,227 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cultural History of A/G, February 28, 2006

By 

Gerald King (Birmingham, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Restoring the Faith: The Assemblies of God, Pentecostalism, and American Culture (Paperback)

Blumhofer's analysis of pentecostalism and American culture is thoughtful and poignant and far outshines her historical work on the Assemblies of God, which is weighed down by over-attention to the 'Reformed' roots of the Assemblies of God, which in turn relies heavily on her dissertation at Harvard. This work is not intended as a history of pentecostalism but as a reflection of how pentecostals of one denomination related to the broader culture, and in this she is most insightful. Histories of pentecostalism tend to be narrowly defined within one denomination without reference to the larger culture, and Blumhofer's work here is a needed correction to this oversight. Perhaps the best cultural analysis is Grant Wacker's more recent Heaven Below, but that work relates to individual pentecostals and not to movements. Blumhofer's contribution here is highly readable and shows more balance than her earlier history, with helpful suggestions as to the direction classical pentecostalism ought to take in the future along with its critical understanding of the past.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Restoring the Faith, October 15, 2005

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Casper Denck (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Restoring the Faith: The Assemblies of God, Pentecostalism, and American Culture (Paperback)

Restoring the Faith aims to be a history of Classical Pentecostalism seen through the lens of what is now the world's largest Pentecostal denomination, the Assemblies of God (AOG) - to be differentiated from the British AOG which is a separate entity. Covering the historical backdrop of Pentecostal in the Holiness and Higher Life movements of evangelicalism Blumhofer attempts to show that in significant respects Pentecostalism was continuous with a wider Restorationist aura pervading aspects of conservative Christianity, a fervour for which the Welsh Revival was a catalyst. Blumhofer then details the brief ministries of Charles Parham and William Seymour and details the early growth of the Pentecostal message. The question as to which of these two figures was the founder of Pentecostalism has become something of a debate in Pentecostal historiography. Blumhofer remains strangely silent on this point although given the emphasis on continuity with apocalyptic evangelicalism I suspect she would side with Parham on this issue. If anything Blumhofer downplays the whole question entirely by emphasising the wider movement and leadership of other leaders and devoting relatively little time to the subject. The pre-history of the Assemblies of God accounts for roughly a third of the text.

The remainder of the book is a panoramic overview of the history and changing emphases of the AOG. One of the most fascinating aspects of the book is the history of how, in the words of one of the chapter titles Pentecostals, almost without noting had, within a space of 100 years transformed themselves from "pilgrims to citizens". In one of the strengths of the book Blumhofer engagingly identifies the association with the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) and the Charismatic movement as significant factors of this transformation of Pentecostal Identity. Particularly in the case of its alignment with the NAE the AOG shifted from an culturally separatist movement to a denomination working towards a `Christian America'.

Overall however I believe that in aiming to provide a history of both Pentecostalism in the USA and produce a denomination history Blumhofer has made the book a little too thin. In terms of American Pentecostalism notwithstanding the strong Hispanic contingent in the AOG Blumhofer has provided the history of one predominately White denomination. With the exception of its history African-American Pentecostalism as well as the many smaller and independent Pentecostal groups, including Oneness Pentecostals, are bypassed.

Similarly in terms of the AOG the important debate over the so-called two and three-stage Pentecostalism that was a key point of tension with Reformed and Wesleyan influenced groups is given very short coverage and given the relative breadth of subject the surveys of recent developments in Pentecostal identity are given cursory coverage. For example, while the importance of Du Plessis' role in the albeit marginal rapprochement with ecumenism and also in the charismatic renewal is emphasised he is given only a short treatment.

Nonetheless Blumhofer's treatment is a very useful resource both for those interested in contemporary and historic Pentecostalism. It is particularly helpful in its analysis of the changing emphases in Pentecostalism's attitudes to culture. It may also be useful for sociologists and others interested in the development of denominations. In Pentecostalism we have a movement that at the turn of the twentieth century was born in the Pentecostal experience of a handful of people to a movement that boasts millions of adherents worldwide. All this in the relatively recent history; it is therefore an excellent case study of the movement from sect to denomination.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's a required textbook, August 30, 2011

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Billybobjimmypat - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Restoring the Faith: The Assemblies of God, Pentecostalism, and American Culture (Paperback)

What can I say? It's a required textbook that arrived to my son's college mailbox in good order and in time for his classes. I'm satisfied, he's satisfied. I hope it'll help him in his pursuit of good grades.