SPS at SBL 2017

Rick Wadholm Jr. gives a short review of the 2017 sessions of the Society for Pentecostal Studies during the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature.

 

I was privileged to attend three of the Society for Pentecostal Studies sessions during the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature in Boston, Massachusetts on November 18-20, 2017. The three sessions were excellent examples of ways that Pentecostal scholarship continues to advance Pentecostal concerns and to engage the wider scholarly community as such. The sessions were all engaging and well attended (with the rooms either filled to capacity or very nearly). The attendees were not only Pentecostal scholars, but also those who had interest in the paper presentations and themselves engaged (sometimes for a first time) with the Pentecostal/Renewalist scholars presenting. SPS provides a wonderful opportunity for Pentecostal scholars and scholars of Pentecostalism/s to participate in conversations within the academy and to further research in a multitude of avenues (as evidenced by the presentations laid out all too briefly below).

The first session (Saturday, November 18) was entitled “Pentecostal Readings in the Hebrew Bible” and was presided over by Van Johnson. David Hymes presented a paper entitled “Reception History of the Book of Numbers within the Early Pentecostal Tradition.” This paper offered a sketch of early Pentecostal interpretation of the Book of Numbers describing some of the “thematic concerns” and “hermeneutical methods that were used.” Hymes is forwarding the work on Numbers among Pentecostals (where he is currently writing a commentary) through such a project. He reminded those present of the many ways that Numbers deserves a better hearing and appropriation with the Pentecostal tradition. The second paper was presented by Meghan Musy and entitled “A Pentecostal Reading of Psalm 28: Praying Through and Being Heard” Meghan Musy offers a “lyric poetic approach” to her reading of Psalm 28 as a way to hear the many voices of the Psalm. This counters the way this psalm (among others) has been forced into various genre categories that do not allow the full spectrum of voices to be heard equally. The redactive and form critical approaches offer another text that is not nearly as conducive to hearing this text in all of its variegated voices without muting some or elevating others. She offers that her “lyric poetic approach, informed by Pentecostal experience and perspective, hears the desperate plea coupled with praise” allows for the prayers, praise and pleas to move to testimony in a manner similar to Pentecostal appropriations of “praying through.” The final paper of this session was given by Lee Roy Martin on “Psalm 150 and Pentecostal Spirituality.” Lee Roy Martin offers a Pentecostal hearing of Psalm 150 via its affective dimensions and through early Pentecostal hearings of this text. He proposes the many ways this text integrates “orthodoxy, orthopraxy, and orthopathy” for Pentecostal expressions of worship.

From left to right: Van Johnson; David Hymes; Meghan Musy.

From left to right: Lee Roy Martin; Robby Waddell; Hannah Mather.

The second session (Sunday, November 19) I attended was entitled “A Conversation with Harvey Cox on Pentecostalism, Markets, Scripture, and the Future of Faith” (sadly Harvey Cox was unable to make it to SBL due to poor health). Robby Waddell led this lively session well as four panelists responded to various works of Cox. David Daniels offered a hopeful reading of Pentecostalism in light of Cox’s work (particularly Fire from Heaven). He spoke to ways in which the future remains bright for Pentecostals if we will heed to our founding vision of being a movement of the poor and marginal in society. Cheryl Bridges Johns followed with an engagement of Cox’s work on markets (specifically mentioning his The Market as God). Overall the sense of her assessment of where Pentecostals are at currently is not as positive. Rickie Moore then presented on the subject of Scripture with specific reference to Cox’s How to Read the Bible. His appraisal was critically welcoming as a positive contribution to a general readership on the Bible. Frank Macchia offered the final presentation on Cox’s The Future of Faith with a number of reflections on the ideas of orthodoxy within the historic streams of the Church. This was followed by a lively question and answer time wherein vigorous discussion centered around the ways in which Pentecostalism/s future is brighter or dimmer depending upon the various outlooks of contextualization in relation to the broader Church and world.

The third session (Monday, November 20) I attended was led by Melissa Archer on “Pentecostal Reflections on Text and Method in the New Testament.” Chris Green opened the session with “The Present Tense of Calvary: Trinity, Time, and Sacrament.” His paper was engaging as always offering a close reading of texts from Hebrews in Trinitarian theological perspective with the idea of ‘time’ as reorienting. (Not surprisingly) he offered some intersections with Churchly participation in the sacraments as participatorily demonstrating this Trinitarian conception of ‘time’. Hannah Mather followed with “Spirit Hermeneutics: Avenues for Further Research.” Following a survey of Pentecostal hermeneutics she offers that a more open form of hermeneutic that enters into the wider forays of ecumenical dialogue is an avenue that seems most fruitful for further engagement. Mark Cartledge concluded the session with his paper: “Anointed to Proclaim Good News to the Poor (Luke 4.14-30): Towards a Renewal Public Theology.” One area of particular interest that Cartledge raised was the ways in which the Good News (including healing) offers economic advantage to the poor as an underdeveloped notion in public theology.

 

PR