A Critical appraisal of Tradition as a source of

Theology against Post-Modernist challenges with

special reference to Ernst Troeltsch in the light of
Neo-Pentecostalism

Thomas YOHANNAN

January 2010

Table of Contents
Page No.
1. INTRODUCTION

2. WHAT IS NEO-PENTECOSTALISM?

3. TRADITION AS A SOURCE OF THEOLOGY

3.1Fourth World Conference on Faith and Order Montreal

3.2Second Vatican Council

3.3 Implications for Neo-Pentecostalism

4. CHALLENGES TO TRADITION POST-MODERNISM

4.1 Immanuel Kant

10

4.2 Development of Post-Modern Theology

10

4.3 Implications for Neo-Pentecostalism

12

5. ERNST TROELTSCH A SYNTHESIS?

12

5.1 Influences in career

12

5.2 Nature of religion

13

5.3 Mysticism

14

5.4 Implications for Neo-Pentecostalism

14

6. CONCLUSION

15

7. BIBLIOGRAPHY

15

1. INTRODUCTION
Church in the 21st millennium stands apparently homogenous however with extreme
variations. For several decades, war cries for organic unity are being audible at
common gatherings of different levels. The issues of contemporary society make a
deliberate dilapidation against any possibilities of unity. One of the major issues that
Church struggles is to withstand in the midst of two callous antipathetic realities
Tradition of the Church and Post-Modernism. For a substantial synthesis of this
situation, Ernst Troeltsch has envisaged mysticism, a third characteristics, which is
relevant for Christianity in the post-modern world. This synthesis is pragmatically
articulated to the characterisitcs of Neo-Pentecostalism, which is a vital and active
force for meaningful Christianity to the present society.
This paper looks tries for a trilogy of Tradition Post-Modernism
Mysticism of Ernst Troeltsch with implications for Neo-Pentecostalism applied as a
common denominator.
2.

WHAT IS NEO-PENTECOSTALISM?

Walter J. Hollenweger, has given a broad classification of Pentecostalism as 1)

Classical Pentecostals, 2) Charismatic renewal movement 3) Pentecostal or
Pentecostal-like independent church in the Majority World.1 The classical
Pentecostalism which can trace back its origins from the Azusa street revival has been
institutionalized to more or less another protestant evangelical denomination. NeoPentecostalism, a term that developed from different denominational circles, can be
called an amalgamation of both second and third classification of Hollenweger, has
helped to revive the classical Pentecostalism especially in terms of fresh spiritual
experience.2
So, although the emergence of Neo-Pentecostalism was predominantly from other
historical denominations, it has its root within the classical Pentecostalism also. M.V.
Thomas and C. Yohannan have pointed out of a disastrous future for the classical
Pentecostal churches if there were no emergence of Neo-Pentecostalism coming up

Walter J. Hollenweger, Pentecostalism: Origins and Developments Worldwide, Peabody:

Hendrickson, 1997, 1.
2
Stephen J. Hunt, Deprivation and Western Pentecostalism Revisited: Neo-Pentecostalism, in:
PentecoStudies, vol. 1(nr. 2. 2002), 1-29.

within it.3 In this way, it should be noticed that the distinct movements are not so
distinctive with cutting edges.
However, there are certain criteria which make Neo-Pentecostalism distinctive from
the classical Pentecostalism. Douglas B. McGaw has identified at least four features.
Firstly, its adherents are from the middles class as opposed to the lower class of
classical Pentecostalism. Secondly, a practical and positive relationship with the
historical denominations is consistently maintained while classical Pentecostalism
tends to disassociate its adherents completely from other denominations. Thirdly, it is
a recent development where as the classical Pentecostalism dates back to the
beginning of the 20th century. Fourthly, it has transcended all the denominational and
confessional

boundaries

among

the

historical

churches.4

Although

Neo-

Pentecostalism does not retain its identity from classical Pentecostalism in water-tight
compartments, because of its particular implication to the scope of this study, an
exclusive focus is inevitable. Based on this reason, different definitions and analysis
regarding Pentecostal/Charismatic movements done by Barrett and Todd as well as
Johnstone and Mandryk5 viewed as more of a comprehensive or inclusive type,
although useful, may not fit well into this study.
While defining the structure and characteristics of Neo-Pentecostalism, it is of equal
importance to know the different categories in which its adherents fall. Peter Hocken
has rightly said Categorization of such a variegated phenomenon is a risky
undertaking.6 However he has broadly classified the phenomenon into two. The first
category has a preferential orientation to individualism of their culture and the second
group challenges the individualism and forms a new corporate Christian life style. 7
Although he meant this classification for the third category of Hollenweger, it can be
applied as a classification for Neo-Pentecostalism in general because individualism
has been a phenomenon sweeping through modern societies.
3

Pastor M.V.Thomas is a pioneering leader among the classical Pentecostal churches at Kerala a
southern state of India. C.Yohannan was a prominent lay leader in the Assemblies of God church in
Kerala, India.
4
Douglas B. McGaw, Meaning and Belonging in a Charismatic congregation: An Investigation into
sources of Neo-Pentecostal success, in Review of Religious Research, Vol.21, No. 3 (summer, 1980),
284-301.
5
Allan Anderson, An Introduction to Pentecostalism, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004,
10-13.
6
Peter Hocken, The Challenge of Non-Denominational Charismatic Christianity, in: Jan A. B.
Jongeneel (ed.), Experiences of the Spirit. Conference on Pentecostal and Charismatic Research in
Europe at Utrecht University 1989, Frankfurt Am Main: Peter Lang, 1991, 221-238, 222.
7
Ibid., 222.

The main emphasis of the development of Neo-Pentecostalism is the concept of

church with a vision of universal restoration. The scriptural basis for the restoration is
taken from Ephesians 4:11. However there are several questions and concerns
prevalent in relation to the whole purpose of restoration. There is an equivalent term
used within this sphere: renewal. So what are the extents of implications these terms
carry? An interesting question which has an ecumenical implications Is
renewalism committed to an ecumenical uniting of the divided denominations and
restorationism committed to a restoration of the New Testament church that regards
the denominations as at best irrelevant, at worst apostate? 8 A more comprehensive
term developed by Scott Hendrix with respect to Neo-Pentecostalism can be renewal
as restoration of the New Testament church. 9 This is not an absolute understanding
about Neo-Pentecostalism, however it foster to a large extant in the scope of this
study.
3. TRADITION AS A SOURCE OF THEOLOGY
With the advent of such phenomenon like Neo-Pentecostalism the centrality of
Christianity unlike any other times in the history of Christianity is dramatically
changing throughout the last century and present. Amid this more complex
phenomenon, there we find an increase of the polycentricity of the Christian
symbolic universe.10 Tradition as a source of Christian theology has received various
interpretations and dimensions while struggling with these issues.
Tradition is understood as nothing less than full gospel, the Christ-event as
experienced by the disciples and as shared by them and thus handed on in and through
the apostolic community. The full-gospel is not just words that could be spoken and
written down; it is the full reality of Christ and his Spirit, of Easter and Pentecost. 11
Although it is not possible to comprehend all articulations concerning tradition,
perhaps one of the classical interpretations can be found from of P. Schoonenberg:
Tradition is neither a museum to be conserved by conservatives and on behalf of
pluralism to be tolerated by liberalscontribution to our ongoing history, stirring
further development and preventing decomposition and decay.12
8
9

Ibid., 225.
Scott H. Hendrix, Charismatic Renewal: Old wine in new skins, in: Currents in Theology and Mission,

no. 3 (Je 1977), 158-166.

10

Anton Houtepen, The Faith of the Church through the Ages, in: Anton Houtepen (ed.), The Living
Tradition, Utrecht: Interuniversitair Instituut voor Missiologie en Oecumenica , 1995, 35-70, 38.
11
Francis A. Sullivan, The role of Tradition, in: John C. Haughey (ed.), Theological reflections on
the Charismatic Renewal, Michigan: Servant Books, 1978, 79-93, 80.
12
Houtepen, Op cit., 35.

A comprehensive look into the tradition of church would get benefited by the studies
on the reports of two major events in the modern world Christianity: The first was the
Report of the Fourth World Conference on Faith and Order (held at Montreal in 1963)
concerning Scripture, Traditions and Traditions. The second was the promulgation
in 1965 of the Second Vatican Councils Dogmatic Constitution on divine Revelation,
with its treatment of Tradition in the crucial second Chapter, The Transmission of
Divine Revelation.
3.1 Fourth World Conference on Faith and Order Montreal
At Montreal, there were different terms and meanings attributed to tradition.
Tradition with a capital T indicates the Gospel transmitted through generations in and
by the Church.13 This is not only a set of dogmas, but a living reality passed on
through the work of Holy Spirit. However, this Tradition is embodied in different
traditions of the church. This indicates both diversity of expressions and confessional
traditions. But a common critique to this stand arises from a question whether all
traditions which claim to be Christian contain the Tradition?14 This is from an
awareness of the fact that there are genuine as well as distorted traditions existed in
the history of Christianity. This was an issue right from the early days of Christianity.
So we have seen church taking apostolic writings, canon of New Testament,
crystallization of creeds, etc as criterion for genuine tradition. 15 This does not
however, solve the problems. Once the documents came in the written form, it needs
to get interpreted to different situations and challenges of the world. So the church
began to develop principles of hermeneutics and it has taken shape in various
dimensions. While some accepted the hermeneutical principle of taking the scripture
as a whole, others looked into key themes that are considered central and
comprehended the rest. Still others looked what Scripture says to the personal
conscience, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. So the Orthodox Church looked
into Ecumenical Councils, Church Fathers; Roman Catholic Church looked into
Churchs magisterium guarding their faith, other denominations looked to their
respective confessional documents or creeds as the principle of interpretation. This,

13

P.C. Rodger and L. Vischer (eds.), The Fourth World Conference on Faith and Order, Montreal
1963, London: SCM Press, 1964, 50.
14
Ibid., 52.
15
Ibid., 53.

although, produced certain levels of convergence, the divergence were much more
conceptualized.16
Although, there are varying understanding ascribed to Tradition by the churches, the
conference has come to a consensus that it is an inseparable entity from Church. The
Tradition of the Church is not an object which we possess, but a reality by which we
are possessed.17 To comprehend the diversity existing in the church there are two
distinctive types of understanding of the Tradition has been formulated. First, it is the
act of God in Christ, who comes by the work of the Holy Spirit as well as the
Christian faith made explicit in unbroken continuity through definite events in the life
of Church throughout history. Second, it is the revelation in Christ and the preaching
of the Word, expressed in variety called traditions.18 These positions are appreciated
but find difficult to be implemented in the practical realms. No one would accept this
ideology because the Church had been divided may be with subtle reasons, but now
stands poles apart to the extent that one may not even recognize the other as a Church
of Jesus Christ. This does not mean Christianity can exist in a mutual exclusion. There
is an increasing demand for a universality of the church19 within the backdrop of
globalization.
Tradition not only looks to the past but it has a role in the present and in the
future. The gospel of Jesus Christ has a universal validity. So Tradition has to be
transmitted to different cultures and context in spite of its different interpretations. 20
Here they look into the role of Holy Spirit who gave the gift of tongues in Pentecost.
Through the power of Holy Spirit, apostles could preach to all men in their tongue and
all were united in the service of God. So tradition (with a small t) implies a
traditionary process where Tradition as far as possible tried to relate to every culture
and at the same time, demonstrates its transcendence of all divisions of humanity.
This also implies the more Tradition is expressed in varying terms, its universality is
all the more revealed.21 However, the church is faced with two important
responsibilities. While it transmit the Tradition to every culture, there is a paradigm
shift happened in the social structure because of technology, science. Now it is of a
more complex and critical thought towards which modern societies and individuals
16

Ibid., 53-54.
Ibid., 54.
18
Ibid., 54-55.
19
Ibid., 56.
20
Ibid., 57
21
Ibid., 58-9.
17

are succumbed to.22 So it is a difficult task for Church to transmit Tradition to this
contemporary social thought.
3.2 Second Vatican Council
According to Vatican II what makes tradition important is revelation. God reveals
about Himself and His intentions through revelations. This is intended for all
humanity and therefore needs to be preserved for every generation. What has been
recorded in written form has become scripture and what is still in the oral form is the
tradition. Then the report goes on to define that all Scripture is not revelation but the
effect of revelation that has caused upon humanity either positive or negative. In the
similar fashion, tradition also includes many things that caused as a response to
revelation from humanity.23
It affirms New Testament as the permanent and unchanging testimony of the apostolic
generation but not complete. Further, this written record remains dead if it is not
provided interpretations for future generations and this has been made possible
through a continuous tradition of understanding and explanation. 24

Therefore,

Scripture and sacred tradition functions as a mirror to which Church look to God. 25
God was speaking in ancient still engages in an uninterrupting conversation with
Church through Holy Spirit.26 It implies a certain intimacy and inseparability and as a
result, the church draws the certainty of everything which has been revealed 27 not
just from Scripture but also from the tradition as well. However, if this interpretation
is given by human efforts, it can lead to errors. To avoid such irrevocable results,
Churchs magisterium is preserved by the indwelling presence of Christs Spirit. So
Scripture, tradition and Magisterium functions together, and are necessary for the
Churchs life,28 and linked together that one cannot stand without others and each in
its own way contribute effectively salvation of souls.29

3.3 Implications for Neo-Pentecostalism

22

Ibid., 60.
Walter M. Abbott and Joseph Gallagher (eds.), The documents of Vatican II, New York: The
America Press, 1966, 108-109.
24
Ibid., 109.
25
Ibid., 115.
26
Ibid., 116.
27
Ibid., 117.
28
Ibid., 109.
29
Ibid., 118.
23

While affirming the Tradition on one side, the ecumenical discussions began to sense
the incompleteness without a vital and active manifestation of Holy Spirit in the
church. Leslie Newbigin, whose contributions marked decisive turning point in the
ecumenical discussions has said, Christian life is an every day encounter with the
power and presence of the Holy Spirit which cannot be substituted with orthodoxy of
doctrine or purity of apostolic succession. 30 He further suggest that Catholicism and
Protestantism that stress on Order (structure) and Faith (message) respectively are
engaged in an incomplete dialogue without the aspect of Holy Spirit which is crucial
to Christian unity. To make the dialogue into a complete whole, he suggested
conversations with another Christian tradition- the Pentecostals. It can be said from
1953 [Lesslie Newbigin published The Household of God, 1954] there has been a
significant emergence and success of Charismatic Renewal- emphasizing the Spirits
work in denominations closely aligned with the ecumenical movement throughout
the world.31
Almost equivalently in Vatican II, all that has been discussed and said is summarized
in the prayer of Pope John XXIII for a New Pentecost marked by unity in the Holy
Spirit. With respect to spiritual gifts in particular so important in Pentecostal
Theology Vatican II accepted and encouraged the continued operation of
charismata in the life of the church. This led Catholics to participate in the
Pentecostal movement since 1967 and they were encouraged to build positive
relationships by visiting the services of worship and other meetings. Vatican II
introduced Catholics to the Pentecostal experience as a legitimate experience of
Christian spirituality.32
4. CHALLENGES TO TRADITION POST-MODERNISM
In affirming Tradition almost all historical denominations were unanimous in their
ecclesiastical councils. However, at the counter part of the inseparable church and
society entity, a complete watershed was at dawn. As it has been pointed out by Karl
Marx, the role of tradition gradually declines with the development of modern
societies.33 Recently Ulrich Beck and Anthony Giddens coined this phenomenon as
detraditionalization and the emergence of post-traditional society. In the early
30

Leslie Newbigin, The Household of God, London: SCM Press, 1953, 87.
Richard Quebedeaux, The New Charismatics, New York: Doubleday and company, 1976, 175-76.
32
Ibid., 177-79.
33
John B. Thompson, Tradition and Self in a Mediated World, in: Paul Heelas (et.al.),
Detraditionalization, Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1996, 89-108, 89.
31

stages of modernization, the societies were depending mainly on pre-existing

traditions, but as the stage developed to its advanced phase, there traditions are
increasingly undermined both at the collective and individual level.34 The
predominant bases for this phenomenon comes from the migrations, dislocation and
resettling of populations where people become increasingly remote of their original
context. At a later stage, an individual may feel some attraction to, and yet feels that
these traditions have little bearing on the actual circumstances of their life.35 This can
be called as a common foreground for the emergence of Post-Modernism in its
pragmatic sense. But it is not enough to define this all the more complex
phenomenon. There are specific contributions from some of the modern philosophers,
which paved a way that led to the conceptualization of Post Modernism.
4.1 Immanuel Kant
He was the one who brought a revolutionary thinking to metaphysics. He took his
base from the Copernican revolution by placing object at the centre and should
conform to our knowledge instead of knowledge conform to objects. He proposed a
priori knowledge, which insists that all of our knowledge need not necessarily arises
from experience. This is possible through pure reason devoid of any kind of
experience.36 From this postulation, he formulated an ontological argument that takes
the start from the synthetic a priori concept in order to establish the existence of
God.37 This is the creed of Post-Modernism that reality can be known only through the
a priori system of the outfit of the human mind38
4.2 Development of Post-Modern Theology
One of the pertinent questions that raise against the ecumenical discussions about
Tradition is Why do we need any universal truth of Tradition, when Christianity has
always tried for a metamorphosis of its content befitting for different contexts of
humanity?39 The major issue lies behind the whole aspect of post-modern theology is
the question of the parameters of hermeneutics. To answer this question, there are
several inter connected developments happened in the philosophy of hermeneutics
and hermeneutics of philosophy40 While Wilhelm Dilthey highlighted the
34

Ibid., 89.
Ibid., 103-105.
36
Anthony Kenny, A brief history of Western Philosophy, Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1998, 253254.
37
Ibid., 267.
38
Houtepen, Op. cit., 57.
39
Ibid., 57.
40
Ibid., 60.
35

10

story[Word-event or Kerygma] behind or before the history as an understanding

and not necessarily an explanation41, Emilio Betti, in opposition, gave importance to
the historical objectivity and sovereignty of facts.42 This led to the fusion of horizons
of Hans-Georg Gadamer, where by he tried Interpretation as putting readers thinking
and allowing the text to speak autonomously43. All these standpoints, especially
Gadamer, were used frequently at different times in the history of ecumenical
movement. However, his philosophy of hermeneutics had serious negative
repercussions. When allowed the text to speak autonomously, it never has any
particular directions. In another way, it has many different understandings44. This
led the deconstructionist philosophy45 of Jacques Derrida to pave a strong
foundation in the theology of hermeneutics. Through the concept of signification he
elucidates, the mental experiences as same for all, but the difference comes when
someone signifies the experiences through languages.46 So when we claim to
understand something as reality through our expressions as language, it is just a
construction which has no universal reliability.47 Also this attempt to construction
posits a sense of superiority exists on the interpreter. At this juncture Derrida, asks to
remain open to differences by deconstructing any type of language that exercise
monopoly and dominion.48 Deconstruction shows how meaning overflows limits; it
does not erase limits.49 This is called differance, implies further differentiation.50
This development was primarily intended for society and culture. Since church is an
inseparable part of society and culture, its implications have far reaching
repercussions within Christianity.

4.3 Implications for Neo-Pentecostalism

41

Ibid., 61.
Ibid., 62.
43
Ibid., 63.
44
Ibid., 63.
45
Ibid., 64.
46
Jacques Derrida, The end of the book and the beginning of writing, in: Lawrence Cahoone (ed.),
From Modernism to Post Modernism, Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1996, 338-350, 342.
47
Kevin J. Vanhoozer, Theology and the condition of Postmodernity, in: Kevin J. Vanhoozer (ed.),
The Cambridge companion to Post Modern Theology, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003,
3-25, 13.
48
Houtepen, Op. cit., 64.
49
Kevin Hart, Jacques Derrida (b. 1930): Introduction, in: Graham Ward (ed.), The Postmodern God,
Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1997, 159-190, 161.
50
Houtepen, Op. cit., 64.
42

11

Historic denominations witnessed a wide growth of theological dissent in the sixties.

Several extreme theological views were expressed and tolerated in these
denominations (iconoclastic views of Bishop James Pike of California, Bishop J.A.T.
Robinsons death of God movement in 1960s). This has actually helped bring about
the growth and spread of Charismatic Renewal in those denominations. Thus in 1968,
Oral Roberts a Charismatic preacher was welcomed into the ministry of the United
Methodist Church.51
Along with this development and the impact of post-modern culture, there was also
the emergence of secularization, which took society drift away from the religion.
However, secularization produced a kind of meaningless, discipline less life to its
adherents. This has helped indirectly the spread of Neo-Pentecostalism because they
provided meaning and insisted on the discipline.52
Another important influence of post-modernity was the emergence of young people
and counter-cultural movements of 1960s, which rejected the matter of fact
character and recovered the mystical elements in everyday life. Neo-Pentecostalism
with its contents such as prophesies, divine healing and glossolalia has provided
meaning of life as well as its mystery to a great extent.53
5. ERNST TROELTSCH A SYNTHESIS?
Standing at the cross roads of the above extreme opposite currents, theologians were
struggling with some basic issues of world Christianity. Stackhouse opines:
All, in one way or another, struggle with the issues of how to accept the historical
nature of Christianity without succumbing to relativism, how to affirm the
transcendent claims of Christianity without recourse to supernaturalist metaphysics,
and how to more fully actualize the commitment of Christianity to universal justice
without imposing the values of one culture.54

It is at this juncture, the contributions of Ernst Troeltsch render a substantial synthesis

for world Christianity.
5.1 Influences in career
As a professor at the Heidelberg University, he was in close touch with Max Weber,
which in turn influenced him about the sociology of religion. At the same time he was
much concerned about the deliberate historicist assaults on religion especially from

51

Quebedeaux, Op. cit., 179.

Ibid., 180-181.
53
Ibid., 181-182.
54
Max L. Stackhouse, A Premature Post modern, in: First Things, no.106 (October 2000), 19-22.
52

12

Marx and Nietzsche.55 His seminal works The Social Teaching of Christian Churches
was later developed by H. Richard Neibhur for his famous five part Christ and
Culture typology.56
5.2 Nature of religion
Analyzing his scholarly investigations, there were two big problems he tried to solve.
First was the problem of the nature of religion in the context of mans intellectual
development. Second was the problem of the historical development of the religious
spirit in connection with its imbeddedness in the universal life process.57 In trying to
solve these issues, he had to encounter questions of how and when moderncivilization has started and further resulted in the autonomous secular culture which
stood against a tradition of doctrinal church. 58 The resultant phenomenon, in his view,
was the individualism which determined the practice of religion everywhere in the
Western world and the diversity of religious forms.59 He was critical about traditional
Christianity imposing a kind of supernaturalism and insisted that its nature must be
interpreted epistemologically or psychologically and its forms must be analyzed by
methods applied to all historical phenomena.60
Based on his analysis, he argued that Christianity is a historical, relative
phenomenon.61 Against this understanding, the present influence of individualism and
subjectivism would check whether there is any relevance for history at all since it is
relative. But a study of history, on the contrary, demonstrates that religion is not a
purely subjective phenomenon; it is rather a historical phenomenon that shapes and
transcends individual experience. Individual belief is historical, relative and related. 62
Although, he was confident of the historicity of the religion, since it is relative, he was
assured that it could not give moral guidance for life. He resolved this complex
juncture by proposing a certain religious a priori intrinsic to human nature.63
To substantiate this view, he classified Christianity into three basic social forms or
types: the church, the sect and mysticism. The church, is distinguished by an ethic of
55

Ibid.
Robert Benne, Mysticism and the Unraveling of the Church, in: Dialogue, vol. 47 No. 2 (Summer
2008), 86-88.
57
Wilhelm Pauck, Harnack and Troeltsch, New York: Oxford University Press, 1968, 58.
58
Ibid., 59.
59
Ibid., 63.
60
Ibid., 62.
61
Garret E. Paul, Why Troeltsch? Why today? Theology for the 21st century, in: Christian Century,
(June 30- July7 1993), 676-681.
62
Ibid., 677.
63
Stackhouse, Op. cit., 19-22.
56

13

conservation and compromise in its relationship with the surrounding society,

emphasizes sacraments and education. Subjective holiness is ignored for the sake of
the objective treasures of grace and of redemption. The sect, rejects the surrounding
society and has an ethic of rigor, perfection and transformation, emphasizes
conversion and commitment. The mystic is primarily a subjectively religious person
who is not linked to any particular religious body, emphasizes inner experience.64
To the focus of this study, mysticism of Troeltsch can be considered as a melting pot
for the mutually antagonistic entities tradition and post modernism.
5.3 Mysticism
In a wide sense, mysticism is a direct inward and present religious experience. 65 It
can either be a reaction against objective forms of worship or a kind of supplement by
personal spur. However, mysticism views popular religious forms as average and
artificial because it expresses itself in subjective religious experiences and
inwardness. It often comes when the religious sense of human beings are faced with
objectified religion. Also helps people to engage in a direct communion with God and
within the scope of that purpose objectified religion was accepted as a means. 66
Troeltsch envisaged mysticism as a universal phenomenon 67 that traces its history
back to the early days of Christianity.68
In short, Mysticism is the process by which the ideas which were once conceptualized
to forms of worship and doctrine get transformed into personal and inner experience.
This leads to groups on purely personal basis, with no permanent form. It becomes a
religion of the cultured classes and emotional forms of piety for the illiterate. In both
level it is a complement for the Church and Sects.69
5.4 Implications for Neo-Pentecostalism
What Troeltsch viewed or hoped has come to realization in Neo-Pentecostalism. The
distinctive characteristics of this phenomenon ideally agree to the parameters of
mysticism of Troeltsch. First of all Neo-Pentecostalism is not separate movement
like classical Pentecostalism. Secondly, it has transcended all denominational
exclusivism. Thirdly, Church and Sect (according to Troeltsch) has welcomed it as an
64

Ernst Troeltsch, The Social Teaching of the Christian Churches, trans. Olive Wyon, London: George
Allen and Unwin Ltd, 1950, 993.
65
Ibid., 730.
66
Ibid., 731.
67
Ibid., 732.
68
Ibid., 730.
69
Ibid., 993-994.

14

integral part of spirituality. And fourthly, it is not a new phenomenon, although in

historical terms it emancipates at the beginning of the second half of 20th century.
As Qubedeaux views one of the consistent natures of Neo-Pentecostalism was that the
Pentecostal experience as a force is powerful enough to renew the church in its full
range of contemporary institutional expressions- and potent enough to unify
Christians (spiritually) in an experiential and expressive way without requiring
organic (institutional) oneness.70 Moreover, different expressions of emotions are
accepted as expressions of worship and even encouraged.71
6. CONCLUSION
This is not an exhaustive research into the labyrinth of these four gigantic phenomena.
However, this helps us to know how each entity is inter-related to other either positive
or negative. Tradition of the Church finds it greatest challenge comes from the
contemporary philosophical-cultural trend called Post-Modernism. In the midst of this
antagonism, theologians are looking for mutuality. Ernst Troeltschs mysticism
defines an abstract mutuality existing in a quiescent level. Its implications come to an
active level only when there is a meaningful and pragmatic reality comes in the
ecclesiology. Although, Neo-Pentecostalism is considered to be a movement in
academic circles, it helps for a positive reflection and realization of mysticism of
Troeltsch. In Mysticism-Neo Pentecostalism the implications of Tradition and its
Post Modern challenges are carefully blended.
In terms of Troeltschs writing, postmodernism is closely linked to what he
called mysticism. However history, community and tradition are the true basis of
autonomy and decision. As Troeltsch understood, these features of human experience
cannot be separated.72
7. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abbott, Walter M. and Gallagher, Joseph (eds.), The documents of Vatican II, New
York: The America Press, 1966.
Anderson, Allan, An Introduction to Pentecostalism, Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2004.
Benne, Robert, Mysticism and the Unraveling of the Church, in: Dialogue Vol. 47
No. 2 (Summer 2008): 86-88.
70

Quebedeaux, Op. cit., 68.

Ibid., 182.
72
Garrett E. Paul, Op. cit., 679.
71

15

Derrida, Jacques, The end of the book and the beginning of writing, in: Lawrence
Cahoone (ed.), From Modernism to Post Modernism, Oxford: Blackwell
Publishers, 1996, 338-350.
Hart, Kevin, Jacques Derrida (b. 1930): Introduction, in: Graham Ward (ed.), The
Postmodern God, Oxford : Blackwell Publishers, 1997, 159-190.
Hendrix, Scott H., Charismatic Renewal: Old wine in new skins, in: Currents in
Theology and Mission Vol. 4 No. 3 (Je 1977): 158-166.
Hocken, Peter, The Challenge of Non-Denominational Charismatic Christianity in
Experiences of the Spirit, in: Jan A. B. Jongeneel (ed.),Conference on
Pentecostal and Charismatic Research in Europe at Utrecht University 1989
Frankfurt Am Main: Peter Lang, 1991, 221-238.
Hollenweger, Walter J., Pentecostalism: Origins and Developments Worldwide,
Peabody: Hendrickson, 1997.
Houtepen, Anton, The Faith of the Church through the Ages, in: Anton Houtepen
(ed.), The Living Tradition, Utrecht: Interuniversitair Instituut voor
Missiologie en Oecumenica, 1995, 35-70.
Hunt, Stephen J., Deprivation and Western Pentecostalism Revisited: NeoPentecostalism, in: PentecoStudies Vol. 1, No. 2. (2002): 1-29.
Kenny, Anthony, A brief history of Western Philosophy, Oxford: Blackwell
Publishers, 1998.
McGaw, Douglas B., Meaning and Belonging in a Charismatic congregation: An
Investigation into sources of Neo-Pentecostal success in: Review of Religious
Research, Vol.21 No. 3 (summer 1980): 284-301.
Newbigin, Leslie, The Household of God, London: SCM Press, 1953.
Pauck, Wilhelm, Harnack and Troeltsch, New York: Oxford University Press, 1968.
Paul, Garret E., Why Troeltsch? Why today? Theology for the 21st century, in:
Christian Century(June 30- July7 1993): 676-681.
Quebedeaux, Richard, The New Charismatics, New York: Doubleday and company,
1976.
Stackhouse, Max L. A Premature Post modern, in: First Things No. 106 (October
2000): 19-22.
Sullivan, Francis A., The role of Tradition, in: John C. Haughey (ed.), Theological
reflections on the Charismatic Renewal, Michigan: Servant Books, 1978, 7994.
Rodger, P.C. and Vischer, L. (ed.), The Fourth world conference on Faith and Order,
London: SCM Press, 1964.

16

Thompson, John B., Tradition and Self in a Mediated World, in: Paul Heelas
(et.al.), Detraditionalization, Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1996, 89-108.
Troeltsch, Ernst, The social teaching of the Christian Churches, trans. Olive Wyon.,
London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd, 1950.
Vanhoozer, Kevin J., Theology and the condition of Postmodernity, in: Kevin J.
Vanhoozer (ed.), The Cambridge companion to Post Modern Theology,
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003, 3-25.

____________________

17