Monday, July 9, 2007

Threats to the Church: Oneness Pentecostalism

The History and Theology of the Modern Oneness Pentecostal Movement.
Is Christianity about “Jesus ONLY?” The history of the modern Oneness Pentecostals or “Jesus Only” movement can be traced back to the early days of the Pentecostal movement itself.[1] In 1913 at a camp meeting in Arroyo Seco, California, after hearing a message on Acts 2:38 and Baptism in “Jesus name”[2], John G. Scheppe was so overwhelmed by the power of “Jesus name” that after spending all night in prayer, he ran through the camp telling the other attendees about this revelation from the Spirit of God.[3] From that spark a flame erupted that almost destroyed the newly-formed Assemblies of God (AOG). In 1916, the AOG voted to affirm the Trinitarian position on the nature of God and baptism. Those who held to the Oneness position soon formed their own organizations. After many starts and stops, mergers and divisions the United Pentecostal Church, Inc. (UPCI) was formed in 1945. While there was not agreement on all theological issues there was agreement on two points the importance of “the practice of baptism in Jesus’ name and the pentecostal (sic) experience of the baptism of the Holy Spirit according to Acts 2:38”[4] and the Oneness of God. Since that time the UPCI and other smaller organizations, have grown and prospered both through aggressive evangelism and because of the Evangelical church’s lack of precision in teaching the biblical, triune nature of God.[5]

Nathaniel Urshan, the former General Superintendent of the UPCI, said about the Trinity, “We do not believe in a three-person Trinity… We do not believe that the terms `Trinity' - `God the Son'… `eternal Son'… are either scriptural or correct… the Trinity was a product of pagan mythology and Grecian philosophy.”[6] David K. Bernard, author of the Oneness of God states:

We believe that trinitarianism is not a biblical doctrine and that it contradicts the Bible in many ways. The Scriptures do not teach a trinity of persons. The doctrine of the trinity uses terminology not used in Scripture. It teaches and emphasizes plurality in the Godhead while the Bible emphasizes the oneness of God. It detracts from the fulness (sic) of Jesus Christ's deity. It contradicts many specific verses of Scripture. It is not logical. No one can understand or explain it rationally, not even those who advocate it. In short, trinitarianism is a doctrine that does not belong to Christianity.[7]

He also says of the early church as they formulated the doctrine of the Trinity, “Why did these early theologians make such a blunder? They failed to purge themselves of the pagan ideas of their… past….”[8] Finally Bernard says that Trinitarian theology leads to tri-theism by emphasizing a threeness in God instead of the Oneness of God.[9]

The Oneness understanding of the Father is summed up by Bernard when he says, “If there is only one God and that God is the Father (Malachi 2:10), and if Jesus is God, then it logically follows that Jesus is the Father.”[10] And, that the deity in Jesus was the Divine Spirit, which is the Father.[11] As to the Son, Bernard states, “Basically, the term "Son of God" refers to God as manifested in the flesh… Since Father refers to deity alone… we do not believe that the Father is the Son.”[12] In relation to the Holy Spirit, Bernard says, “The Holy Spirit is simply God. God is holy… God is also a Spirit… there is only one Spirit of God… Therefore, ‘Holy Spirit’ is another term for the one God.”[13]

In The Oneness of God, Bernard declares of the Trinity,
The Bible does not teach the doctrine of the trinity, and trinitarianism actually contradicts the Bible. It does not add any positive benefit to the Christian message. Without… doctrine of the trinity we can still affirm the deity of Jesus, the humanity of Jesus… and any other doctrine that is essential to true Christianity… we enhance these doctrines when we adhere strictly to the Bible message that Jesus is the one God… the doctrine of the trinity does detract from the important biblical themes of the oneness of God and the absolute deity of Jesus Christ… Christianity should stop using trinitarian terminology….[14]

He then states that a belief in Oneness theology “magnifies Jesus Christ, exalts His name, recognizes who He really is, and acknowledges His full deity.”[15] And finally he says, “[A] belief in the oneness of God… is a crucial element in restoring the church to true biblical belief and apostolic power.”[16]
Continued next post . . .


[1] While the modern movement had it’s beginnings in the early 1900’s, the different versions of the theology can be traced back to the earliest times of the church. David K. Bernard, the chief theologian of the United Pentecostal Church, says in his book Oneness and Trinity: A.D. 100-300 that the teachings of Praxeas, Noetus, Sabellius and others are the theological Fathers of the movement. He lists nine characteristics of similarity between modern Oneness beliefs and ancient Modalistic Monarchianism (Page 160-61). For a brief description of Modalistic Monarchianism see Grudem, Systematic Theology (Page 242). Modalism has been condemned as heresy by the church from its beginning.
[2] John Ankerberg and John Weldon, Encyclopedia of Cults and New Religions (Eugene, Or: Harvest House Publishers, 1990), 367-68.
[3] W. J. Hollenweger, The Pentecostals: The Charismatic Movement in the Churches (Minneapolis, Mn: Augsburg, 1972), 31-31.
[4] David A Reed, Oneness Pentecostalism, ed. Stanley M. Burgess, The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements (Grand Rapids, Mi: Zondervan, 2002), 938-39.
[5] For a more complete history of the modern Oneness movement see Oneness Pentecostalism in ibid.
[6] The Watchman Expositor: United Pentecostal Church http://www.watchman.org/cults/upc.htm, accessed, March 15, 2005.
[7] David K. Bernard, The Oneness of God, ed. David K. Bernard and Loretta A. Bernard, Series in Pentecostal Theology, vol. 1 (Hazelwood, MO: Word Aflame Press, 1983), 293-94. Bernard is considered to be the main theologian of the UPCI and has written the most recognized work on its doctrine and practice, The Oneness of God.
[8] David K. Bernard, Oneness and Trinity, A.D. 100-300: The Doctrine of God in Ancient Christian Writings. (Hazlewood, Mo.: Word Aflame Press, 1991), 174-76.
[9] Bernard, The Oneness of God., 288.
[10] Ibid., 66. See also Isa. 9:6, John 14:9.
[11] Ibid., 131.
[12] Ibid., 127.
[13] Ibid., 128.
[14] Ibid., 298-99.
[15] Ibid., 299.
[16] Ibid.

No comments: