Oneness Pentecostalism

Part of a series on
Pentecostalism
Tongues as of fire representing the Holy Spirit on Pentecost
Background
Early history
Theology
Key people
Major denominations
Related movements

Christianity • Protestantism

icon Christianity portal

Oneness Pentecostalism (also known as Apostolic, Jesus' Name Pentecostalism, or the Jesus Only movement) is a nontrinitarian religious movement within the Protestant Christian family of churches known as Pentecostalism.[1][2][3] It derives its name from its teaching on the Godhead, a form of Modalistic Monarchianism commonly referred to as the Oneness doctrine.[4][5][6] The doctrine states that there is one God―a singular divine spirit with no distinction of persons―who manifests himself in many ways, including as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.[7][8] This stands in sharp contrast to the mainstream doctrine of three distinct, eternal persons posited by Trinitarian theology.[9][10][11][12]

Oneness Pentecostals differ from most other Pentecostals and Evangelicals in their views on soteriology, believing that true saving faith is demonstrated by repentance, full-submersion water baptism, and baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues.[13][14] Oneness believers also solely baptize in the name of Jesus Christ,[15] rejecting the Trinitarian formulas.[16]

Many Oneness Pentecostal groups―especially the United Pentecostal Church International―tend to emphasize strict holiness standards in dress, grooming, and other areas of personal conduct.[17] This teaching is shared with traditional Holiness Pentecostals, but not with other Finished Work Pentecostal groups―or at least not to the degree that is generally found in some Oneness Pentecostal (and Holiness Pentecostal) churches that say holiness is to be set apart to God.[18]

The Oneness Pentecostal movement first emerged in North America around 1914 as the result of a schism following the doctrinal disputes within the nascent Finished Work Pentecostal movement (which itself had broken from Holiness Pentecostalism)[19]—specifically within the Assemblies of God.[3] The movement claims an estimated 30 million adherents worldwide.[20] It was often referred to as the Jesus Only movement in its early days—referring to its baptismal formula—which may be misleading as it does not deny the existence of the Father or Holy Spirit.[21]

  1. ^ Chryssides, George D. (2012). ""Jesus Only" Pentecostalism". Historical Dictionary of New Religious Movements. Historical Dictionaries of Religions, Philosophies, and Movements Series (2nd ed.). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 189–190. ISBN 978-0-8108-6194-7. LCCN 2011028298.
  2. ^ Reed, David A. (2018) [2008]. "From Issue to Doctrine: The Revelation of God and the Name, One Lord and One Baptism". "In Jesus' Name": The History and Beliefs of Oneness Pentecostals. Journal of Pentecostal Theology: Supplement Series. Vol. 31. Leiden and Boston: Brill Publishers. pp. 175–205. ISBN 978-90-04-39708-8. ISSN 0966-7393.
  3. ^ a b Reed, David A.; Barba, Lloyd (2019). "Oneness Pentecostalism". In Wilkinson, Michael; Au, Connie; Haustein, Jörg; Johnson, Todd M. (eds.). Brill's Encyclopedia of Global Pentecostalism Online. Leiden and Boston: Brill Publishers. doi:10.1163/2589-3807_EGPO_COM_041662. ISSN 2589-3807.
  4. ^ Patterson, Eric; Rybarczyk, Edmund (2007). The Future of Pentecostalism in the United States. New York: Lexington Books. pp. 123–4. ISBN 978-0-7391-2102-3.
  5. ^ "Modalism | Definition of Modalism by Oxford Dictionary on Lexico.com also meaning of Modalism". Lexico Dictionaries | English. Archived from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  6. ^ Bernard, David (1993). "Oneness Believers in Church History". The Oneness of God. Word Aflame Press. ISBN 978-0-912315-12-6. Archived from the original on 30 November 2007.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference :12 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "What the Early Church Believed: God in Three Persons". Catholic Answers. Archived from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  10. ^ "The Blessed Trinity". Catholic Encyclopedia. New Advent. Archived from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  11. ^ "BBC - Religions - Christianity: The Trinity". British Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  12. ^ "Trinity - ReligionFacts". religionfacts.com. Archived from the original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference Bernard Grace and Faith was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Bernard, David. "Speaking in Tongues". The New Birth. Word Aflame Press. Archived from the original on 16 March 2009.
  15. ^ Slick, Matt (8 December 2008). "What is Oneness Pentecostal theology?". Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry. Archived from the original on 19 November 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  16. ^ "What the Early Church Believed: Trinitarian Baptism". Catholic Answers. Archived from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  17. ^ "Holiness" (PDF). United Pentecostal Church International. General Board of the United Pentecostal Church International. 1977.
  18. ^ Synan, Vinson (1975). Aspects of Pentecostal-charismatic Origins. Logos International. p. 221. ISBN 978-0-88270-110-3.
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference Anderson2004 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ French, Talmadge L. (2014). Early Inter-racial Oneness Pentecostalism: G.T. Haywood and the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (1901-1931) (1 ed.). Eugene, Or: The Lutterworth Press. p. 6. doi:10.2307/j.ctt1cgf8cm. ISBN 978-0-227-17477-7. Retrieved 8 February 2024. The number of Oneness Pentecostals, above and beyond the hard data of 27.4 million reported for specific groups by the Oneness Studies Institute in 2009, now exceeds an estimated thirty million.
  21. ^ Synan, Vinson (2001). The Century of the Holy Spirit: 100 Years of Pentecostal and Charismatic Renewal, 1901–2001. Nashville: Thomas Nelson. p. 141. ISBN 9780785245506.