Spirit Baptism, Socialization and Godly Love in the Church of God (Cleveland, TN)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/ptcs.v11i1.27Keywords:
Godly Love, Spirit baptism, socialization, benevolenceAbstract
The aim of this study is to explore the relationship of specific socialization of Godly Love measures and the Pentecostal spirituality measure of the experience of Spirit Baptism on benevolent action, while controlling for the background variables of gender, age and education. The socialization factors are reference group, significant other, Christian media, personal agency and perception of direct encounter with God. Benevolent action is measures in the giving of time and money (intensity) and the extent to which it is distributed to friends and family and to the community and beyond (extensity). Data was provided from a congregational questionnaire survey among Sunday morning attendees in the Church of God (Cleveland, TN) denomination in the USA. The results show that socialization factors (reference group, significant other, Christian media) do predict the extensity measures of benevolence and that personal agency is a predictor of the intensity (giving money) as well as the extensity measures (family and friend, community and beyond). Spirit Baptism is a predictor for one extensity measure (friends and family) but otherwise is insignificant. Age is a predictor of both intensity (giving of money) and extensity (family and friends, community and beyond), while education is a predictor of intensity (giving of money). Gender is insignificant.
References
Berger, P. 1969. The Social Reality of Religion. London: Faber and Faber.
Berger, P., and T. Luckmann. 1967. The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge. London: Penguin.
Cartledge, M.J. 2003. Practical Theology: Charismatic and Empirical Perspectives. Carlisle: Paternoster.
Church of God. 1948. “Declaration of Faith” of Church of God (Cleveland, TN). See http:// www.churchofgod.org/index.php/pages/declairation-of-faith (accessed 15 April 2012).
Church of God Evangel, vol. 1, no. 19 (December 1910).
—, vol. 7, no.6 (February 1916).
—, vol. 7, no. 29 (July 1916).
Conn, C.W. 1996. Like A Mighty Army: A History of the Church of God, Definitive Edition 1886–1995. Cleveland, TN: Pathway Press.
Danziger, K. 1971. Socialization. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
Fulcher, J., and J. Scott. 2003. Sociology. Second edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Furniss, G. 1995. Sociology for Pastoral Care: An Introduction for Students and Pastors. London: SPCK.
Gause, R.H. 2007. Living in the Spirit. Cleveland, TN: R. Hollis Gause.
Hunt, S.J. 2003. Alternative Religions: A Sociological Introduction. Aldershot: Ashgate.
Kay, William K. 2000. Pentecostals in Britain. Carlisle: Paternoster.
Land, S.J. 1993. Pentecostal Spirituality: A Passion for the Kingdom. Journal of Pentecostal Theology Supplement 1. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.
Lee, Matthew T., and Margaret M. Poloma. 2009. A Sociological Study of the Great Commandment in Pentecostalism: The Practice of Godly Love as Benevolent Service. Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press.
Lee, Matthew T., Margaret M. Poloma and Stephen G. Post. 2008. “Researching Godly Love in the Pentecostal Tradition: A White Paper for the Flame of Love Project”. University of Akron, Akron, OH.
Llewellyn, J.S., ed. 1922. Book of Minutes: A Compiled History of the Work of the General Assemblies of the Church of God. Cleveland, TN: Church of God Publishing House.
McGuire, M. B. 2002. Religion: The Social Context. Fifth edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Thomson.
Miller, Donald E., and Tetsunao Yamamori. 2007. Global Pentecostalism: The New Face of Christian Social Engagement. Berkeley, CA and Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press.
Poloma, Margaret, M. 1989. The Assemblies of God at the Crossroads: Charisma and Institutional Dilemmas. Knoxville, TN: The University of Tennessee Press.
Poloma, Margaret M., and John C. Green . 2010. The Assemblies of God: Godly Love and the Revitalization of American Pentecostalism. New York: New York University Press.
Poloma, Margaret M., and Ralph W. Hood. 2008. Blood and Fire: Godly Love in a Pentecostal Emerging Church. New York: New York University Press.
Roebuck, D. 2010. “Restorationism and a Vision for World Harvest: A Brief History of the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee)”. See www.churchofgod.org/heritage/ Restorationism.pdf (accessed 2 April 2012).
Sorokin, P. [1954] 2002. The Ways and Power of Love: Types, Factors, and Techniques of Moral Transformation. Radnar, PN: Templeton Foundation Press.
Spurling, R.G. 1920. The Lost Link. Turtletown, TN: Published by the author.
Van der Ven, J.A. 1996. Ecclesiology in Context. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
White, G. 1977. Socialisation. London: Longman.
