Introduction
The era 325-451 was dominated by theological conflicts because of the development of Christian Church dogmas. Ecumenical Councils convened to resolve the controversies such as the doctrine of Sabellius who attempted to safeguard the unity of the Godhead by denying the essential Trinity and that of Arius whose attempt was to safeguard the Church from the danger of polytheism (Cairns 1978:141). In order to address this, the first Council of Nicaea was opened on the 19th June 325 to formulate what is commonly known as Nicene Creed. The Creed aimed to address the Arian propositions that questioned the deity and the person of the Trinity. This Arius was an African, a native of Libya who became a respected ascetic and a presbyter of the church in Baucalis district of Alexandria (Anatolios 2011:44). His theological manual known as the Thalia (meaning festivity or banquet) combines prose and verse to summarise his views on the Logos. It contains his controversial views that were regarded as anti-Scriptural, especially in his approach to the relation of Christ to the Father (Cairns 1978:141). In a nutshell, the Arian theology is of the view that Jesus Christ was not coeternal with God the Father but was rather a created being before time. This inevitably leads to the conclusion that the nature of Godhead is in essence that of subordinationism (Williams 2002:98) – a Trinitarian doctrine that holds that the Son and the Holy Spirit are subordinate to the Father, not only in submission and role but also with actual ontological subordination to varying degrees. Arius opined that God’s first thought was the creation of the Son before all ages, so time began with the creation of the Logos. He contended that the Son could still be God even if he did not exist eternally. Arius attempted to explain the ultimate incomprehensibility of the Father to the Son.
Controversies of the time were not pneumatological but christological, hence the Creed belabours more on Christ and gives a brief statement on the Holy Spirit, as confirmed by Anizor (2018:51) that there is the ‘paltry partial sentence devoted to defining belief in the Holy Spirit.’ The Creed mentions the Holy Spirit but not as ‘God’ or as ‘consubstantial with the Father.’ It was revised in 381 at Constantinople where the Creed was termed the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed and is today often and simply referred to as the ‘Nicene Creed.’ At the end, it is accepted that the lengthy christological insertion was probably directed against certain christological heresies, mainly Docetism and Monarchianism (Lohse 1985:33). The tone of the Creed adopted the notion of the Holy Spirit as worshipped and glorified with the Father and the Son (Denzinger 1957:3). The purpose and the focus of a creed are to provide a doctrinal statement of correct belief among Christians amid controversy (Lamberts 2020:86).
The statement ‘I believe’ is a positive confession out of the convicted heart. Elaborating ‘I believe’ Peters (2000:44) captures it well that ‘Anytime one states what one believes, it automatically distinguishes one from others who do not believe in the same way.’ This is also captured by Ratzinger (2004:88) that ‘The phrase “I believe” could here be literally translated by “I hand myself over to”, “I assent to”. It is a credal statement, hence a principle of identity’. Faith in the Holy Spirit is one’s belief that God can share with the confessor something of his own divine love. Without belabouring the role of the Holy Spirit in human affairs, it should be stated categorically:
The Holy Spirit, the third Person in the Trinity, proceeding from the Father and the Son, of the same substance and equal in power and glory, is, together with the Father and the Son, to be believed in, loved, obeyed, and worshipped throughout all ages. (Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 9 Of The Holy Spirit Section 1)
This confession flows out of the Creed, demonstrating the deity of the Holy Spirit, his relationship within and with the Triune God and his worth to be worshipped as God. Emanating from this confession, ‘I believe’ follows the substance of what to believe, namely the Holy Spirit. This Holy Spirit is the giver of life, divine life to humanity. As Lord and giver of life, he is God, with the Father and the Son, therefore worthy to receive the same adoration they do, object of the same worship and the same glory with the Father and the Son (Hilberath 1992:499; Kärkkäinen 2002:13). The Nicene Creed, just like the others after it, are not the disputes about the mystery of the Trinity. They intend to point out what the Scriptures teach about the Three Persons of the Trinity without any effort to show how God can be both One and Three. The creeds are human documents, therefore not infallible (Duffield & Van Cleave 1987:87), but had proved through the ages, to be the confession that separates Christians from other religions.
Pentecostals and Nicene Creed
Pentecostals and Charismatics are ecumenically chartered within evangelicalism (Vondey 2017, Livingstone 2013:461). Pentecostals all over the world are bona fide members of evangelical national formations. In some cases, they play some critical leadership roles. For a good number of tenures, the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) in America was led by Pentecostals. For instance, Doug Clay, the General Superintendent of Assemblies of God, and various leaders from diverse Pentecostal and Charismatic groupings form the current Board of NAE.1 The continental body, the Association of Evangelicals in Africa, was from 1978 to 2002 led by a renown Tokunboh Adeyemo – a Pentecostal imbued with outstanding gift of leadership (Adeyemo 1997). His life verse was Zechariah 4:6: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord.’
The Trinitarian theology, which is the essence of the Creed, makes it acceptable without any reservation by Pentecostals. Although they admit the Creed leaves out some of the tenets of their doctrinal convictions such as healing, atonement, miracles, etc., they embrace it as the legitimate magna carta of their faith. It is a Creed that constitutes a fundamental confession of faith-forging identity. For Pentecostals and Protestants broadly, the Apostles’ Creeds ‘is a confessional formula that has acquired dogmatic standing’ (Jenson 1997:36). Good example is the South African Assemblies of God section known as Assemblies of God – Back to God, which has become liturgical by singing the Apostles’ Creed every Sunday in any of the indigenous language of the area (Resane 2024b). Bearing in mind that Pentecostals are strictly not liturgical in their worship yet continue their confessionality by credal nuances such as ‘Jesus is Lord.’ They embrace the Creed as a dogmatic confession that locates them within evangelicalism, because deep down in their evangelical conviction, they are trinitarian. They agree with Moltmann (2019:125) that ‘Theology without confession is worthless.’
Spiritual Sensibilities of the Pentecostal Culture
Although some Pentecostals differ with dispensationalism on certain issues such as cessationism, they believe that the current era of the church is the dispensation of the Holy Spirit (Hayford 2006, Austin-Sparks 1996). Therefore, for one to be in step with what God is doing in the world, one must embrace the Holy Spirit, as per the confession ‘I believe in the Holy Spirit.’ This confession is not uttered in a vacuum. It is a theological declaration uttered within a pneuma-charged atmosphere in the context where Pentecostalism exists and realised. Therefore, Pentecostal theology and practice as a Christian theology ‘has always been contextualised … has always been enculturated, rooted in a given culture utilising its language, symbols, and modes of thought, as well as its political and economic structures to create a theologically meaningful world’ (Butkus and Kolmes 2011:11). Therefore, the Creed is generally a theology that is ‘a far more context-sensitive discipline. It is a theological content that cannot be divorced from cultural context (Gregersen in Gregersen and Van Huyssteen 1998:181), which is the era of the Holy Spirit. ‘Since we live in the dispensation of the Holy Spirit, it is very important that we know as much about Him as the Word reveals to us.’ (Duffield & Van Cleave 1987:107). This has become symbolic to many Pentecostal groups with a motto or slogan: ‘Word and Spirit.’ This motto is the legacy from Athanasius, a staunch critic of Arius, because for Athanasius, ‘Word and Spirit are inseparable’ (Edwards in Conradie 2012:50). Henry Bittenson (1976:26) highlights it that ‘Sound doctrine depends upon a clear and accurate understanding of the Nature and Work of the blessed third Person of the Trinity who dwells in and empowers the Church, the Body of Christ.’ The Bible and the Spirit intertwine to authenticate any revelation because ‘The Word is indeed effective only as it is made alive through the Holy Spirit’ (Horton 1987:120).
The Pentecostal Power
Pentecostals claim that power is originated by the Spirit. ‘The Spirit is the power by means of which God acts’ (Von Allmen 1967:168), confirmed by Anderson (2004:183) that this power is the reason for Pentecostal unprecedented flexibility for their missional extension in the world. From its early inception, Pentecostalism never critiqued the established dogma or creeds but questioned the dogma’s coldness, liberalism and quiescence. They embrace all the pneumatological functions that through Christ the soteriological realisation is factored and reacquired. The Spirit’s awakening within a believer ‘generates a lot of movement and dynamism’ (Van der Kooi & Van den Brink 2017:490). Pentecostal livelihood is all about ‘supernatural.’ And this supernatural is evident through various manifestations.
The first manifestation of Pentecostal power is through the spiritual encounter known as the baptism with the Holy Spirit subsequent to conversion, evidenced by glossolalia. Duffield & Van Cleave (1987:305) capture it well that ‘The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is subsequent to, and distinct from, His Regenerative Work.’ Despite some variations of positions on the experience of glossolalia, the bottom line is that ‘it is a once-for-all event, it is recalled and celebrated and testified to almost as frequently and precisely as the new birth’ (Wagner 1988:30). In Pentecostal experience, Spirit baptism can be quite dramatic. Apart from the evidence of speaking in tongues, some physical manifestations are reported, e.g. slain in the Spirit and falling on the ground, twitching of some muscles, falling into some trances and visions of some heavenly manifestations such as seeing Jesus, angels, heaven, mysterious eschatological visions of blisses, etc. (Richie 2011:300-302). Pentecostal theology revolves around the baptism with the Holy Spirit as a new encounter after salvation when Jesus the baptiser with the Holy Spirit empowers believers for service and holiness of life. Michael Green (1989) points to the fact that the baptism with the Holy Spirit ‘is seen as the indispensable step to spiritual power and a full Christian life.’
This manifestation of power is also demonstrated through the revolutionised life that is changed through the encounter with Christ. According to Resane (2024c:180), many Pentecostal converts come from diverse backgrounds of deviant behaviours and practices such as alcoholism, gambling, substance abuse, immoral lifestyles, etc. After conversion, these converts struggle as they battle to sense total deliverance from the past practices. Packer (in Greig and Springer 1993:214) asserts that ‘It is right to want to be divinely empowered for righteousness, for moral victories, for deliverance from bad habits, and for pleasing God.’ Many testify that it was only through and after the experience of the baptism with the Holy Spirit, they were fully delivered and experienced victory over and against former practices. This is one of the reasons for Pentecostal emphasis on holiness. This is emphasised by Zimmerman (in McClung 1986:59) that ‘The committed life with all its attendant blessings came to be appreciated by people who recognised the greater price which had to be paid for selfish and sinful living.’ Changed life through the Holy Spirit encounter is one of the attendant blessings Zimmerman refers to here. Rooted in biblical studies or being committed to the apostles’ doctrine (Act 2:42) inculcates the life of holiness.
The third manifestation of the Pentecostal power is through a naturally unique preaching. As confirmed by Hughes, ‘and so encompassing in its power that no word other than “supernatural” seems adequate to describe it’ (in McClung 1986:91). The power of Pentecostal preaching is evidenced by Bible based, Christocentric and pneuma-directed preaching. Hughes (McClung 1986:91) reinforces that:
Pentecostal preaching is not predicated upon human assumptions. Rather, it builds upon the Word, according to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and depends upon the Spirit to convict and bring miraculous results.
Pentecostal preaching is expected to yield some miraculous results such as healing, conviction of the heart that leads to conversion, prophetic revelations and exposure of demonic intents. This is evidenced by the Spirit in the ministry of Jesus as victorious over hostile forces, to wit, the demons, sickness and death’ (Von Allmen 1967:169). Pentecostal kerygma is a power encounter, and it is delivered by faith with expected outcomes of Christ’s exultation and people’s liberation from all sorts of oppressive forces such as sickness, poverty and demonic oppression. This agrees with Moltmann (1989:215) that ‘The Christian proclamation is the messianic message of joy and as such it is the language of liberation.’ Power and Spirit are intertwined and cooperate to authenticate or confirm Christological actions in theological deliberations that are enabled by pneumatic enthusiasms. Greig (in Greig and Springer 1993:155) points out that ‘The association of “power” [dunamis] and “the Spirit” [pneuma] with signs, wonders, and miracles of healing and deliverance throughout the New Testament suggests the miraculous deeds of the Spirit’s power through which the gospel was manifested alongside Paul’s preaching.’ When these outcomes are realised, hope is ignited, faith kindled and life restored. Resane (2019:2) agrees that ‘Pentecostal kerygma is always a message of hope and restoration.’
The fourth manifestation of Pentecostal power is miracles, especially healing. Healing is a Pentecostal phenomenon. Katongole (2011:49) refers to Reinhard Bonnke’s ministry’s rallying call of ‘Africa Shall Be Saved’ ‘offers as a demonstration promises of deliverance, miracles, blessings, and prosperity’ that may include healing. Although the common practice of healing the sick is laying hands on them, and in some cases, anointing them with oil, there is no formula that Pentecostals restrict themselves to. Wagner (1988:223) says that ‘There is no correct formula, ritual or procedure, which, when used correctly, makes the healing happen. God does the healing, and we cannot write His script for Him.’ As healing is prayer based and driven, the sick can be prayed for without any consideration of physical barriers such as a distance, position of prayer, application of any substance such as water, oil or the usage of cloth (handkerchief, scarf or flag), stick or clothing item. As alluded to by Lambert (2003) and Banda (2023), these are the appearances of the latest versions of Pentecostalism (Neo-Charismatics and New Prophetic Movement). Classically Pentecostals believe in the power of prayer offered on behalf of the sick. The bottom line is that the works of the Spirit are miraculous. ‘They are done by the word, which is the word of the omnipotent God whose kingdom here enters history and overthrows the rule of hostile forces’ (Kittel & Frederick 1985:189).
The fifth manifestation of Pentecostal power is the distribution of charismata – gifts of the Spirit given liberally to those who believe in Jesus Christ. Many scholars wrote about this subject (Duffield and Van Cleave 1983, Vondey 2017, Macchia 2006, Wagner 2005), but let me give the definition of the spiritual gift: ‘A spiritual gift is a unique capacity given by the Holy Spirit to each believer for service in connection with the church in order that the church may progress quantitatively, qualitatively, and organically’ (Clinton 1975:13), ‘unique skills and abilities given by the Holy Spirit to faithful followers of Christ to serve God for the common benefit of his people, the church’ (Deibert, 2024). The gifts are the ‘capacities to express Christ in serving God and man, so that every- member ministry in the church, which is Christ’s body, may become a reality’ (Packer 2008:116).
Pentecostal application of the spiritual gifts is both personal (holiness and power) and corporate (service to humanity towards church growth). A spiritual gift is given by the Spirit for service (Criswell 1973:48; McGrath 1997:86-88) delivery towards quantitative, qualitative and organic church growth. Yong (2008) emphasises a matter of service delivery, especially to the acts of charity and hospitality, once a person is imbued with the Spirit’s gifts. This is further confirmed by Asamoah-Gyadu (2005:27) who highlights that Pentecostals emphasise that:
… the experience of the Spirit, following conversion, not only empowers the believer to be an effective witness, but also opens the door to the reception of ministry gifts of the Spirit including those of healing, discernment and prophecy.
These gifts contribute towards Pentecostal behaviour that concurs with a corporate entity for the feasible spread of the Gospel to all people in all possible contexts. The typical Pentecostal fellowship or gathering is characterised by the manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit, especially speaking in tongues followed by interpretation accompanied by discernment, prophecy, exhortation, etc. Pentecostal power is not only limited to the local setting but also missionally outside its own comfort zones. In the words of Bird (2016:1800, ‘it is for his kingdom that the Spirit embraces and empowers people.’ Pentecostalism is ecclesiastically rooted and missionally orientated. The gifts of the Spirit in operation are the evidence of God present among his people.
Theology of power and power of technology in Pentecostalism
The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is the current environment in which technologies are developing at a faster rate, changing human lifestyle and environment disruptively. Specific technologies of 4IR include, though not limited to Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), Robotics, Virtual Reality (VR), Mobile Devices, Smart Sensors, Analytics, Data Visualisation, Cloud Computing, Location Detection, etc. All these are the technologies directing life with issues in natural and social landscapes. Pentecostalism in all its variations cannot escape the influence and the impact of 4IR in its deliverable epistemologies.
Pentecostal theology, like all epistemologies, either in utterances or praxis, is subtly and subliminally entrenched in and influenced by 4IR. This is where the nexus hits the road – a real crossroad. Is it the power of the Spirit or the power of technology that enhances the confession ‘I believe in the Holy Spirit’ realistic and applicable? The bottom line in the Pentecostal theology of power is: ‘The Spirit is the One who dispenses and mediates power’ (Kraft and Kraft in Greig and Springer 1993:373). Pentecostal power, as demonstrated above, is significant through the baptism with the Holy Spirit, revolutionised lives, preaching, miracles of healing and the distribution and operation of the gifts of the Spirit. The Pentecostal power is beyond descriptions but is always thought of as vigour or energy, a dunamis that manifests God’s power demonstrated by manifestations of God’s mighty works such as miracles (Vine 1997:868), healing, deliverance and revolutionised life. Indeed, ‘the Spirit appears as the energy and divine intelligence which possesses the prophets, and which lifts them above the calculating prudence of their contemporaries’ (Von Allmen 1967:169). Moltmann (1997:68) refers to this by saying, ‘In charismatic experiences God’s Spirit is felt as a vitalizing energy. In the nearness of God, we are happy, and life begins to vibrate.’ Moltmann further attests that the Spirit’s power is energeia, ‘the activity of the Holy Spirit of God has been described as a flowing, an outpouring and a shining, that is to say as the elemental quality of water and light’ (1997:69). It is also important to note that for Pentecostals, as Kittel and Frederich (1985:189) assert: ‘God’s essence is power, endowment with power is linked to the gift of the Spirit, and this gift confers on Christ his authority [exousia] – an authority which he has the power [dýnamis] to exercise in expelling demons or healing the sick (cf. Lk. 5:17; 6:19; 8:46).’ This is also affirmed by Grundmann (in Kittel 1977:311) referring to Acts 6, that ‘This dunamis (“power”) is expressed in proclamation on the one side (6:10) and miracles on the other (6:8).’ Power and technology are at the crossroads within Pentecostalism. The power of the Spirit is immutable, while technology is mutable, always changing and becoming gradable. Indeed, ‘technologies come and go, more and more rapidly’ (Bates and Poole 2003:9). The fundamental assertion remains that ‘Technology’s allure is captivating, mesmerising us with the latest gadgetry’ (Cole-Turner in Stackhouse, Dearborn and Paeth 2000:100). So, the Pentecostal communities, in order to enhance their ecclesiality, should strive to be on the cutting edges of technologies in order to make their belief in the Holy Spirit relevant to the modern generation.
Some disparagements against Pentecostals is emotionalism over doctrine, ecstatic experiences such as shouting, hand clapping, noise in singing and preaching. All these are at the expense of biblical teaching and theological depth. There is a common vilification that for Pentecostals, ‘noise equals power.’ The soft-speaking preacher in South African Pentecostalism is dubbed uMfundisi o bandayo (isiZulu) [cold preacher] or Moruti yo tsididi (Setswana). Some aspersions cast to Pentecostals are that he is a dead pastor, or his preaching is dead. For some to escape these aspersions, they resort to 4IR machinations such as sound – magnifying instrumentation, especially loud speakers and the microphone. The statement ‘I believe in the Holy Spirit’ is considered powerful if it reverberates through the sound magnifier. Sunday mornings in some communities one will be baffled by computing sound blasts as if churches or preachers are in competition to see whose sound system sounds best (loudest in this situation). Using voice magnifiers is an old technology used by many, if not all public speakers – politicians or preachers. There is no doubt that Pentecostals, like others, have been familiar with technology for years in digital sound, light, screens, still and motion graphics technologies (Orogun & Pillay 2023:3). These technologies enhance the concept of power within Pentecostalism as they project voices and enhance ‘spiritual egos’ of both the preacher and the congregants that they are on the cutting edges of modern technology. The microphone has become a symbol of status in the hand of a preacher, an artist or any person on the platform. It enhances the ego when a preacher raises the voice to make a point, calling for congregation’s antiphonal response such as ‘Amen’, Hallelujah’, ‘Say Amen’, etc. The power in the sound is treated as the power of the Spirit. Even the soft-speaking preacher holding the microphone starts to feel that the echo of his voice is the expression of power before the congregation as it echoes above all else. In many African Pentecostal churches, the levelled sound output is considered weak. The louder, the better. The musician wants to hold the microphone closer to the mouth and would like to hear his or her voice above the rest.
Pentecostals’ claim of power and technology can be observed in their ecclesial tensions. Even at this crossroad, Pentecostal communities are often engaged in heated debates and disagreements around various doctrinal and theological themes. These debates often become raucous and divisive leading to rifts and splits within the church and create tension among members (Mabborang 2022). To navigate these challenges, it is essential for Pentecostals to remind themselves of the Apostles’ Creed, especially the third article of belief in the Holy Spirit who affirms the reality of one, holy, universal church and emphasising the communion of saints and the eternal life promised to believers. The creed concludes with affirmations regarding the forgiveness of sins, not just of human nature, but even when there are some disagreements. The beauty of the apex of the creed is hope out of the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. It grounds Christian hope in the ultimate fulfilment of God’s redemptive plan.
To address the divisive doctrine and theology, Pentecostals should prioritise the core beliefs that unite all believers (Bird2016:197). With the current wide field of 4IR, Pentecostals are encouraged to engage in respectful dialogue and active listening when discussing contentious issues. With the availability of technologies such as podcasts, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), Virtual Reality (VR) and Analytics, Pentecostals can seek understanding of different perspectives and start to value diverse opinions. Utilising these technologies will assist the church in fostering a culture of mutual respect and cooperation.
Conclusion
Pentecostals are encouraged to be geared to the times by confessing the Creed (consciously or unconsciously) as a stepping stone towards embracing 4IR. In their practices of spiritual gifts, Pentecostals are encouraged to gain liberty as spiritual gifts are and can be engaged or enhanced for human quality and survival aided positively through the 4IR. The 4IR is an invaluable aid that should be embraced to enhance Pentecostal identity, and what they believe should be conveyed clearly, consistently and coherently (Gould 2015:105).
Pentecostals’ belief in the Holy Spirit is associated with power, now learning how to utilise technology. In various ways, they believe that ‘all advances and developments in a scientific understanding of the universe are to be welcomed and accommodated within the Christian faith’ (McGrath 1999:49). They seek, organise, analyse and apply technology appropriately, not only in kerygmatic activities but also in their communication channels such as Internet for correspondence (emails, WhatsApp, Instagram, etc.), preparing sermons and seeking illustrations. Indeed, ‘Congregations would be well served to include technology in both their worship and propagation of the Gospel, for ours in an increasingly technological society’ (McIntosh 2002:208). Church life and church actions can be better and efficiently accomplished through technology. Resane (2024a:16) affirms this that ‘Technology is important in the church for evangelism and administration. Maximum influence and efficiency are the positive achievements through Technology.’ Referring to the Pentecostals, Ogunewu (2022:12) confirms that ‘They have continually enhanced their evangelisation programmes and increased their visibility through the use of various media forms.’
Pentecostals, regardless of their reservations towards modernity, cannot ignore technology in their pastoral and congregational interactions, because no matter how spiritual one can be, rationality and context, together with strong personal commitments inextricably go together (Van Huyssteen in Gregersen and Van Huyssteen 1998:31). The central message here is that ‘integration of diverse empowering resources becomes the new theological horizon’ (O’Murchu 2021:13). Pentecostals can engage technology to make credal confession in the environment where gadgets can be employed to enhance the ‘I believe’ statement audible, visible and coherent. This will be possible through voice-magnifying technology, virtual reality and visual assistance, especially since the ‘millennials are not given to listening to an hour of anything – including music, without visual assistance’ (Noel 2015:127). At the end of the day, 4IR is here as an inevitable reality. It dominates our environment, operations and, to a certain degree, our behaviours. It is therefore crucial for Pentecostals to implement some tangible ethical rudiments to safeguard their integrity when engaging 4IR. The bottom line remains as echoed by Moltmann (2012:134):
Technologies and sciences are always developed from particular human interests and concerns. They don’t exist value-free. Interests precede them, guide them, and press their results into service. The human interests, for their part, are regulated by the society’s fundamental values and convictions.
The Spirit and technology converge at the crossroad to direct Pentecostalism towards the direction of the Spirit’s intentions. Pentecostals should remain rooted in the Spirit, at the same time, aided by 4IR in order to enhance their effectiveness in incarnating the Person, the work and the love of Christ to depraved humanity but also igniting and inspiring the church in and towards doctrinality and missionality.