原载《国学与西学国际学刊》2017年第13期
主 编：黄保罗 Editor-in-chief: Paulos HUANG
副主编：肖清和Vice-editor-in-chief: XIAO Qinghe （网络版）
副主编：苏德超Vice-editor-in-chief: SU Dechao （微信版）
ISSN for Print Version 纸质国际标准期刊号 1799-8204
ISSN for Online Version 网络电子版国际期刊号 2242-2471
本刊已被芬兰国家图书馆、美国宗教与神学提要 (R&TA) 、托马森路透the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) ，ATLA Religion Database® (ATLA RDB®, http://www.atla.com), the Bibliography of Asian Studies, EBSCO 和 SCOPUS 数据库收录。
[以下为原刊第88页]
3.1 Theological issues in Popular Gospel Truths
As mentioned previously, Popular Gospel Truths represents the Oneness Pentecostal tradition, which isrelated to its editor Berntsen. Besides thisbackground, one can also discover the apparent Oneness tendency in this paperthat is worthy of further exploration. In July 1916, Berntsen announced “Statements of Zhengdingfu Xinxinhui 正定府信心会” on the front page of Issue 13 of Popular Gospel Truth, which intended to explain their fundamental beliefs. The first article, “Baptism by Immersion in the Name of Jesus Christ,” was related to the statement of the Godhead. He continued to expound by citing verses from the Bible:
“Isaiah 9:6 says, ‘He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, [以下为原刊第89页]Prince of Peace ...’Jesus is the Everlasting Father; then, let’s look up John 10:30: ‘I and the Father is one’, so we can understand Jesus is the Father and the Son at the same time, and Christ means receiving the Holy Spirit, so the name of the Father, Son, and the Spirit is Jesus Christ.”[37]
The traditional Christian doctrine of Trinity advocates that God is one but exists in three divine persons or hypostases. The three persons are distinct but are of one 'substance, essence or nature”. However,in the interpretation above, one can see that Berntsen seems to blur the distinction between the three persons. He highlighted that God is one; the Father and the Holy Spirit is identical with Jesus. This kind of understanding of the Godhead is actually similar to Monarchianism in the history of Christianity. This perspective is not like the Unitarian one which denies the divinity of Jesus. Rather, Oneness Pentecostals reinforce the importance of the Christ, and emphasizes the essentialoneness of God’s nature while rejecting the term “Trinity” and “person”. That is to say, Jesus Christ is the true name of the Holy “Triunity”[38]. Elsewhere in this paper, Berntsen (or any other authors) interpreted the so-called Oneness perspective on Godhead:
“… The glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” in Colossians 1:27 means the dwelling of the Spirit; hence, Christ is the Spirit. In Colossians 2:9:” For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodilyform.”[39]
He demonstrates that everything of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, for Jesus represents the Father, the Son and the Spirit. In another place, Popular GospelTruth quotes an unknown author’s words:
“...Jesus speaks in the Book of Revelations inperson: I am the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last. Who is the First? It is the Father of all spirits. Who is the Last? It is the Holy Spirit. Judging from this, Jesus is the Father, and is the Spirit. All of us know that He is the Middle one too, who is the Son ...”[40]
Apparently, the distinction between the Trinity was blurred again by the writer, who argued that Jesus said he is the First and the Last, and accordingto the “hierarchy” of the Trinity, the First is the Father, the Last is the Holy Spirit and Jesus is the Middle One. In other words, the Father, the Sonand the Holy Spirit are actually equivalent to Jesus Christ. On the basis of Biblical hermeneutics, [以下为原刊第90页]such an exegesis would be considered extremely problematic[41], for the verse in the book of Revelation does not talk about Persons or the essence of God. As such, the meaning of the text has been distorted. Besides, Oneness Pentecostals have been challenged to explain reports of simultaneous the ophany of the three Persons of God in the New Testament. The paper alsotried to defend its position by arguing:
“There are some people who say, if Jesus is the Heavenly Father, how can He sit at the right hand of the Father? It is not an easy question to answer. We don’t have to say other things, we can merely say Jesus’ body is the Son of men, and the Son of God as well, for God made a body for him. For Jesus is made by God, rather than born of flesh, Jesus’ body still exists at the present, because He has not yet accomplished his work. His work will not be accomplished until Jesus makes His enemies his footstool, the Savior (’s body) will be needless then.”[42]
In brief, God is Spirit; thus, He can not belimited by space. The True God Jesus’ flesh merely exists temporarily, and when His work is accomplished, His body will not be necessary anymore. This perspective seems not too different from Sabellianism as it argues that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are in fact one God, but He discloses Himself in three different modes in three different periods[43]. Obviously, as far as we can see from the archives, the Pentecostal belief that Popular Gospel Truths was spreading is the Oneness wing of Pentecostalism. Paul Wei, one of the founding fathers of the TJC, was connected with Berntsen. He recounted that Berntsen used to be his mentor in initiation of Pentecostal faith;[44] Barnabas Zhang on the other hand also reported in his book that he had read Popular Gospel Truths, although he disagreed with part of the content.[45] These may be the main origins to which the Oneness doctrine of the TJC can be traced.
Another theological issue that should be of concern in this periodical is ordo salutis. Oneness Pentecostal not only repudiatesthe Trinitarian understanding of the Godhead but also combines the three-step model that Holiness Pentecostals advocate into a complex unity. Regeneration, sanctification and Spirit-Baptism are an integrated experience for the achievement of full salvation or Christian initiation. However, Popular Gospel Truths frequently argued that only receiving “baptism in water andthe Spirit” can be regarded as effective or holistic salvation. By quoting John3:5 and 1 Corinthians 12:13, Berntsen argued that being baptized by the Spirit into one body, namely the body of Jesus, qualifies one to ascend to heaven with Him. Berntsen explicitly stated:
[以下为原刊第91页]“Should we understand that the baptism in the Spirit is something connected with beingsaved? In my opinion, it should be so; if we do not have the Spirit of Christ,we will not belong to Him.”[46]
In addition, he said:
“Only water baptism, together with Spirit-baptism, could then be regarded as a holistic baptism. If someone has received water baptism but lacks baptism of the Holy Spirit, he has not truly been baptized.”[47]
The mainstream view of Pentecostals on Spirit-Baptism insists upon the “subsequence” doctrine. On the contrary, Oneness Pentecostals advocate the more reformed position on this point, which by no means maintains two or three stages of ordo salutis. Nevertheless, Pentecostals still insist on the Pentecostal “initial evidence”doctrine and connect it with redemption. Therefore, “speaking in tongues” has become an indispensable requisite for salvation to them. Popular Gospel Truth refers to the following,
“There will always be evidence that everyone was born, when a baby cries. So, whenthey are born again, they immediately speak in tongues, as evidence of their rebirth.”[48]
Besides that, in this periodical the writers argue for the legitimacy of “initialevidence” by quoting key passages in the Book of Acts. In essence, they searched for historical precedents from the text similar to what Pentecostal interpreters have done. Berntsen obtained his own “Pentecostal experience” at the Azusa Street Mission and yet he subsequently affiliated with some other mission societies or denominations. According todocuments, Berntsen was affiliated with William Durham's North Avenue Mission,[49] which was the base of the Finished work. Like the majorityof Durham's team, he later participatedin the Assemblies of God established in 1914-[50]. However, he soon left the new-born denomination, most likely because of the Oneness issue. According to his passport, he also took part in the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World— a Oneness Pentecostal denomination. On the other hand, one can figure out that the TJC almost shares the same doctrine on Godhead and ordo salutis with Oneness Pentecostals and Berntsen. I think there is ample evidence to believe that TJC's doctrine was partly influenced by Berntsen's mission enterprise in north China, though Paul Wei proclaimed that he had received supernatural “revelation” from God. Popular Gospel Truths played the role of an instrument bearing the Pentecostal wing subscribing to Oneness, but unfortunately we [以下为原刊第92页]have no way to discover to what extent this periodical influenced Chinese Christians. It might have inspired the TJC to spread their message sufficiently by publishing and sending their own periodicals later.
3.2 Theological Issues in Pentecostal Truths
On the other hand, the Pentecostal message that Pentecostal Truths was spreading was more similar to the Holiness wing of the Pentecostal movement. As mentioned above, Mok Lai Chi accepted the Pentecostal message from Garr, who had been influenced and sent by the Azusa Street Mission and also connected with J. H.King and McIntosh. Subsequently, both of them were rooted in Holiness Pentecostal traditions. Besides, his Pentecostal Truths demonstrates relevant issues as well. Like its counterpart Popular Gospel Truths, Pentecostal Truths also endeavored to promote the seeking of Spirit-Baptism, although it emphasized that Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a subsequent experience to conversion instead of initiation of Christians. In several issues of this paper, a special column titled “Information for those seeking to be baptized in the Holy Spirit”appeared many times. From this column, one can comprehend their teaching on Spirit-Baptism clearly. This column consisted of a series of lists, but not all of them were directed to Spirit-Baptism,according to which there are some prerequisites required to be met before seeking the Holy Spirit, including repentance,obeying the Word of God, believing and trusting in Jesus Christ, cleansing and sanctification.The paper also highlighted that if one is not cleansed,he will not be able to receive the Holy Spirit, while those apostles had been cleansed before the day of the Pentecost.
Besides the requirements listed above, restitution is also surprisingly a prerequisite for seeking baptism in the Holy Spirit.[51] In another issue, this topic was described again by quoting the Book of Ezekiel 33:15: “if they give back whatthey took in pledge for a loan, return what they have stolen, follow the decrees that give life, and do no evil--that person will surely live; they will not die. ” The writer affirmed that if someone owed money to others and extorted or defrauded others of properties, he should return them as soon as possible. Even if one owed too much to reimburse immediately, he should seek providence from God, once he is “supplied” by God someday, he should return sufficiently so that he can enjoy complete salvation. It alsostates that compensation is a way to reconciliation.[52] From Volume 3 No. 2 1910 onwards, the mission's name was changed from the Apostolic Faith Mission to the Hong Kong Pentecostal Mission. From then on, a column titled “Hong Kong Pentecostal Mission” became a regular feature. It announced that its statement of faith, including rituals and practices, and restitution are also a part of this list.[53] Mok’s practice of reinstitution might originated from the Azusa Street Mission, for it also could be found on the statement of latter in some issuesof Apostolic Faith, and both Mok and the Azusa Street Mission cited the same Bible verses— Ezekiel 33:15 and Luke19:8 to justified their statements on restitution[54]. However, compare to the Azusa Street Mission, Mok's church seemed to emphasized [以下为原刊第93页]more on this point, besides quoting verses, Mok’s church even described further about the clearing of all debts and the return of ill-gotten wealth or gains and also encourages people to ask forthe forgiveness of creditors. It seemed that Azusa Street’s and Mok's perspective on redemption was relatively holistic, for they not only stressed on reconciliation with God, but also with fellow men.This kind of thinking could be a breakthrough, which jumped off the boundary of “personalsalvation” or the individual relationship with God that Fundamentals has been emphasizing. In addtion, Mok's insistence upon this might be related to Chinese traditions, for Chinese society has traditionally been more concerned with the community than the individual. Therefore, religion was not seen as an entirely individual matter.
Hong Kong Pentecostal scholar Connie Au describes Mok's teachings as sanctification-centered soteriology. She states that Mok actually did not distinguish sanctification from repentance. To him,sanctification and conversion are synonymous and they are defined by repentance.[55] In brief, this means that sanctification,followed by cleansing, is integrated with conversion/initiation. However, asmentioned above, Holiness Pentecostals appeal to the three-step model. Mok also declared tha this mission could be regarded as Holiness Pentecostalism.The understandingof sanctification-centered soteriology to Mok seems to be conflicted with traditional Holiness Pentecostals' concept. As a matter of fact, Pentecostals more often than not confuse conversion, sanctification andSpirit-Baptism, although there is indeed a distinction between them.Regardless oftwo or three stages, these experiencesare different but correlated. Acontemporary example should be the statement of faith of Assemblies of God,a leading Pentecostal denomination in the world. Article 7 of its “Fundamental Truth” revolves around the issue of Baptism in the Holy Spirit.It says: “...With the baptism in the Holy Spirit come such experiences as...and a more active love for Christ, for His Word and forthe lost.[56]” Similarly, The Full LifeStudy Bible—a Bible with reference of Pentecostal perspective published by Assemblies of God, the article titled “Baptism in the Holy Spirit” in this Bible says receiving Spirit-Baptism will result in “enhanced sensitivity tosin,” “a greater seeking after righteousness which conforms to Christ,” and “a deeper awareness of the judgment of God against all ungodliness.[57]” Though most Pentecostal denominations havestated that Spirit-Baptism is a subsequent experience to conversion and sanctification, one can still discover that thedistinction between sanctification and Spirit-Baptism is actually not that clear.
Nevertheless, Mok and his paper did not confuse the difference between conversion and Baptism in the Holy Spirit as Oneness Pentecostals and Berntsendid, that is to say the “indwelling in the Holy Spirit” or “rebirth by the HolySpirit” is not directly connected with empowerment by the Holy Spirit for ministry. At the same time, Mok did not confuse sanctification and Spirit-Baptism either, though sanctification and conversion are almost synonymous in this periodical, which is actually a prerequisite for seeking Spirit-Baptism. The latter is a totally specific crisis experience to them. Thepaper states that:
[以下为原刊第94页]“There are many people who can not distinguish the gift of sanctification and the gift of empowerment; hence, some have confused sanctification with Baptism in the Holy Spirit. However it's wrong, only the gift of enabling can be regarded as Baptism in the Holy Spirit.There are still some others refer the anointing of the Holy Spirit to Baptismin the Holy Spirit, so that they fail to pursuit the real power of Pentecostalglory.[58]”
In another issue of this paper,the writer reaffirmed the difference between conversion and empowerment:
Some people question whether anyone can possess the Spirit of God without speaking in tongues? The answer will be yes, those born by God do have Spirit of God, just like those born by parents have spirit and characters of their parents, and thus those being born by God are the same. However, possessing the Spirit of Goddoes not mean having the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. What the Baptism of the Holy Spirit means is obtaining God's indwelling, instead of emerging from God... the book of Galatians 3:27 says: 'for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ,' hence Christ will not baptize those who live without the Spirit of God. That is to say, Christ did not baptize us for bestowing the Holy Spirit on us, rather it is because we have his Spirit....Hence, the baptism of the Holy Spirit means someone who has experienced the Holy Spirit's abiding both internally and outwardly.[59]
As we can see, Spirit-Baptism in Pentecostal Truths reflects the classical Trinitarian perspective which distinguishes Baptism in the Spirit from conversion or regeneration. Furthermore, according to the Hong Kong Pentecostal Mission, Spirit-Baptism is meant for those who have been sanctified.[60] Apparently, Mok and his church by no means mixed up sanctification and Spirit-Baptism, though the former somehow is almost synonymous to conversion[61]. Trinitarian Pentecostals in generalstrictly affirm the distinction between conversion and Spirit-Baptism and address the latter in conjunction with the phenomenon of speaking in tongues as the initial evidence. In support of this,they quote so-called key passages in the book of Acts.If conversionand Spirit-Baptism are the same thing,then speaking in tongues becomes are quirement for salvation. In fact,Trinitarian Pentecostals were preventing the understanding that speaking intongues is an essential prerequisite for salvation from Spirit-Baptism or“Fullness of the Holy Spirit.” Trinitarian Pentecostal denominations such as Assemblies of God rejected, as early as1915, the identification of rebirth andthe baptism of the [以下为原刊第95页]Spirit as a false doctrine.They do notregard the baptism of the Holy Spirit as necessary to salvation,[62] while Oneness Pentecostals and Berntsen maintain that Spirit-Baptism relates to rebirth, and therefore is anintegral element of the “complex unity” for full salvation.
To sum up, Popular Gospel Truthsand Pentecostal Truths actually reflect two different types of Pentecostal traditions but studies have seldom addressed this nuance.They more often than not consider these two papers as media for spreading Pentecostalism. I argue that for theological insights is important for one to survey a religious group. For example,in the case of Pentecostalism, despite Berntsen and Mok's congregations’ emphasis on speaking in tongues, they have diverse understandings of it. Berntsen stated that speaking in tongues is necessary for regeneration while Mok followed the Holiness Pentecostal tradition and affirmed that speaking in tongues is not connected with salvation, but the initial signfor empowerment by the Holy Spirit.
3.3 Popular Gospel Truths and Pentecostal Truths in shaping the True Jesus Church
The comparison above also triggers an issue which is connected with what Daniel Bays mentioned, that is, theTJC has its roots in these two periodicals, in particular Pentecostal Truths. In reality, the text book has been read and cited immensely in the TJC's education system for believers and clergies— The doctrine of the Holy Spirit (圣灵论) written by Xie Shundao cited these two periodicals as materials when this book introduced the Pentecostal movement. In addition, the library of the TJC Taiwan general assembly collected duplicated copies of these two papersand one can see the Church's pioneer’s—HuangChengcong—stamp on every issue. To some extent, Popular Gospel Truths and Pentecostal Truths are the windows through which the TJC's folks understand the Pentecostal movement, in spite of some incorrect descriptions. In Xie's account, he seems to have failed to be conscious of the difference between Berntsenand Mok, as he stated that both advocate speaking in tongues as necessary for receiving the Holy Spirit.Obviously, Xie does not know that most Pentecostals address Spirit-Baptism as being subsequentto regeneration.
According to studies, the founding fathers of the TJC, in particular PaulWei, hadconnections with Berntsen’s ApostolicFaith Mission, the editor and founder of Popular Gospel Truths. TJC's onenessPentecostal doctrine may have been influenced by him and as I argued, it seems that TJC may have deeper roots inPopular Gospel Truths because ofits more direct relationship with Berntsen.However, Bays states that the TJC had itsearliest roots in Pentecostal Truths. On this point, I do not have further documentsto prove it. In my opinion, Popular Gospel Truths might have had more influence on the TJC. Here, the connection of the three founding fathers of the TJC with Popular Gospel Truths may provide us with some clues.To start with,Barnabas Zhang reported that in the spring of 1914, Berntsen and Zhao Deli came to visit him in Shandong. Zhang also mentioned this in Popular Gospel Truths, although he criticized that this paper is full of false teachings,[63] [以下为原刊第96页]which at least demonstrates that Barnabas Zhang used to read this newspaper critically. Secondly, Zhang Lingsheng participated in editorial work and reported for PopularGospel Truths.In issueno. 15,Zhang Lingsheng reported a piece of news about a Pentecostalmeeting held in Shangdong, his hometown, and edited at least two articles in the same issue of Popular Gospel Truths.[64] Thirdly, Paul Wei, the officially approved direct founder of TJC[65] was affiliated with Pentecostal movement through Berntsen.Compared to the Pentecostal Truth, Wei might have come across Popular Gospel Truths earlier. In addition, Berntsen insisted on the Oneness Pentecostal doctrine in his periodical, including Godhead and Spirit-Baptism as a necessary prerequisite for salvation. This is similar to what the TJC believes. However, chronologically, TJC's founding fathers especially Barnabas Zhang and Zhang Lingshen mighthave first acquired the Pentecostal Truth as Daniel Bays affirmed. Some duplicated copies of Pentecostal Truth I have obtained have a stamp of “The Apostolic Faith Mission, Shanghai”, which means that this paper had been collected by the latter. According to the TJC's report, Zhang Lingsheng contacted Apostolic Faith Mission in Shanghai in 1909 through his son ZhangFuchuan[66]while the publication of the Pentecostal Truth began from 1908.Thus there is a possibility that Zhang Lingsheng had read this paper while visiting Shanghai.
In response to Bays, I found something worth noting in the Pentecostal Truths. Doctrinally, the TJCseems to be close to the Popular GospelTruths. Practically however, thereis a possibilitythe roots of the TJC's religious practiceslie in the Pentecostal Truths. The TJC has beenusually known as a Pentecostal-type group, practicing speaking in tongues atcorporate prayers. Besides praying intongues, worshippers regularly manifest bodily vibrations and shaking of thehands,[67] which is also unique amongworldwide Pentecostals. In fact, their official teachings say that bodily shaking is another evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit. For this, they quote and interpret the Book of Acts 8:17-19: “ThenPeter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money and said, 'Giveme also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.'” Xie argued the reason Simon wanted to buy the ability for laying on of hands for bestowing the Holy Spirit is he saw the Holy Spirit fall on those believers as the apostles were laying their hands on them.This demonstrated that when the Spirit fall upon people, there must be visible evidence besides speaking in tongues, which Xie affirms to be bodily shaking. In addition, he argued that accordingto Act 4: “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken...”indicated that the report of this experience substituted the earthquake for “tongue of fire” and “a [以下为原刊第97页]sound like the blowing of a violent wind,” as reported in the Pentecost event in Act 2.He said that thiscan be called the second Pentecostand therefore, the Spirit falling upon people and making their bodies shake is notstrange.[68] Besides speaking in tongues, it could be construed as evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit, other thanspeaking in tongues.This phenomenon is also very usual in the TJC's corporate prayer. Interestingly, in Volume3, No.2 of Pentecostal Truths, a column titled “The Reason of Shaking” also discussed this issue.The article compares such shaking, namely the coming of the Holy Spirit, to sudden wind and rain; those who encounter wind and rain will shake or move. Another case the author of this article cites is Ezekiel 37:7, where the bones in the valley also moved when the Spirit came and it was both visible and audible. Furthermore, Mok increasingly regarded the phenomenon of falling to the ground (nowadays known as being “overcome by the Spirit” or “slain in the Spirit”) as seen in Pentecostal meetings[69] and similar events recorded in the New Testament as shaking ormoving. For example, in Mok’s opinion, Paul's experience in Damascus and John “falling at his feet” in the Book of Revelation can be viewed as shaking as well.[70]
The description about the shaking of the body seems to be similar but being established on the different basis of Bible verses, thought at least it demonstrated that shaking might be a normal experience in HongKong Pentecostal Mission as well. However, I can not assert that the TJC'spractice of shaking bodily during meetings originated from the Pentecostal Truths; neither can I affirm whether the phenomenon of shaking between Mok's church and the TJC are one and the same according to the description in PentecostalTruths. Except for the clue above, I have not discovered any other evidence to prove that the TJC has its earliest roots in the Pentecostal Truths.In brief, if one surveys each issue of this periodical, and compares it to the TJC's doctrine or statement of faith, he will discover that they proclaim two different types of Pentecostal traditions.In contrast, if one compares Popular Gospel Truths with the TJC's message, the similarity between them will not be difficult to recognize. Once again, I have to point out that the theological diversity between these two periodicals has not been addressed by researchers. Even the TJC's folks may not be aware of it either as they simply know that both the papers had been published to proclaim the necessity of receiving the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues.[71] It is also apparent that the TJC has an imagination that world wide Pentecostal denominations or groups combine conversion/regeneration with Spirit-Baptism accompanied by speaking intongues as they have done. On the other hand, if the TJC had its earliest roots in PentecostalTruths as Prof. Daniel Bays has suggested, I would say that the TJC's founding fathers misinterpreted and misunderstood what Pentecostal Truths spread on the issue of baptism in the Holy Spirit. As a result, my conclusionis that Popular Gospel Truths had a deep [以下为原刊第98页]influence on the TJC's theological formation (relatively), for the former reflects the Oneness Pentecostal issue which articulated the Oneness of Godhead.The combination of conversion and Spirit-Baptism being similar to what the TJC has stated, Pentecostal Truths might have conveyed the thought to the TJC's pioneer earlier.
Conclusion
Popular Gospel Truths and Pentecostal Truths were used to spread Pentecostal message to Chinese Christians. However, they reflect two different categories of Pentecostal traditions. The former had its roots in Oneness Pentecostalism,which combined conversion/regeneration,sanctification and Spirit-Baptism into asingle experience. In Oneness Pentecostalism, speaking in tongues is not only a sign of empowerment but is also connected with salvation. The latter represents Holiness Pentecostals which emphasized the three-stepmodel of ordo salutis. Hence,conversion/regeneration and sanctification are distinguished from “beingbaptized in the Holy Spirit”. Such theological questions need to be raised anddiscussed, for the Pentecostal movement had had its diversity since the beginning, and some major schisms among them were, more often than not,resultant from different understandings of doctrines.Sociological and historical research on Chinese Pentecostal movement can not neglect the theological aspect, which need not be considered as subjective or confessional only. Rather, it enables researchers to understand what the religious groupthey study is thinking.
In the era of the beginning of 20th century when communication media were relatively limited, periodicals like Popular Gospel Truths and Pentecostal Truths to some extent played the role of network-building for the new-born Pentecostal movement and for those missionaries scattered over different parts of the world.The readers were able to know the spread of Pentecostal movement in other provinces—even in foreign countries—because of these periodicals. Thus, they had a significant ecumenical effect. Nevertheless, to what extent Popular Gospel Truths and Pentecostal Truths have impacted Christians in China issomething that still requires further research.
[以下为原刊第99页]
中文题目:
两份早期五旬宗报刊的比较研究: 《通传福音真理报》和《五旬节真理报》
叶先秦：台湾中原大学，台湾桃园市中坜区新兴路38号。电子邮件: iapsianchin@gmail.com
提要: 不同于罗马天主教，新教在海外传教事业上向来重视以报刊为媒介，藉此互通宣教禾场上的消息，并促进宣教士之间的联系。在北美的五旬节运动创始初期，亚苏萨街传道会等五旬宗差传机构也发行各种期刊，以期在「使徒信心」运动参与者中建立网络关系。这些在五旬节运动早期发行的报刊可以被视为了解全球五旬节运动诸起源的重要参照点之一，若干早期中国的华洋五旬宗人士也发行中文的五旬宗报刊以传播五旬节信仰。《通传福音真理报》和《五旬节真理报》这两份最早的中文五旬节报刊，分别型塑了中国两道不同分流的五旬节运动或五旬节型态信仰—真耶稣教会以及香港五旬节会。两者的主编均亲炙曾参与亚苏撒街复兴运动并受其差派的宣教士，而两份刊物其实也正反映出北美五旬节运动两种不同的面向—圣洁五旬宗和独一神论五旬宗的信仰。本文将对两份刊物进行比较，并探讨其中关于成圣和灵洗这两项五旬节派核心教义的论述。
关键词：中国五旬节运动、真耶稣教会、独一神论五旬宗、中国基督教[以上为原刊第99页]
[注释部分]
[以下为原刊第89页][37] Popular Gospel Truth No. 13 (1916): 1.Other articles were written, such as the following: 2. Holy Communion should beroutinely held after sunset on Saturday; 3. Keep the Sabbath; 4. Foot washing;5. Believe in Jesus’ healing for every sort of sickness; 6. Seek the HolySpirit and be proofed by speaking in tongues; and 7. Preaching must be inaccordance with the New Testament and the Old Testament.
[38] Kenneth Archer, A Pentecostal Hermeneutic: Spirit, Scripture and Community(Cleveland, TN: CPT Press, 2009),114-5. Frank Ewart, a Well-Known early OnenessPentecostal leader suggested that Pentecostal use the word “Triunity” insteadof “Trinity” and ”substance” or “entities” or “manifestations” in place of “person”.
[39] Popular Gospel Truth No. 8 (1915): 1–3.
[40] Popular Gospel Truth No. 18 (1918): 5.
[以下为原刊第90页][41] Actually not only Berntsen,but also other first generation of Pentecostals used to adapt this kind ofexegetical methods, which is called“Bible Reading Method”, they attempted to retrieve from the New Testament, apraxis-driven “Jesus-centerism” Christianity. See Archer, PentecostalHermeneutic,99-100.
[42] Popular Gospel Truth No. 10 (1916): 6.
[43]Generally, Onenessdoes not teach that the three manifestations are sequential. They aresimultaneously manifested in salvationhistory, but Berntsen here interpreted his perspective on the Godhead as one ofSabellianism.
[44] Paul Wei, True Testimonies ofthe Holy Spirit, trans. (Unpublished), 2. Paul recalled that, “I went toDong Chen Faith Union next day; upon encountering the pastor in this church, helooked very poor. While he looked poor, morally he seemed to be better thanother church’s Christians … from that day on, they became close friends, hehelped Paul Wei understand a great deal of Bible truth. ”
[45] Barnabas Zhang, Chuandaoji, 9.
[以下为原刊第91页][46] Popular Gospel Truth No. 3 (1911): 7.
[47] Popular Gospel Truth No. 20 (1919): 3.
[48] Popular Gospel Truth No. 11(1916): 7.
[49] Pentecostal Testimony Vol. 1, No. 8(1911): 13, this issue declared that Berntsen and his family were missionariesthey supported.
[50] Combined Minutes of the General Council of the Assemblies of Godin the United States of America, Canada and Foreign Lands Held at Hot Springs, Ark.April 2–12, and at the Stone Church, Chicago, Ill. November 12–29, 1914, 13.
[以下为原刊第92页][51] Pentecostal Truths Vol. 1, No. 11(1908):2.
[52] Pentecostal Truths Vol. 2, No. 8 (1909):1.
[53] Pentecostal Truths Vol. 3, No. 2 (1910):2.
[54] E.g. The Apostolic FaithVol.1, No.1 (1906):2.
[以下为原刊第93页][55] Connie Au, “'Now Ye AreClean' : Sanctification as a Formative Doctrine of Early Pentecostalism in HongKong,” Presented at 41st Annual Meeting of Society for PentecostalStudies March 2, 2012,7. Actually K.H. King also supports thisperspective. In his language,sanctification means full Salvation. See Jacobsen, Thinking in the Spirit,179.
[56] http://ag.org/top/Beliefs/Statement_of_Fundamental_Truths/sft_full.cfm#7(accessed August 25, 2013).
[57] Donald Stamps ed. TheFull Life Study Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990), 244.
[以下为原刊第94页][58] Pentecostal Truths Vol. 1, No. 11 (1908):2.
[59] Pentecostal Truths Vol. 2, No. 13 (1909):2.
[60] Pentecostal Truths Vol. 2, No. 7 (1909):2.
[61]Au, “'Now Ye AreClean' ,“7.
[以下为原刊第95页][62] Walter Hollenweger, ThePentecostals (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1972), 332. In her PhD Dissertation atHarvard University, Melissa Inouye, a lecturer of the University of Auckland,New Zealand not only made comparison between Popular Gospel Truths and PentecostalTruths, the TJC’s earliest News PaperUniversal Correction Church Times was also included. According to hercomparative study, all the three connected speaking in tongues with salvation.Obviously, she was not conscious of the differentiations of doctrines amongPentecostalism, to put simply, she does not know that Keswick/ “Finished Work”Pentecostals and Holiness Pentecostals by no means advocate the concept thattongues speaking is connected with one’s salvation. See Melissa Wei-TsingInouye, “Miraculous Mundane: The True Jesus Church and Chines Christianity inTwentieth Century,” (PhD diss., Harvard University, 2010), 88-89.
[63] Zhang, Chuandaoji, 9.
[以下为原刊第96页][64] Popular Gospel Truth No. 15 (1917):7.
[65] Issue on the direct founderof the TJC is very complicated politically, Barnabas Zhang maintained that heestablished the church earlier than Paul Wei, this controversy eventuallyresulted in a separation into north and south camps.
[66] Xie, Shenglinglun,175.
[67] Deng Zhaoming, “IndigenousChinese Pentecostal Denominations,” in Asian and Pentecostal: TheCharismatic Face of Christianity in Asia eds. Allan Anderson and EdmondTang (Oxford: Regnum, 2005), 444. Also see M.A. Rubinstein, “Taiwan,” in The New International Dictionary of Pentecostaland Charismatic Movements eds. Stanley M. Burgess and Eduard M. Van DerMass (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003), 263. According to my experience and survey, their believers’ expression in prayer is slightly different from which of other pentecostal groups throughout the world, their corporate prayer startswith a sentence: 'In the name of Lord Jesus we pray, hallelujah praise LordJesus', and then those kneel down worshippers begin to shake their body up and down with their hands folded, and speak in tongues simultaneously. I have seen and prayed with TJC's believersin their meetings for several time, as a Pentecostal insider, I found out the diversity in identity.
[以下为原刊第97页][68] Xie, Doctrine of the HolySpirit, 197.
[69] Interestingly, the TJCregards falling to the ground as beign possessed by a demon. Xie refers to this kind of phenomena asshouting and rolling on the ground, which are very usual in the Pentecostalchurch, and they are not relevant to the Holy Spirit, but rather the evilspirit. See ibid, 372. More interestingly, according to a testimony about apentecostal meeting held in Taian, Shangdong province, Zhang Lingshengreported, seven females were baptized in the Holy Spirit and fell to the groundby the Holy Spirit, though this case was previous to the establishment of theTJC and was irrelevant to the TJC's folks, Zhang admitted that this kind ofphenomenon came from the Holy Spirit. However, after the establishment of the denomination, falling to theground came to be considered as an evil spirit's work. I think it may be astereotype of institutionalizing of cults towards denomination.
[70] Pentecostal Truths Vol. 3, No. 2 (1910):3.
[71] Xie, Doctrine of the HolySpirit, 172.[以上为原刊注释部分]
本文的PDF版可到本刊主页（www.sinowesternstudies.com）下载。
投稿方式：
来稿请寄：《国学与西学：国际学刊》编辑委员会
International Journal of Sino-WesternStudies,
Vellikellontie 3 A 4, 00410 Helsinki, Finland
Email：ijofsws@gmail.com, Tel. + 358-40-836-0793
（微信版编辑：王伟平 WANG Weiping）
联系客服
