F.F. Bosworth Mentioned in G.J. Hocking’s book, 'The Pentecostal Paradox'

The author discusses hard questions about the Pentecostal movement

By Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D.

Author, F.F. Bosworth: The Man Behind ‘Christ the Healer’

Copyright © 2019

#FFBosworth

#ChristTheHealer

Reminder: "F.F. Bosworth History" is now on Twitter. Follow @bosworth_fred

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I learned recently that my work on F.F. Bosworth is cited in G.J. Hocking’s book, The Pentecostal Paradox (Resource Publications, 2019). Delighted, I shared the news on a number of social media sites, including Facebook. When my announcement appeared on Facebook, my friend, Michael Lee McDonald, asked if I’d read the book. “I have not,” I replied. I explained I’d received a Google Alert about the citation and quickly read the citation on Google Books. But I had not actually read the book. I noted my plans to order it.

Information on The Pentecostal Paradox is available here.

McDonald suggested the book was anti-Pentecostal. I thanked him for the heads-up. My friend, Dr. Abraham Antonio Ruelas, also chimed in. He said he’d just ordered the book. “I read the book description and it sounds interesting!” he said. “Should have it read by next week.”

As I write this post, I still haven’t read the book, but I will certainly take a close look when I receive my personal copy. However, based on a few pages that I read online, it appears that the author raises some serious questions about certain practices and alleged miracles in the Pentecostal movement. He notes in the first chapter that his aim is “to give the reader an understanding of how the Pentecostal movement is among the most powerful, fastest growing religious organizations worldwide.” At the same time, he explains, he wants to show “how this group, along with its antecedent out-growths of the charismatic and third-wave movements, are also mired in controversy and biblical uncertainty.” His intention is to “assess and analyze the Pentecostal tradition, along with its counterparts in the Charismatic Renewal and the third-wave phenomenon.”

Hocking, according to his publisher, is “an Australian-born author who spent much of his youth in Pentecostal churches and Bible colleges. Although he has been out of the Pentecostal scene for over two decades, he maintains a keen interest in the movement and has written from many years of observation and study.” The book has a foreword by Kurt Jurgensmeier, Senior Pastor of New Life Community Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. According to Jurgensmeier, the author “has provided us with a careful and courageous critique of perhaps the greatest deception to ever infiltrate the church of God."

In the section of the book that mentions Bosworth, Hocking writes about the evangelist’s position on speaking in tongues. He notes the historic moment in 1918 when Bosworth resigned from the Assemblies of God over the issue of evidential tongues.

This requirement, in a sense, aids in perpetuating the phenomenon throughout the AG movement. As a result, most of their pastors have to undertake a certain amount of “mental gymnastics” when it comes time to renew their ministerial credentials annually. A useful illustration of this is the dilemma that arose when one of their founding members, F.F. Bosworth, in 1918, disagreed with this aspect of the AG constitution. Consequently, he handed in his credentials to the organization because of a disagreement over the tongue issue. In essence, Bosworth believed that the insistence on the tongues phenomenon as evidence of having received the Spirit baptism, particularly by the AG movement, was essentially an erroneous belief. Accordingly, Bosworth wrote that Jesus “never taught this doctrine that all Spirit-baptized believers would speak in tongues. Then, why should we?”

Further, Bosworth affirmed, “not one apostle, prophet, and not one of the greatest soul winners ever taught it, so it is clear that this doctrine is not essential to the greatest success.” However, it is unlikely that many AG ministers will follow Bosworth’s example, anytime soon, for surveys show that most ministers within the AG movement are favorable to this clause. Besides, there are repercussions if any of their ministers disagree with this tenet. In addition, similar to Bosworth, refusal to comply would require the minister’s resignation or, the revocation for their credentials.

Bosworth believed the Bible and church history were on his side in the debate. He suggested the idea of speaking in tongues as the initial evidence of Spirit baptism originated with Charles Parham. He viewed the Pentecostal position as an error in practice and in theology.

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Note: My book, F.F. Bosworth: The Man Behind "Christ the Healer," can be purchased here with a 25% discount. Use the discount code: bosworth25.

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Visit the F.F. Bosworth page here. Questions about the research and commentary on F.F. Bosworth may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., via email at doctorbarnes3@gmail.com or roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com. For updates on F.F. Bosworth history, simply follow this blog or @bosworth_fred and @Roscoebarnes3 on Twitter. #ChristTheHealer #BosworthMention #BosworthMatters