A movement of the Pentecostal branch of Christianity, Oneness Pentecostalism is said to be based on strict monotheism. They believe in the one God, and the complete and full deity of Jesus Christ. They reject the doctrine of the Trinity. According to Oneness theology, this one God is not three Persons but rather is exclusively one God without any internal distinctions of persons within His nature (Deuteronomy 6:4). According to Oneness Pentecostals, God is not a plurality of persons, minds, individuals or a multiplicity of consciences, but does have a plurality of manifestations, roles, titles, attributes, or relationships to man. Oneness statements of faith generally refer to God as "Father in creation, Son in redemption, and Holy Spirit in emanation" or that God exists in three "manifestations" throughout history. Oneness Pentecostals are also known as Apostolics, Modalistic Monarchians or "Jesus Only." Among some of the more well known Oneness Pentecostals are Steve & Annie Chapman, David & the Giants, Lee Greenwood, The Katinas, Phillips, Craig and Dean, Tanya Goodman Sykes, Tommy Tenney and T.D. Jakes. Because of their status as superstars in the church, many of these individuals have been accepted by Trinitarians as orthodox in their beliefs.

Contrast

Trinitarian Christianity teaches that God is existent in three divine Persons or members in the Godhead (named "God the Father, "God the Son" and "God the Holy Spirit") and "God the Son" was the one who became incarnate. Oneness theology states that there is only one God, who was manifested in the flesh, and that He became fully known to humanity in the person of Jesus Christ. To Oneness Pentecostals, the idea of God as duality or trinity is heretical. Oneness Pentecostals describe God in strictly monotheistic terms and do not use terms like "trinity", "persons", "members", "separate", "they", "them", etc. to describe the one God of the Bible. Oneness Pentecostals baptize "in the name of Jesus Christ", "in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ" or "in the name of Jesus." These baptismal differences separate a number of Oneness Pentecostals. Baptism "in the name of Jesus" (or any other synonymous Christological phrasings) is how they claim the

Oneness Pentecostals do not deny the existence or divinity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; they just deny that there are a multiplicity of persons, members, individuals, minds or consciences within the one God. According to them, Jesus is the incarnation of the fullness of God and not the incarnation of "one third of the Godhead" ("Jehovah Junior") or one member or person of the Godhead (Colossians 2:9-10). In His deity, Jesus is God (which is known in Scripture as LORD, the Spirit of GOD, the Spirit of the LORD, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, and the Father). This teaching is also referred to by many Trinitarians as Jesus-Only doctrine or Sabellianism. Many Trinitarian Christians believe it to be a heresy. Oneness Pentecostals deny that claim, and do not use the term "Jesus-Only doctrine" themselves. However, earlier in their history, Oneness Pentecostals proudly called themselves "Jesus Only." Today, they often describe themselves not as "Jesus-Only", but rather "Jesus-Everything", in reference to their belief that the Godhead is fully manifest in Christ.

Oneness Pentecostals also believe water baptism (by full immersion) and speaking in tongues is essential to their salvation. Trinitarians, however, believe that it is not essential. For example, it is frequently pointed out that the thief on the cross was not baptized, yet promised that he would be with Jesus in paradise. In addition, many, but not all Oneness Pentecostals adhere to strict holiness standards.

Unitarianism verses Oneness

There are many who confuse the terms unitarian and Oneness. This is because both essentially believe that God can only exist as a single "unit," or monad. He cannot be divided into separate parts, or a plurality of "persons" and still exist as a whole deity. Although unitarians and Oneness are similar in the belief that there is not a plurality of persons in the Godhead, unitarians believe that Jesus was only a moral authority whereas the deity and humanity of Jesus Christ is essential to Oneness doctrine.

In Oneness theology there is an existential distinction, where God in the incarnation comes to exist in Christ in complete human existence and continues to exist as God eternally as Spirit (see Matthew 1:23, "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being

History

Many believe that Pentecostalism began in the early 20th century, in the waning days of the Azusa Street Revival. In contrast to the Charismatic movement, Oneness adherants claim that they are following the original doctrine of the Apostles, which can be traced back to the "Day of Pentecost" in the Upper Room in Jerusalem as recorded in the Book of Acts. This is why adherants often refer to themselves as "Apostolics." However, such a history is difficult to trace, and no known records exist of any Oneness believers (in the contemporary sense) prior to 1913.

Both 1913 and 1914 have been said to be when the birth of Oneness Pentecostalism occurred. Both dates are correct, but must be examined as a whole. In 1913, John Schaepe (who's name is often misspelled in a number of sources) received a revelation that the Jesus in Acts 2:38 was the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in Matthew 28:19-20. In 1914, Frank Ewart and Glenn Cook publicly baptized each other in "the Name of Jesus." In other words, in 1913 Oneness Pentecostalism was "revealed" to a handful of individuals, and in 1914 it was first publicly practiced. Later, a number of ministers claimed that they baptized "in the Name of Jesus" long before 1914, including Frank Small and Andrew D. Urshan. While this may or may not be true, it was not their baptismal formula which was the issue, but rather the rejection of the Trinity that was the bigger issue to other Pentecostal ministers.

Shaepe's revelation caused a great stir within Pentecostalism. During the next year, Frank J. Ewart, another Pentecostal minister struggled between his Trinitarian teachings and the new issue. He often spent hours debating R.E. McAlister, attempting to bring the two doctrines together. It was also Schaepe's 1913 "revelation" on the Godhead that brought about the end of the William Seymour's Asuza Street Mission. By 1920, Seymour's audience soon dwindled to a fraction of what it was prior to 1913. The camp ground where the revelation occurred was also owned by Seymour's Mission. Many were rebaptized in the new formula in an attempt to bring unity within the new Assemblies of God. In 1916 the issue finally came to boiling point.

After Oneness Pentecostals separated from the Assemblies of God in 1916 over the issue of the Godhead, they have been plagued with fractures over a number of issues. Baptism, racism and legalism seem to be the most prevalent. From 1920-1950, many ministers split from the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, a predominantly black church as a result of racial tensions. In 1945, the UPCI was formed after a disagreement over the correct baptismal formula. In 1992, The Church of Jesus Christ in Dyersburg, TN split from its parent church (The Church of Jesus Christ) when a dispute occurred over whether or not they should emphasize their name "The Church of Jesus Christ" strongly enough.

Organizations

There are many Oneness Pentecostal organizations. Here are the larger ones:

• Pentecostal Assemblies of the World,
• United Pentecostal Church,
• Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus,
• Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ,

• The Apostolic Church of the Faith in Jesus Christ
• The Bible Way Churches of Our Lord Jesus Christ World Wide
• The Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith
• The Apostolic Overcoming Holy Church of God

Considers itself non-denominational but is Oneness Pentecostal:

• True Jesus Church, China

While not as large as some of the above organizations, the following groups have made a significant impact on Oneness Pentecostalism:

• Church of Jesus Christ of Prophecy (AKA Mercy Tabernacle, Headquarters: Benton, Tennessee)
• International Church of Jesus Christ (Headquarters: Columbus, Ohio)
• Apostolic Brethren (Headquarters: Columbus, Ohio)
• Christ Church (Home church to Steve & Annie Chapman, The Katinas, Lee Greenwood, Tanya Goodman Sykes, who have all made strong ties with Trinitarians)

International

Oneness Pentecostal groups with headquarters in other countries include the United Pentecostal Church of Colombia, an indigenous church and the largest non-Catholic church in the country; the United Pentecostal Church of Australia; the Apostolic Church of the Faith in Christ Jesus, with headquarters in Mexico; the Oneness Pentecostal movement in the former U.S.S.R.; and the True Jesus Church, an indigenous church founded by Chinese believers on the mainland but whose headquarters is now in Taiwan. At times they have affirmed to be the only true church. There are many smaller organizations (approximately 130 worldwide), independent churches, and charismatic fellowships that are Oneness Pentecostal in doctrine.

In existence is also the Apostolic World Christian Fellowship which has been trying to unite all Oneness Pentecostal denominations in existence through a loose fellowship. There are some Oneness denominations that have refused to join -- for example the United Pentecostal Church.

References

"The Pentecostals", by Walter J. Hollenweger, Professor of Mission at the University of Birmingham

See also

• Jesus-Name doctrine
• Monophysitism