Pentecostalism in America, by R. G. Robins

Walk through the book section at your local Walmart and chances are you'll find popular titles written by individuals within the Pentecostal and charismatic movement, such as Joyce Meyer and Joel Osteen. Flip on your television and you might encounter one of the most recognized ministers with a Pentecostal background, T. D. Jakes, dispensing advice alongside Dr. Phil. Next time you browse for nutritional supplements online, you may come across Divine Health nutritional products, promoted by Don Colbert, a charismatic health guru who graduated from Oral Roberts University School of Medicine. Sarah Palin, vice presidential candidate in 2008, grew up attending the Pentecostal Wasilla (Alaska) Assembly of God.

The Pentecostal movement, which has become a major player in the American religious and not-so-religious marketplace, had its humble beginnings in the early 1900s. The earliest Pentecostals quickly splintered into a variety of denominations, dividing along racial lines and over a variety of doctrinal issues. Charismatic renewal and the so-called third wave spread Pentecostal emphases to a much broader audience during the second half of the 20th century and introduced several new permutations of the Spirit-filled life in the process. The presence of numerous independent ministries through­out the history of the Pentecostal tradition muddles the complicated story further.

Thankfully, several first-rate historical studies of Pentecostalism in the United States can help interested observers map out key aspects of the tradition (see, for example, Grant Wacker's Heaven Below: Early Pentecostals and American Culture and Randall Stephens's The Fire Spreads: Holiness and Pentecostalism in the American South). For good reason these studies narrow the field of vision by focusing on a particular time period, region, leader or ethnic group. A few brave souls have attempted to provide an overview of the full spectrum of Pentecostal churches and trends, often situating their discussion of Pente­costalism in the United States in the context of global developments. Pente­costalism in America, by R. G. Robins, provides by far the best broadly synthetic treatment to date.