More praise for Macchia’s 2023 Introduction to Theology:
Its timely construction warrants—
A “Macchian turn” within Pentecostal theological education.
I earlier said I’m convinced that Frank Macchia’s 2023 Introduction to Theology: Declaring the Wonders of God (BakerAcademic) is now the new standard benchmark for Pentecostal systematic theology. Specifically as a college level (or congregational resource) introduction to systematic theology from Pentecostal perspectives.
Having now finished reading this whole book, let me now boldly posit:
I am now convinced that its timely construction warrants what we might call, a “Macchian turn” within Pentecostal theological education.
There are of course many, many requisite voices shaping the world Pentecostal theological tradition. And several I would naturally mention at the forefront of developing Pentecostal constructive and/or systematic theologies. Frankly, at the very top of my list is especially Amos and Wolfgang Vondey.
Yet as I earlier stated, Macchia brand new Introduction to Theology comprises in my opinion, what seems to stand at the moment for this present day— the most promising single-volume for effectively initiating people specifically into the topic of systematic theology from Pentecostal perspectives. For not does it do so in manners squarely inculcating a definitively Pentecostal reading of systematic theology within the register of entry level competency, yet in manners that simultaneously:
1. Inculcates an ecumenical spirit towards other theological traditions too often woefully miss-understood at this level.
2. While also squarely situating Pentecostal experience, spirituality and sensibilities within the apparatus of patristic creedal confessions and relevant themes from within historical theology of the broader Christian church.
Note that after chapter 1 which focuses on theological methods (“Theology, Scripture, and Context”), the five subsequent chapters introduce the reader to the main topics of systematic theology via the narrative flow of the Apostle’s Creed (God → Jesus Christ → Holy Spirit → Creation → Salvation → Church → Final Purposes). By doing so, Macchia has effectively grounded this Pentecostal reading of systematic theology directly onto the Apostle’s Creed and thus demonstrated to the reader how a Pentecostal theology squarely fits on historic Christian confession.
3. And finally while adequately surveying common Pentecostal doctrines and beliefs pertaining to eschatology and hence, common grassroots issues/controversies often falling within speculations about “end-times,” Macchia does so in manners that are not only sympathetically congenial towards typical popular Pentecostal “end-time beliefs, yet simultaneously stressing via an effectively authoritative exposition of the relevant biblical data that— “Christian salvation, broadly conceived, is not an escape from creation to heaven,” but rather – in tandem with the Christian “hope” of bodily resurrection from the dead and thus new creation (comprising a “new heavens and earth”) “it’s bringing heaven to earth” (p. 162).
Macchia thus concludes his final chapter (“Final Purposes”) stating, “Eschatology is not fundamentally about ‘end times’ but rather about hope in Christ . . . with final purposes in Christ that cause us to transcend the status quo and move forward in the direction of his mercy and justice in the world” (p. 179).
Let me further explain how and why I have reached this conclusion; this call for a “Macchian turn” within Pentecostal systematic theology:
I have read every one of Macchia’s main books: Baptized in the Spirit (Zondervan, 2006), Justified in the Spirit (Eerdmans, 2010), Jesus the Spirit Baptizer (Eerdmans, 2018), The Spirit-Baptized Church (Bloomsbury, 2020), this one, and will soon finishing reading his Tongues of Fire: A Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith (Cascade, 2023), which is an expanded version of this briefer introduction to systematic theology book.
So being already pretty grounded and familiar with Macchia’s broader theological trajectories, grants me a unique reading of these two most recent works (Introduction to Theology and Tongues of Fire). I must thus stress that while his Introduction to Theology presently stands in my opinion as the definitive benchmark for an introduction to Pentecostal systematic theology, it is not however – in my opinion –an introduction to his broader theology; as archived within those preceding books mentioned. For that— one must turn to his brand-new Tongues of Fire book. I therefore conclude this reflection by urging theological educators who are finding themselves attracted to Macchia’s Introduction to Theology as an apt resource— to moreover ground themselves within this broader Macchian theological discourse. For I believe that for such a time as this, this corpus can marvelously deepen resonance between global Pentecostal theology within its lived grassroots expressions and indeed— “the many tongues of Pentecost”; that we become all the more willed towards the fruitful flourishing Pentecost signifies.
https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Theology-Foundations-Spirit-Filled-Christianity/dp/1540963373
https://www.amazon.com/Tongues-Fire-Systematic-Pentecostal-Investigations-ebook/dp/B0C22DDBZV?ref_=ast_author_mpb
Monte Lee Rice, PhD 