Eyewitness Remembers the Century of the Holy Spirit, An

by Vinson Synan

Premier Pentecostal historian Vinson Synan shares for the first time his engaging personal assessment of and involvement in the extraordinary events of the last 100 years that gave birth to the charismatic and Pentecostal movements. Because of his unique position and participation in most of these events, Synan offers a rare and fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the phenomenal events that took place when the Holy Spirit fell at Azusa Street; the subsequent formation of the Pentecostal denominations; the surprising birth of the charismatic renewal; the emergence of charismatic Catholicism; the Toronto Blessing; and beyond.

Because Synan is so widely respected across denominational lines for his scholarship and balance, his candid eyewitness memoir will rivet all who walk in the fullness of the Holy Spirit, as well as professors, students, and curious onlookers. A once-in-a-lifetime perspective!

Genres: Christian

224 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2010

Reviews

[Helgi Gudnason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well worth the read

I have read a couple of Synan's books on pentecostal history.
I really enjoyed reading his eye-witness account of some of the major developements in pentecostal history in the US.

Thee book is very informative, has a nice personal style. Synan comes across as a sincere and humble man, obviously trusted by his peers, who has been a front row spectator to, and participant in, some major developements in pentecostal history.

[Mason Tabor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives perspective. As someone who grew up within the Pentecostal tradition and is still trying to pin-down where he stands regarding important details of his theology, this book provided historical context for where the Pentecostal church currently stands. It helped me grasp how and why the Pentecostal and charismatic movements got started, where the “Third Wave” and “New Apostolic Reformation” came from (the latter is a buzz term, today), and who the important figures of the past century were.

I was amazed to learn about the deeply ecumenical impact of the charismatic movement. That tidbit of insight alone was worth the price of the book! It makes me wonder if the common, charismatic experience of many across the Body of Christ can be further utilized to increase Christian unity across the globe. The one disappointing feature of the book was Synan’s seemingly unconcerned attitude towards the Word of Faith movement and the prosperity gospel. In light of the ridiculous teachings and practices of men and women such as Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn, which are increasingly being exposed in more recent times as unbiblical and harmful to the Body of Christ and nonbelievers, it’s hard to justify Synan’s more optimistic viewpoint. Other than that, the book was fun, informative, and - as far as memoirs go - relatable!

[Billy Kangas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A remarkable tale

There is no other person I know of who would be more qualified to write an eye witness account of the renewal. This book is a pleasure to read. It's filled with fantastic nuggets of history, and remains clear and easy to read.

[Chris Little · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this for two reasons. Firstly, the author, Vinson Synan, writes in a most affable style. Secondly, I valued the insider's perspective he gave me (I am not charismatic or Pentecostal, but Synan was very involved in a number of key events).

It's very informative on the Third Wave (John Wimber, Vineyard, Toronto Blessing, etc), as well as how US Pentecostals sought to bridge their racial divide. Synan's expertise in history comes to the fore in these sections.

I was disappointed with how soft he was on prosperity teaching. He even puts forward the extraordinary argument (p. 115), 'if it's so evil, why does it have such a vast following?'

The book can be theologically naive, at times - and I don't say this because I am not Pentecostal. For instance, Synan suggests there's little difference between trinitarian and non-trinitarian theology.

Overall, I'd recommend this as a tour through twentieth century Pentecostal history, given by one who loves that history and lives inside it.

[Bob Mendelsohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclosure: I know Vinson Synan personally and value his friendship.

Disclosure 2: I'm mentioned in the book in a positive way.



That said, I found the book a great read, full of pleasant and wearying-God-better-be-in-this memories of congresses and conferences in many US cities. The book is easy to read, well worth the time it takes. And at the end of the day, Vinson would want you to have a personal encounter with the Lord yourself. It's not only about history; it's about your history. Goodonya Vinson for a trip down memory lane, and for some detours and adventures along the path.

I re-read the book today during my holiday and after seeing the author at the presentation of a Festschrift in his honor, I wanted to come back to these thoughts. I liked the book even better the 2nd time.

Don't skip this one.

[Leslie Yong · Rating 4 out of 5]

an interesting book for those who are keen to know the brief history of the Pentecostal Evangelical movement upto the present days…
it will give us some idea why is it of today… somethng worth reading and to think about..

[Greg Davenport · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great to see how God has moved supernaturally for over a century and continues to grow his church! Loved the history and to see how the hand of God was working everything together for His Kingdom good! Great and encouraging read!