The Black Roots and White Racism of Early Pentecostalism in the USA

by Iain MacRobert

This book portrays the historical development of the Pentecostal church since its beginnings amongst the Black Christians of America who spoke out against the inequalities and divisions of racist America. The author goes on to explain the root cause for the division between black and white churches in general and black and white Pentecostal churches in particular. Whilst he puts the Black Pentecostal Church in the UK in its historical perspective, he also reveals how the division that exists is similar to the tension which is seen between black and white Christians in main line Christian churches. The author shows that there is an alternative to the way we deal with the race problem and that is seen in the early Pentecostal church.

142 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1988

Reviews

[R.W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

“If you’ve truly encountered the Holy Spirit, one of the fruits will be resisting racism.”

That’s my primary take-away from this short tour-de-force. The author wastes no time in pointing out the Blackness of early Pentecostalism in the US, and then calling out white people for throwing Black folks under the bus by capitulating to white supremacy and Evangelical respectability politics.

There is one glaring error: the author seems to have missed that James H. Cone is not white, but a Black liberation theologian!

In the last chapter, there are some conclusions about the Filioque in the Nicene Creed that I find doubtful regarding their implications for Pentecostal openness to the Spirit in interfaith dialogue, but they do not detract seriously from the larger argument about biblical theologies of the Spirit’s action in the world.

Highly recommended!

[Chaim Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Tongues and physical healing were exalted, but they rejected the power and love which transcended race and colour.”
McRoberts, The Black Roots and White Racism of Early Pentecostalism in the USA