What do you think?
Rate this book
Pentecostalism as a Christian Mystical Tradition
Informed reassessment of Pentecostalism as a mystical tradition of the church universal
Pentecostalism, says Daniel Castelo, is commonly framed as "evangelicalism with tongues" or dismissed as simply a revivalist movement. In this book Castelo argues that Pentecostalism is actually best understood as a Christian mystical tradition.
Taking a theological approach to Pentecostalism, Castelo looks particularly at the movement's methodology and epistemology as he carefully distinguishes it from American evangelicalism. Castelo displays the continuity between Pentecostalism and ancient church tradition, creating a unified narrative of Pentecostalism and the mystical tradition of Christianity throughout history and today. Finally, he uses a test case to press the question of what the interactions between mystical theology and dogmatics could look like.
Pentecostalism, says Daniel Castelo, is commonly framed as "evangelicalism with tongues" or dismissed as simply a revivalist movement. In this book Castelo argues that Pentecostalism is actually best understood as a Christian mystical tradition.
Taking a theological approach to Pentecostalism, Castelo looks particularly at the movement's methodology and epistemology as he carefully distinguishes it from American evangelicalism. Castelo displays the continuity between Pentecostalism and ancient church tradition, creating a unified narrative of Pentecostalism and the mystical tradition of Christianity throughout history and today. Finally, he uses a test case to press the question of what the interactions between mystical theology and dogmatics could look like.
214 pages, Paperback
Published April 10, 2017
16 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 22, 2025
Castelo is equally concerned with the title’s claim as he is with showing Pentecostalism as a distinct tradition from evangelicalism (alternative title- Pentecostalism is not an evangelical subcategory??).
The positive is he roots Pentecostalism in the much longer tradition of Christian mysticism rather than a twentieth century innovation that fell from the sky, similar to the work of Stanley Burgess and other historians. As a theologian, Castelo’s approach is unique because he focuses less on what Pentecostals are doing as much as how they affectively and epistemologically approach what they are doing.
The drawback is more the environment than Castelo’s argument itself- it will always be difficult to dialogue with classical Pentecostals leadership on initial evidence of tongues when proposals suggest moving away from tongues.
Excellent volume from an author who knows Pentecostalism well but wishes to see the promise of the Holy Spirit be a blessing to the church catholic.
The positive is he roots Pentecostalism in the much longer tradition of Christian mysticism rather than a twentieth century innovation that fell from the sky, similar to the work of Stanley Burgess and other historians. As a theologian, Castelo’s approach is unique because he focuses less on what Pentecostals are doing as much as how they affectively and epistemologically approach what they are doing.
The drawback is more the environment than Castelo’s argument itself- it will always be difficult to dialogue with classical Pentecostals leadership on initial evidence of tongues when proposals suggest moving away from tongues.
Excellent volume from an author who knows Pentecostalism well but wishes to see the promise of the Holy Spirit be a blessing to the church catholic.
October 14, 2023
There is much more discussion of the (dis)connection between pentecostalism and evangelicalism than pentecostalism as a mystical tradition. Little is said about mysticism (tongue in cheek?), and it mainly comes in the final two chapters. Lots of discussion of modern and historical theological scholarship that was above me.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews