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Categorisation. Oneness
Pentecostalism and the Renewal of
Jewish and Christian Monotheism
Marvin C. Sanguinetti
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CHRISTIANITY AND RENEWAL – INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
Patterns of
Christological
Categorisation
Oneness Pentecostalism and
the Renewal of Jewish and
Christian Monotheism
Marvin C. Sanguinetti
Christianity and Renewal - Interdisciplinary Studies
Series Editors
Wolfgang Vondey
Department of Theology and Religion
University of Birmingham
Birmingham, UK
Amos Yong
School of Mission & Theology
Fuller Theological Seminary
Pasadena, California, USA
Christianity and Renewal - Interdisciplinary Studies provides a forum for
scholars from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, various global loca-
tions, and a range of Christian ecumenical and religious traditions to
explore issues at the intersection of the Pentecostal, charismatic, and other
renewal movements and related phenomena, including: the transforming
and renewing work of the Holy Spirit in Christian traditions, cultures, and
creation; the traditions, beliefs, interpretation of sacred texts, and scholar-
ship of the renewal movements; the religious life, including the spirituality,
ethics, history, and liturgical and other practices, and spirituality of the
renewal movements; the social, economic, political, transnational, and
global implications of renewal movements; methodological, analytical,
and theoretical concerns at the intersection of Christianity and renewal;
intra-Christian and interreligious comparative studies of renewal and
revitalization movements; other topics connecting to the theme of
Christianity and renewal. Authors are encouraged to examine the broad
scope of religious phenomena and their interpretation through the meth-
odological, hermeneutical, and historiographical lens of renewal in con-
temporary Christianity. Under the general topic of thoughtful reflection
on Christianity and renewal, the series includes two different kinds of
books: (1) monographs that allow for in-depth pursuit, carefully argued,
and meticulously documented research on a particular topic that explores
issues in Christianity and renewal; and (2) edited collections that allow
scholars from a variety of disciplines to interact under a broad theme
related to Christianity and renewal. In both kinds, the series encourages
discussion of traditional Pentecostal and charismatic studies, reexamina-
tion of established religious doctrine and practice, and explorations into
new fields of study related to renewal movements. Interdisciplinarity will
feature in the series both in terms of two or more disciplinary approaches
deployed in any single volume and in terms of a wide range of disciplinary
perspectives found cumulatively in the series.
For further information or to submit a proposal for consideration,
please contact Amy Invernizzi, amy.invernizzi@palgrave-usa.com.
Marvin C. Sanguinetti
Patterns of
Christological
Categorisation
Oneness Pentecostalism and the Renewal of Jewish
and Christian Monotheism
Marvin C. Sanguinetti
New Life Bible College
London, UK
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer
Nature Switzerland AG 2023
This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the
Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of
translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on
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electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now
known or hereafter developed.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this
publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are
exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
The publisher, the authors, and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information
in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the
publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect
to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made.
The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and
institutional affiliations.
This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature
Switzerland AG.
The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
Preface
v
vi PREFACE
There are some key people who were instrumental in the production of
this study, and who have had significant influence on my interests in the
fields of Theology Proper, Christology, Pneumatology, Monotheism, and
more importantly, Christological Monotheism. I wish to express my sin-
cere gratitude to Dr. Neil MacDonald and Dr. Richard Burgess, who were
my research supervisors at Roehampton University. Their continuous sup-
port throughout the duration of my doctoral project, and voluntary post-
doctoral guidance, motivated the publication of this book. Their patience,
immense knowledge, and insightful guidance, served as a catalyst which
drove both my thesis to its completion, and this book. The many meet-
ings, emails shared, phone-calls, and Skype exchanges were always educa-
tionally transformative. I could not have imagined having better mentors.
At my upgrade—a required process for progress on the journey that
many PhD students take at Universities in the United Kingdom—I
remember vividly the keen interests in my work from Dr. John Moxon
(the internal examiner for my thesis and upgrade supervisor) and Professor
Fiona McHardy (assistant upgrade supervisor). Your reflections helped in
sharpening this project.
I wish to thank the members and friends from the various Oneness
Pentecostal (Apostolic) Churches (my own faith tradition) who welcomed
my many enquiries, as I sought clarification to the difficult and probing
questions relating to my research. Thank you for offering access to pri-
mary archived resources: brochures, books, pamphlets, newsletters, book-
lets, and audio recordings. I am grateful also for the assistance given by
vii
viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Library staff, and the constructive feedback received from fellow academ-
ics within Research Group in Theology, Religion and Practice at
Roehampton University, especially peer-reviewed reflections from those
within the field of Theology and Religious Studies.
I have pledged that my first book publication would be dedicated to my
parents, Eileen and Milton, who laid the intellectual groundwork for my
educational pursuits. I wish to thank especially my mother, Eileen, whose
sacrificial love helped in shaping the researcher I have become, and who
unfortunately passed away before this book was published. My dad has
also since passed. Beyond life behind the many research desks and com-
puters lie some key family members and an amazing circle of friends,
including my church family, who constantly offer kind thoughts, and
among whom I frequently test my many hypotheses. Thanks to my family
for their unflagging patience, and particularly to my eldest daughter who
often reads through numerous parts of my study and I can hear her saying,
‘dad what do you want me to read now?’
Thanks to Amy Invernizzi, Editor for Philosophy and Religion at
Palgrave Macmillan and to Eliana Rangel, Editorial Assistant, and Tikoji
Rao, Project Coordinator for the book, both with Palgrave Macmillan,
Springer Nature for your expertise, patience, and guidance over the period
leading to the publication of the book for ensuring that the process was as
smooth as possible.
To everyone who contributed, supported, and encouraged me during
my research for this project, I say thank you, and most of all, to my God
who made it all possible.
Finally, it is hoped that this inquiry into the patterns of categorisation
for Jewish and Christian Monotheism, with its bespoke reference to
Oneness Pentecostalism, will make fruitful contributions to the ongoing
conversations which drive contemporary theological discourse about who
Jesus is in relation to Yahweh, and how might this be understood within
different theological and theoretical frameworks.
Praise for Patterns of Christological Categorisation
‘Marvin Sanguinetti aptly captures the heart of Oneness Pentecostal views of God
and Jesus, and robustly articulates why he thinks it deserves a place alongside other
“orthodox” traditional perspectives. The study offers a novel approach to scholar-
ship among Oneness Pentecostals, and should impact not only academia, but dif-
ferent tiers of Christian leadership within and without the tradition.’
—Suffragan Bishop Lloyd G. Thomas, Senior Prelate for the Pentecostal Assemblies
of the World (PAW) London, UK
1 Introductory Matters 1
1.1 The Rationale of the Book 1
1.2 Taxonomy and Patterns of Categorisation 6
1.3 Introducing the Four Theistic Categories 7
1.4 Significance of Study 9
1.5 Definitions and Key Terms: The Meaning of Identity in
Relation to Persons, Nature, and Action 10
1.6 Defining Traditional Jewish Monotheism 13
1.7 A Brief Introduction to Oneness Pentecostal History and
Thought 17
1.8 Apologetic and Ecclesial Contexts of Study 22
1.9 Outline and Structure of Book 24
2 The
First Category: Non-Monotheistic Jewish and
Christian Binitarianism-Trinitarianism 27
2.1 Peter Hayman: Monotheism and Dualistic Patterns 28
2.2 Margaret Barker: Monotheism and Ditheistic Patterns 36
2.3 Daniel Boyarin: Jewish Binitarianism 48
2.4 Jürgen Moltmann: Perichoresis and Unlike Nature 57
2.5 Summary 64
3 The
Second Category: Traditional Jewish Monotheism,
Christian Binitarianism, and Christological Monotheism 67
3.1 James D.G. Dunn: Pre-existence and Incarnation 68
3.2 Larry W. Hurtado: Christian Binitarianism 80
xi
xii Contents
4 The
Third Category: Traditional Jewish Monotheism and
Classical Binitarian or Trinitarian Monotheism109
4.1 Unity of Action: The Father’s Action ‘in’ the Son’s Action
Within the Patristic Traditions111
4.2 Gregory of Nyssa: Numerically the Same Action and Same
Nature114
4.3 Thomas Aquinas: Numerically the Same Nature and Same
Action121
4.4 The Gospel of John: Numerically the Same Action and Same
Nature126
4.5 Summary131
5 The
Fourth Category: Traditional Jewish Monotheism,
Christological Monotheism, and Oneness Pentecostalism135
5.1 David K. Bernard: Oneness Monotheism136
5.2 Kulwant S. Boora: Oneness Monotheism159
5.3 David S. Norris: Oneness Monotheism172
5.4 Christopher Barina Kaiser: Kyriocentric Visions of Yahweh
as Jesus187
5.5 Summary194
6 A
Comparison of Exegesis Between Oneness Pentecostalism
and Christological Monotheism: John 1:1–18, John 10:30,
1 Corinthians 8:1–6, Philippians 2:5–11197
6.1 Comparative Exegesis: John 1:1–18 and John 10:30199
6.2 Comparative Exegesis: 1 Corinthians 8:1–6211
6.3 Comparative Exegesis: Philippians 2:5–11224
6.4 Summary231
7 Conclusion237
Bibliography247
Index265
List of Abbreviations
xiii
xiv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
OT Old Testament
PAW Pentecostal Assemblies of the World Churches
PAOJ Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus in Jamaica
RRF Restoration Revival Fellowship Churches
SDDS Strict Doctrine of Divine Simplicity
SPS Society of Pentecostal Studies
ST Social Trinitarianism
T2 Second Temple (Period or Sources)
UK United Kingdom
UPC United Pentecostal Church
UPCGB&I United Pentecostal Church of Great Britain and Ireland
YHWH/YHVH Yahweh or Tetragrammaton
CHAPTER 1
Introductory Matters
The fact that Oneness Pentecostalism fits into this pattern of taxonomy
allows for the claim that the study will be of interest and/or benefit to (a)
Oneness Pentecostal theologians who desire to see their understanding of
the relation between Jesus and YHWH received into the broader academic
arena and (b) those already in the broader academic arena who are scepti-
cal about such reception. Since neither Oneness Pentecostals nor
Christological Monotheists (nor Classical Trinitarians) pay significant
attention to the views of the other in assembling its arguments for its
respective case, the book enables critical interaction with each tradition in
a manner not previously seen. In particular, because of the implicit com-
parison with Christological Monotheism1—a hot topic at this moment—
the research brings together key christological thinkers James D.G. Dunn,
Larry W. Hurtado, and Richard J. Bauckham in conversation with Oneness
scholars David K. Bernard, Kulwant Singh Boora, and David S. Norris, for
the first time. The comparison challenges the assertion that Oneness
Pentecostals do not engage historical and textual christological argumen-
tation by examining a range of textual data. It also identifies in the process
where there might remain a lack of reference to mainstream academic
arguments of both a historical and exegetical kind. This hypothesis is
tested by analysing respective texts and arguments in the academic
literature.
In order to forestall any misunderstanding about what the project
entails it is fruitful to compare it with other similar projects. One it can be
compared with is the one outlined by Hans Frei in his Types of Christian
Theology. Speaking of a generic class of types of Christian Theology, Frei
wrote that he was writing a typology of modern western Christian
theology or theologies. This is a piece of conceptual analysis that is in
principle an exercise chiefly about rather than in theology, although in
practice the distinction will not always be clear.2
Crucially, the validity of Frei’s analysis does not depend on whether
what the theologians selected say about the object of inquiry is true or not;
rather it depends on whether his analysis—his interpretation—of them is
1
According to Crispin Fletcher-Louis, in Jesus Monotheism Volume 1—Christological
Origins: The Emerging Consensus and Beyond (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2015), p. 12,
the term ‘Christological Monotheism’ was coined by N. T. Wright in his book The Climax of
the Covenant, pp. 114, 116, 129, 132, 136.
2
Hans Frei, Types of Christian Theology (New Haven: YUP, 1992), 1. My study is there-
fore, as Frei’s study was, a second-order hermeneutical one rather than a first-order enquiry,
and therefore, not a historical project per se. The categories of understanding it employs are
decidedly theological, but this does not commit the scholar to whom it applies to necessarily
employ them his or herself, or even agree with the categorisation itself. With this qualifica-
tion, I seek to argue that each of the type of Monotheism/non-Monotheism I delineate can
be understood in terms of a taxonomy or typology defined in terms of (i) non-identity of
persons and/or natures and (ii) generic/numerical identity of persons and/or natures.
1 INTRODUCTORY MATTERS 3
3
An even more relevant comparison which has only come to my attention recently is that
which can be constructed between the present work and David Yeago’s seminal essay ‘The
New Testament and the Nicene Dogma: Toward a Recovery of Theological Exegesis’ (Pro
Ecclesia (3) 2 1994, 152–164). In this essay, Yeago argues that even though the conceptual-
ity of homoousios was not explicitly employed by the New Testament authors, it did not follow
that it was not applicable. Indeed, Yeago argued the reverse. ‘It is essential’, he said, ‘in this
context, to distinguish between judgements and the conceptual terms in which those judge-
ments are rendered’ (Ibid, 158). If we do this, ‘a strong, and in my view conclusive, case can
be made that the judgement about Jesus and God made in the Nicene Creed—the judge-
ment that they are “of one substance” or “one reality”—is indeed “the same,” in a basically
ordinary and unmysterious way, as that made in a New Testament text such as Philippians
2:6ff’ even though the conceptuality of homoousios does not appear there (Ibid, 159). Yeago
in fact takes James Dunn’s Christology in the Making to task for failing to make the necessary
distinction.
4 M. C. SANGUINETTI
because they perform numerically identical action, but still defined as one
God. According to Classical Trinitarianism, Christological Monotheism is
not by its standards Monotheism. This does not mean it wasn’t how Jews
at one time conceived of their Monotheism, that is, as they conceived it, it
could in principle accommodate the christological modification even if
they in fact rejected this possibility. Wright in particular argues that the
numerical definition that shut off such accommodation (and approximates
to the fourth-century Pro-Nicene position exemplified by Gregory’s Why
We Should Not Say Three Are Three Gods) did not come into force in Jewish
Monotheism until after the Second Jewish War, circa 135 CE.4
Nevertheless, it was only reinforcing what it had always held to be true
since at least the advent of Second Temple Judaism. Oneness Pentecostalism
goes further by seeing God and Jesus as not just numerically the same
nature but numerically the same person.
The quest for understanding the nature of the relationship that exists
between God and Jesus in early Jewish Christianity involves the study of
extensive secondary literature on the subjects of Monotheism and
Christology. An appraisal of this literature noted that each subject was
often approached as distinct from the other, with only a few specialist
scholars from the German Religionsgeschichtliche Schule (the History of
Religions School) who combined both studies. This combination was
labelled as was said earlier ‘Christological Monotheism’ by one of its key
contributors, N T. Wright. Moreover, there is a ‘Christological lacuna’,
that is, an unfilled gap in the literature for Christian origins. In his study,
along with the identification of an intra-Trinitarian Pentecostal problem,
William P. Atkinson identified the absent voices of two groups who postu-
late opposing perspectives to ‘orthodoxy’. These he labelled ‘unitarian’
and ‘binitarian’ challenges and are comparable to the very ‘challenges’
that drove the incorporation of similar Trinitarian-Monotheistic theories
into this study.5
Modern christological thinkers within the academy are mainly from the
‘orthodox’ tradition, perhaps presupposing a certain creedal adherence to
historic Christian doctrines. Yet I was also aware of numerous other groups
claiming the Christian identity but whose ‘binitarian’ and ‘unitarian’ views
4
Wright, The New Testament and the People of God, 163.
5
William P. Atkinson, Trinity After Pentecost (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2013),
pp. 2–11.
6 M. C. SANGUINETTI
of God and Jesus were either opposed to or extensions from the ‘orthodox
consensus’. These are at times seen as ‘heretical’ or ‘heterodox’ outsiders
on the fringe of Christianity. A systematic inquiry into Oneness Pentecostals
themselves—from their key scholars and members, and the academic
(sometimes apologetic) literature they provide—affirms aspects of the
existing models for Christological Monotheism such as ‘divine identity’
(Richard Bauckham), ‘divine agency’ (Larry Hurtado), and ‘divine repre-
sentative’ (James Dunn). But it further expands these christological per-
spectives to include Oneness Pentecostal ontological approaches. By doing
this, it is hoped, an original contribution is made. I contend this to be
necessary because one of the assumptions built into the study is that
Oneness Pentecostal voices have been largely ignored by the academy.
This is not entirely unfounded since its proponents have not been con-
cerned to reach out and find points of contact with the academy. This
book attempts among other things to remedy this situation.