Publish and be blessed : a case study in early Pentecostal publishing history

Taylor, Malcolm John (1994). Publish and be blessed : a case study in early Pentecostal publishing history. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

This dissertation argues that a major factor in Pentecostalism's rapid world-wide growth was the emergence of a strong literary, as distinct from oral, tradition. From its earliest days the movement gave birth to a plethora of publications and publishing houses, mostly operating by faith, that proved highly successful in disseminating the distinctive tenets of the movement across the globe. The first part of this work outlines the social, historical and religious background to the movement in the USA and Britain, and highlights the distinctive doctrines and practices of Pentecostalism. The second section examines the emergence of Pentecostal publishing movements and their products in the USA, especially the role played by the prototypical magazine of W. J. Seymour, The Apostolic Faith. The third and major part of this dissertation is a detailed case study of the earliest, and most influential, Pentecostal magazine published in Britain, Confidence. The crucial role that this journal and its editor, A. A. Boddy, played in formulating and propagating the beliefs and practices of the nascent movement is critically examined, together with an assessment of its contribution to wider issues of religious life and thought in Britain. Areas of subsequent influence in the development of historic Pentecostalism and its contemporary offshoots are also discussed

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):