Theological Hermeneutics in the Classical Pentecostal Tradition: A Typological Account

“Oliverio provides the first comprehensive account of the history of Pentecostal theological hermeneutics. He shows that Pentecostalism did not simply borrow the theological categories of its Holiness and Reformed predecessors. The early Pentecostal theological hermeneutic―centered on the four/five fold Gospel, the restorationist motif, biblical authority, and pragmatic realism―created a new theological tradition. Highly recommended for its readability and effective charting of the development and diversification of theological methods among historical and contemporary Classical Pentecostals.”
Steven M. Studebaker, Associate Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology, Howard and Shirley Bentall Chair in Evangelical Thought, McMaster Divinity College

“If the new dialogue between biblical exegetes and systematic theologians is indeed the most significant theological development in the last two decades, as Miroslav Volf has recently claimed, then the largely unsung contribution of Pentecostal thinkers to this discussion surely ranks as the next most significant development. In providing a typology of Pentecostal approaches to theological hermeneutics, Oliverio’s fine study not only helps non-Pentecostals to understand what has been happening (“Pentecostal Scholasticism” – who knew?) but also proffers fresh resources – in particular an expansive and realistic “contextual-Pentecostal” hermeneutic of “the full gospel” that views word-Spirit-community as inextricably linked – for tired Protestant discussions about the theological interpretation of the Bible.”
Kevin J. Vanhoozer, Research Professor of Systematic Theology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Deerfield, IL)