All Local Coherences

Abstract

With almost 800 million followers, scholars from numerous fields have examined Pentecostalism—composed of congregations from Protestantism, Catholicism, and Orthodox Churches—attempting to explain its wide appeal and diverse practices. Why has Pentecostalism been able to adapt to each unique context so effectively? Are there universal traits that unite all Pentecostals? While these questions have interested and confounded scholars and practitioners alike, a fundamental and crucial question has remained unanswered: what exactly is Pentecostalism? Without a framework for understanding Pentecostalism, very little progress can be made into understanding the movement. Unlike previous definitional efforts that restrict the movement to “Western,” dualistic paradigms, this paper argues that Tiantai Buddhist philosophy provides Pentecostalism with a dynamic framework that enables fluid movement with the Holy Spirit without issue or concern. Tiantai’s Three Truths allow Pentecostals from multifarious contexts to flow with the Spirit in their distinctive way, resulting in freedom.