A $6.9 million grant has been designated to pay for the establishment of a Pentecostal and Charismatic Research Initiative at USC's campus south of Downtown Los Angeles, putting scholars in line with a growing trend among many Latino/Americans and Asian/Americans in Los Angeles, across the U.S., and throughout the world.
the "Azusa Street Revival"
Pentecostal movement
The money came recently from the West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania-based John Templeton Foundation, named for a pioneering global investors and founder of the Templeton Mutual Funds. The John Templeton Foundation aims to serve as a "philanthropic catalyst for discovery in areas engaging life's biggest questions," according to the organization's mission statement, which adds that "these questions range from explorations into the laws of nature and the universe to questions on the nature of love, gratitude, forgiveness, and creativity."
on Azusa Street, L.A.
Pentecostal and charismatic are terms used to describe forms of Christian faith and worship that focus keenly on a belief that God often communicates and motivates humans through a Holy Spirit. Such beliefs are not unique to Pentecostals or other charismatics, but many adherents of such sects have carved a unique place for themselves on the religious landscape by preaching and worshiping in a boisterous manner, calling out for such intervention.
The new initiative at USC will set up shop not far from the roots of the charismatic movement, which is generally believed to have first appeared in 1906 at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church on Azusa Street in the Little Tokyo district on the northeastern edge of Downtown — a location that is now an alleyway that runs between a row of commercial establishments and the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, just south of 2nd Street on San Pedro Street. A minister named William J. Seymour is credited with inspiring the movement with rousing sermons in front of racially diverse crowds at the church.
The charismatic movement has also left an historical mark on the Echo Park district northwest of Downtown, where Aimee Semple McPherson became one of the best known and most effective charismatic preachers. McPherson blazed a trail as a pioneer in preaching her version of charismatic faith — called Foursquare Gospel — on the radio in the 1920s. The Angelus Temple that she founded near Echo Park Lake remains a vibrant ministry.
Further influence of the charismatic movement can be seen all around Los Angeles, where significant numbers of Latino/Americans and Filipino/Americans, among others, have let go of traditional and cultural ties to the Roman Catholic Church to join the newer sects. Some observers estimate that charismatic sects now combine to count as many as 500 million adherents nationwide, ranging from worshippers who sing in small store-front churches to well-established denominations such as the Assemblies of God.
The global growth of the charismatic movement is one reason officials of the university plan to spend as much as $3.5 million of the grant funds on social science research in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Russia — areas of the world where charismatic sects have won significant numbers of converts in recent years.
"Our goal is to inspire research partnerships around the globe and fund projects that will shape the discussion for years to come," said Donald Miller, executive director of the Center for Religion and Civic Culture. "We are interested in understanding why Pentecostalism is growing so rapidly, what impact it is having on society and how it is different in various cultural settings."
USC officials said they plan to launch the Pentecostal and Charismatic Research Initiative as part of the school's College of Letters, Arts and Sciences' Center for Religion and Civic Culture.
More info:
Pentecostalism
William Seymour
Azusa Street Revival
Aimee Semple McPherson
International Church of the Foursquare Gospel
Assemblies of God
Sam Hassan is a writer for the L.A. Garment & Citizen.
Collage by LA Beez, photos from en.wikipedia.org
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