SET APART

: A STUDY OF NORTH AMERICAN PENTECOSTAL SECTARIANISM: 1917-1939

Abstract

This thesis explores the topic of sectarianism primarily among Pentecostals within the Assemblies of God and Church of God Cleveland in the United States from the years 1917 – 1939. This twenty-two-year span saw tremendous change in the nation from the Great War, which the United States entered in 1917, to the Great Depression, which lasted throughout the 1930s. Pentecostalism during this time was institutionalized after the initial revivals at the turn of the century and had given way to a second generation of believers who saw the importance of creating established denominations within American culture. Cultural pressures would be integral to how Pentecostals saw themselves during these years. Central to Pentecostals during this period was the importance of staying separate from society as much as possible as they saw themselves ‘set apart’ for world evangelism in preparation for the return of Christ. Although other existing works address this to some degree, little attention has been given to the surrounding culture that Pentecostals lived in and how it impacted them in being set apart. This study attempts to fill in this space by utilizing the Pentecostal periodicals from these years and placing their commentary within the cultural context of the day.

Date of Award	2024
Original language	English
Sponsors	Bangor University
Supervisor	Chris Thomas (Supervisor)