Luth,

I think you should augment your work with some well researched case studies that elucidate contemporary examples of authoritarian abuses within Pentecostal/Charismatic ministry structures/governments. It is no doubt a great deal more work, but if you could compile credible examples it would go a long way toward making your points more accessible. It should be noted that several of the cult abuse/recovery books I've sampled do just that.

Of course there are always plenty of true believers who will not question the underlying presuppositions for their religious fervor and experience. A rational presentation based on facts will not sway them because they are part of what I would term a "justified unreality". That is they read Acts of the Apostles and are convinced that this is what the "true Church" must look and act like today.

Never mind that in Acts 2 those "tongues" were known national languages and that many sound Biblical scholars disagree among themselves over precise interpretation of every detail in the Corinthian passages that deal with "the gifts of the Spirit." We could hope that these facts alone would be enough to persuade Pentecostal-Charismatics that their use of and attachment to "tongues" is more gibberish generated by emotionalism than true "manifestation of the Spirit"

The problem is that these folks tend to "project themselves into" the Biblical narrative and assume because they are sincere "God seekers" that whatever manifestation takes place must be "of the Spirit". However, how do they know that what have is authentic? You nailed it with your observation:

Quote:
For example, if a person within the congregation thinks God has spoken to him a particular thing, and another person claims that God has spoken to him about something that contradicts the first person, there is no rational method by which to resolve the conflict other than authoritarianism ...


Even when the arbiter is a "pastor" (or pastorette :) ) the fundamental issue remains one of authenticating who and who does not have legitimate authority to evaluate and somehow regulate what goes on under such a highly-charged environment where "being open to God" can mean allowing some very strange goings on.