As I have indicated previously, the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC) is in a process of again refreshing its Statement of Fundamental and Essential Truths (SOFET).
The denomination has a long history of refreshing its statement of faith, even with minor revisions as recent as 2014. This time the PAOC’s Theological Study Commission has begun steps toward refreshing the whole statement of faith.
At the 2016 General Conference of the PAOC, I presented a brief history of the PAOC’s SOFET. Here is a recording of that presentation. You can also find a written summary of the history below.
Click here for a written summary of the history of the PAOC’s statement of faith (posted here with permission).
You can find a copy of the PAOC’s current statement of faith here.
So far the Theological Study Commission (TSC) has produced draft statements on Spirit baptism and eschatology. We have presented these statements at a number of regional meetings, and those attending have given feedback that we will use to further revise the drafts going forward.
Drafts of the statements will also be presented and discussed at the next General Conference in May 2018, in Victoria, BC.
Outside of these venues, the PAOC is not currently circulating the draft statements since they are only drafts and are not meant to reflect official PAOC positions (given that they have not yet been voted on by the PAOC General Conference).
While revised drafts will eventually be circulated more publicly, the earliest the PAOC’s General Conference will vote on any revisions to the current statement of faith is 2020.
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You might also be interested in these posts:
- Spirit Baptism in Current Pentecostal Theology: Part 1 – Frank Macchia
- Eschatology in Current Pentecostal Theology
- What is a Pentecostal?: On PAOC Pentecostal Identity
Andrew K. Gabriel, Ph.D., is the author of Simply Spirit-Filled: Experiencing God in the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit (forthcoming) as well as three academic books, including The Lord is the Spirit. He is a theology professor at Horizon College and Seminary and serves on the Theological Study Commission for the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. You can follow him on Facebook or on Twitter.
I listened to the livestream from Abbottford with Van Johnson. I am glad the PAOC is taking this discussion to the grass roots rather than presenting a top down statement the rest of us must adhere too. I have a couple questions, how will the PAOC, once the revisions are made, help pastors lead and teach their churches. Many in our churches have been taught to believe one thing regarding eschatology and the baptism, and will not may, think we have changed or watered down our stance on these issues. Also should I go back to Bile college to relearn everything I was aught was absolutely?
Good questions, Ralph. Perhaps some of the presentations at General Conference will help answer some of them.
In many cases, though, it seems that pastors aren’t teaching on eschatology much at all because they aren’t comfortable with dispensational eschatology. Therefore, I’m not so sure that eschatology will cause significant problems.
One more thought…I’m not sure how it was communicated in BC, but the refreshed statements don’t actually require anyone to change their beliefs in that they are still consistent with the current SOFET, even if they allow for some more diverse ways of thinking on some points.
Hi Ralph, you raise a good point, and I’ve attempted to articulate exactly this in my blog (sorry to piggyback here, Andrew). It is an odd season when what we were taught as absolutes is discovered to be absolute but only for now. 😀 We probably need to narrow what we consider to be absolute to a lot fewer things, and be more humble and flexible with the rest. Here’s my blog. https://pneumanntology.wordpress.com/2018/05/01/navigating-through-doctrinal-change-a-guide-for-the-perplexed-pt-1/
I like your addition at the end of the video in regard to the priesthood of all believers and empowerment of the laity. This is certainly an area that needs some attention. Gordon Fee in reference to the church, says rather than having one big mouth and many little ears, we need to have many speaking and participating in our church and reaching their peers in their areas of influence for the Lord.
Hey Andrew! I just finished a course in Pneumatology at an American bible college (Sola Scriptura Seminary) with a Pentecostal doctrine. I am in the midst of writing a paper on gifts/fruit of the Spirit and while I have attended Pentecostal churches in the past, I more comfortably identify myself as Evangelical. That is largely because I do not speak in tongues and have seen that gift abused by many believers. I have read some of your articles and the survey results from 2016. Is there any word on whether or not the Statement of Faith will revisit the Baptism of the Holy Spirit as to whether or not speaking in tongues is the only sign?
Jon, the PAOC’s Theological Study Commission has produced a draft of a completely rewritten statement on Spirit baptism. It won’t be voted on for another two years, but it isn’t quite as restrictive as the current statement.
Hi! The link to the current Statement of faith doesn’t work…just so ya know!
Thanks for the note. I’ve updated in the post. And here it is for you too: https://paoc.org/docs/default-source/fellowship-services-documents/statement-of-fundamental-and-essential-truths.pdf?sfvrsn=153a1d6a_0
We threw the baby out with the bathwater when we discarded the ancient creeds. Any time that I have the opportunity to recite one of those creeds in a congregational worship environment, my heart SINGS. It cries out YES! This IS what I believe.
I live here in the Kitchener/Waterloo. Those early statements on pacifism make perfect sense knowing the local congregations out of which part of the PAOC sprung and their mennonite heritage.