Sample Header Ad - 728x90

What are the sanctification and spirituality distinctives of a C&MA church?

2 votes
0 answers
228 views
I'm evaluating the theology of a Christian and Missionary Alliance church which is affiliated with [The Alliance of Canada](https://www.cmacan.org/beliefs/) which in turn is affiliated with the worldwide [Alliance World Fellowship](https://awf.world/) ([*Wikipedia entry* here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alliance_World_Fellowship)) . The [history of the Alliance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alliance_World_Fellowship#History) shows how the founder, A.B. Simpson, [was influenced](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Benjamin_Simpson#Teaching) by [Keswickian teaching](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keswickian) in the 1880s although departed from some traditional Keswickian beliefs. Then as Pentecostalism began at the turn of the 20th century, Simpson was influenced by it but in return *also* influenced the movement, such as his influence in the Assemblies of God. But after his death in 1919 the Alliance distanced itself from some aspects of Pentecostalism, especially rejecting that speaking in tongues is a necessary indicator of being filled with the Holy Spirit. [A.W. Tozer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._W._Tozer) is said to best exemplify C&MA theology, having had 44 years of ministry in that denomination. In my studies so far, C&MA theology is rather hard to pin down. Even the question of whether the soteriology is leaning Arminian or Calvinist is not clear, as professor M. J. Sawyer at A.W. Tozer Seminary said in his paper [Wesleyan and Keswick Models of Sanctification](https://bible.org/article/wesleyan-amp-keswick-models-sanctification) : > With Keswick one finds a different situation than with the Holiness Movement. Whereas Wesleyan holiness theology is traceable directly to Wesley and has clearly identifiable tenets, Keswick is much more amorphous and comes in many varieties from the strict Keswick of a Major Ian Thomas, John Hunter, Alan Redpath and the Torchbearers fellowship to the milder Keswick of Campus Crusade For Christ and Moody Bible Institute and other respected Evangelical educational institutions. Whereas Holiness theology has tended to dominate in Arminian circles, Keswick has tended to dominate American Evangelicalism of a more Calvinistic bent. Indeed Packer asserts that it has become standard in virtually all of Evangelicalism except confessional Reformed and Lutheran. (151)
[probably citing J.I. Packer's 1980 book *Keep in step with the Spirit*, [page 151](https://archive.org/details/keepinstepwithsp00pack/page/150/mode/2up)] **My question is**: How does the Alliance's sanctification and spirituality model compare with these models: - Typical Evangelical (whether Calvinist or Arminian) - Wesleyan Movement - Holiness Movement - Keswick Movement since CM&A stance does not fall neatly into any of the four types mentioned above? ### Helpful resources - An answer by proxy can probably be obtained from A.W. Tozer's writing. - M.J. Sawyer's paper [Wesleyan and Keswick Models of Sanctification](https://bible.org/article/wesleyan-amp-keswick-models-sanctification) (year??) - [Five Views on Sanctification](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0310212693) (1996)
Asked by GratefulDisciple (27012 rep)
Mar 15, 2022, 11:04 PM