J. Rodman Williams (1918–2008), regarded as the father of modern renewal theology, was a

charismatic Charisma () is a personal quality of presence or charm that compels its subjects. Scholars in sociology, political science, psychology, and management reserve the term for a type of leadership seen as extraordinary; in these fields, the term "ch ...

theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing th ...

and professor of renewal theology at

Regent University Regent University is a private Christian university in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The university was founded by Pat Robertson in 1977 as Christian Broadcasting Network University, and changed its name to Regent University in 1990. Regent offe ...

in Virginia Beach,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the East Coast of the United States, Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography an ...

. Born on August 21, 1918, in

Clyde, North Carolina Clyde is a town in Haywood County, North Carolina, United States. The 2010 census recorded the population at 1,223 people. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Prior to European colonization, the area that is now C ...

, Williams earned an AB (1939) from

Davidson College Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. It was established in 1837 by the Concord Presbytery and named after Revolutionary War general William Lee Davidson, who was killed at the nearby Battle of Cowan� ...

, a BD (1943) and ThM (1944) from Union Theological Seminary in Virginia, and a PhD in philosophy of religion and ethics at Union Theological Seminary in New York, taking time in between to serve as a chaplain in the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through ...

(1944-1946). He was ordained in the

Presbyterian Church in the United States The Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS, originally Presbyterian Church in the Confederate States of America) was a Protestant denomination in the Southern and border states of the United States that existed from 1861 to 1983. That y ...

in 1943 and served as a pastor for several years before becoming a full-time educator. From 1959-1972, he served as professor of systematic theology at

Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary is a Presbyterian seminary in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1902 to provide pastors for the rapidly growing Presbyterian Church in the frontier Southwest. Thonton Rogers Sampson was the first president. ...

. As a key figure in the burgeoning charismatic movement of the 1960s, he was president of the International Presbyterian Charismatic Communion, and later a participant in the International Roman Catholic–Pentecostal Dialogue. In 1972, he became the founding president of the Melodyland School of Theology in

Anaheim Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-mos ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...

, and in 1985 he served as president of the

Society for Pentecostal Studies The Society for Pentecostal Studies (SPS) is an American scholarly association of biblical scholars, theologians, and others who are members of Pentecostal churches or are involved in the Charismatic Renewal. It was founded in 1970. The members o ...

. He joined the faculty of Regent University in the mid-1980s and holds the title of Emeritus Professor of Renewal Theology. Important works include the three-volume

systematic theology Systematic theology, or systematics, is a discipline of Christian theology that formulates an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the doctrines of the Christian faith. It addresses issues such as what the Bible teaches about certain topi ...

entitled ''Renewal Theology'' (1988–92, published as a single volume in 1996), the first complete systematic theology written from a charismatic perspective. It included chapters on the supernatural gifts of the Spirit and a chapter on the

Baptism of the Holy Spirit In Christian theology, baptism with the Holy Spirit, also called baptism in the Holy Spirit or baptism in the Holy Ghost, has been interpreted by different Christian denominations and traditions in a variety of ways due to differences in the doc ...

, arguing for the traditional

Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement

interpretation. He argues also for the

Arminian Arminianism is a branch of Protestantism based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Reformed theologian Jacobus Arminius (1560–1609) and his historic supporters known as Remonstrants. Dutch Arminianism was originally articulated in the ''Re ...

view of the possibility of

apostasy Apostasy (; grc-gre, ἀποστασία , 'a defection or revolt') is the formal disaffiliation from, abandonment of, or renunciation of a religion by a person. It can also be defined within the broader context of embracing an opinion that i ...

Published books

* Contemporary Existentialism and Christian Faith (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1965). * The Era of the Spirit (Plainfield, NJ: Logos, 1971). * The Pentecostal Reality (Plainfield, NJ: Logos, 1972). * Ten Teachings (Carol Stream, IL: Creation House, 1974). * The Gift of the Holy Spirit Today (Plainfield, NJ: Logos, 1980). * Renewal Theology hree volumes in one(Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996) * God, the World, and Redemption (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1988). Renewal Theology * Salvation, the Holy Spirit, and Christian Living (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990). Renewal Theology * The Church, The Kingdom, and Last Things (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992).

References

Citations

Sources

* *

External links

* Burgess, Stanley M. & Eduard M. van der Maas (editors), ''

The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements ''The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements'' is a comprehensive reference work on charismatic Christianity which includes the three streams of Pentecostalism, the Charismatic Movement, and the Neocharismatic mo ...

'', (Revised edition, Zondervan: 2003) * Williams, J. Rodman, ''Renewal Theology: Systematic Theology from a Charismatic Perspective'', (Zondervan: 1996) {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, J. Rodman 1918 births 2008 deaths American Charismatics Arminian ministers Arminian theologians People from Clyde, North Carolina Presbyterian Church in the United States members Presbyterian Church in the United States ministers Regent University faculty Systematic theologians