7/1/12

Scholar of Note

One particular scholar has won praise for work which spans both the Holiness and Pentecostal Movements. Dr. Charles E. Jones earned his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin. In addition to his writing he has held archival, library, and teaching positions at the University of Michigan, Houghton College, and Brown University.

When he began his first work little had been done to identify and describe the publications, books, and periodicals of holiness groups.  Many were in danger of being forever forgotten and important history lost forever.  His Guide to the Holiness Movement helped countless researchers, archivists, and historians identify important threads, works, individuals and make crucial relational links. The same applied to subsequent works covering other groups and movements. His tireless searches, interviews, and research truly came at just the right time to save such information before it was forever lost.

In 2008, he won the Smith-Wynkoop Book Award, an honor of the Wesleyan Theological Society (WTJ, Fall 2008).  This was the first time a work of theological and historical bibliography had won the award.  His massive and detailed corpus of work - well over three thousand pages - is truly worthy of such recognition and they have each served as research helps to people in numerous fields of study around the globe.

His major works include - 
  • The Guide to the Study of the Holiness Movement. 1974 .
  • Perfectionist Persuasion. 1974.
  • Black Holiness.
  • The Charismatic Movement
  • The Wesleyan Holiness Movement: A Comprehensive Guide. 2005.
  • Keswick Holiness Association: A Comprehensive Guide. 2006.
  • Holiness-Pentecostal Movement: A Comprehensive Guide. 2008


His personal papers are in the Fuller Theological Seminary Library Archive.   His work represents an outstanding and important contribution to the social, theological, and literary history of the Holiness, Pentecostal, and Charismatic Movements.

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