Abstract:
This paper examines the extent to which clergy within three Wesleyan/Holiness
denominations (The Church of God [Anderson, Indiana], The Church of the
Nazarene, and The Evangelical Church of North America) adhere to traditional
beliefs regarding sanctification. Results indicate that while there is significant
support for traditional holiness views, a substantial number of clergy indicate
doubts on some elements of the doctrine. Almost half of the variation in these
views can be accounted for by the independent influence of denominational affiliation,
church size, age, being a later generation pastor, and other theological
beliefs. In addition, independent of denominational affiliation, age, education,
and general political outlook, clergy with less traditional views regarding sanctification
are significantly less likely to support cooperation with the Christian
Holiness Partnership and less likely to express views that could be considered
socially conservative. At the same time, denominational affiliation exerts a
strong influence on the extent to which clergy adhere to the doctrines of sanctification
and on views regarding ecumenism and moral, political, and social issues.
We suggest that these results can help scholars understand the ways in which
variations in individual attitudes contribute to the movement from sect to church
and point to the importance of denominational culture and heritage in understanding
variations in religious and political/social attitudes.