Aimee Semple McPherson

[Spirit of Pentecost]

Aimee Semple McPherson aided in the acceptance of Pentecostalism among mainstream Christianity. Her Angelus Temple was one of the first megachurches, her healing ministry attracted thousands a service, and her "illustrated sermons" were enjoyed by the Hollywood elite.

In spite of all the good she done, she wasn't without controversy. What are your opinions on Sister? What are your opinions on her kidnapping, and her "backsliding" from the truth?

 

[1stcenturylady]

Aimee Semple McPherson aided in the acceptance of Pentecostalism among mainstream Christianity. Her Angelus Temple was one of the first megachurches, her healing ministry attracted thousands a service, and her "illustrated sermons" were enjoyed by the Hollywood elite.

In spite of all the good she done, she wasn't without controversy. What are your opinions on Sister? What are your opinions on her kidnapping, and her "backsliding" from the truth?

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What backsliding from the truth?

 

[Spirit of Pentecost]

What backsliding from the truth?

In knowing the vast majority here will not agree with what I am about to say, I will give my opinions here anyway.

Sister Aimee, a world renowned evangelist, once preached against such things as makeup, jewelry, and keeping up with modern fashions. By the mid-1920s, however, her thoughts on topics such as these changed considerably. During her 1926 kidnapping trial, she was ordered to stand up and unpin her hair which reportedly "fell abundantly over her shoulders". The following year, she had her hair bobbed and dyed auburn. She began to wear makeup and jewelry, and she became more fashionable, and in turn deterred from her natural modesty. Her wardrobe was admired by the elite, and it was reported that she could now "out-dress the Hollywood stars". This isn't to mention her third marriage to a secular singer, and her eventual divorce from him.

Now, Sister's clothes remained modest (especially by today's modesty standards), they just got more expensive. Gone were her traditional white servants dresses topped with a blue cape, and in were dressier and more "glamorous" gowns. Her gradual acceptance of makeup and jewelry, however, does go against the Word. These changes in her theology alienated her from some of her strict Pentecostal and conservative/holiness colleagues. Likewise, the "loosening" of her standards allowed her to gain acceptance among mainstream Christians, and also eventually fueled the disappearance of strong outward holiness standards that remained a marker of Pentecostalism (whether Trinitarian or Oneness) for a number of decades.

In saying all of this, I would argue that Sister Aimee (despite all her good) did loose something along the way. Her "progressive" ideas about the outward holiness appearance of the Christian can be be attributed to the inability for us to be able to distinguish the sinner from the saint in churches today.

 

[1stcenturylady]

In knowing the vast majority here will not agree with what I am about to say, I will give my opinions here anyway.

Sister Aimee, a world renowned evangelist, once preached against such things as makeup, jewelry, and keeping up with modern fashions. By the mid-1920s, however, her thoughts on topics such as these changed considerably. During her 1926 kidnapping trial, she was ordered to stand up and unpin her hair which reportedly "fell abundantly over her shoulders". The following year, she had her hair bobbed and dyed auburn. She began to wear makeup and jewelry, and she became more fashionable, and in turn deterred from her natural modesty. Her wardrobe was admired by the elite, and it was reported that she could now "out-dress the Hollywood stars". This isn't to mention her third marriage to a secular singer, and her eventual divorce from him.

Now, Sister's clothes remained modest (especially by today's modesty standards), they just got more expensive. Gone were her traditional white servants dresses topped with a blue cape, and in were dressier and more "glamorous" gowns. Her gradual acceptance of makeup and jewelry, however, does go against the Word. These changes in her theology alienated her from some of her strict Pentecostal and conservative/holiness colleagues. Likewise, the "loosening" of her standards allowed her to gain acceptance among mainstream Christians, and also eventually fueled the disappearance of strong outward holiness standards that remained a marker of Pentecostalism (whether Trinitarian or Oneness) for a number of decades.

In saying all of this, I would argue that Sister Aimee (despite all her good) did loose something along the way. Her "progressive" ideas about the outward holiness appearance of the Christian can be be attributed to the inability for us to be able to distinguish the sinner from the saint in churches today.

Just remember what Jesus said about displays of outward holiness, instead of inner holiness. That can be pride. There is nothing wrong with being both modern and modest. In the first century, long hair was the modern fashion of the day, and if they caught some woman prostituting themselves, they shaved their heads as an outward sign, similar to branding them with the letter "A" on the forehead a couple hundred years ago.

16 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

It is all about the heart.

It is possible that this truth was revealed to ASMc, so she stopped the false modesty.

 

[Spirit of Pentecost]

Just remember what Jesus said about displays of outward holiness, instead of inner holiness. That can be pride. There is nothing wrong with being both modern and modest. In the first century, long hair was the modern fashion of the day, and if they caught some woman prostituting themselves, they shaved their heads as an outward sign, similar to branding them with the letter "A" on the forehead a couple hundred years ago.

16 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

It is all about the heart.

It is possible that this truth was revealed to ASMc, so she stopped the false modesty.

Yes, inner holiness should come first. If one has true inner holiness, it will manifest itself outwardly as well. Some people with strong outward may very well not have it inwardly, and vice versa. Jesus wants us to have both: Inward and Outward Holiness. Saying holiness could be pride isn't the whole story. Christians with outward could very well have pride about it, but let me assure you that not all of them are that way. Just because some people have the wrong spirit about something doesn't mean that it isn't what Jesus wants. They have simply allowed themselves to be egotistic about it instead of being a light to others. Holiness is instructed throughout the scriptures, and there are many passages from which we take those examples.