Hura V. Eschatology of Christians of Evangelical Faith (Pentecostals)

In this thesis was demonstrated the practical application of the R. Schreiter's methodology for a comprehensive analysis of the eschatology of Ukrainian Pentecostal movement. It was a first using this methodology for analysis of doctrines of Ukrainian Pentecostal movement. Using of this methodology to made it possible to identify the eschatology of "illegal' Pentecostals of USSR as a local theology, with ideological genetic connecting other theological systems of the world Pentecostal movement and a world Baptist movement. This approach destroys the foundations of the popular stereotype of the supernatural origin of the dogmatic positions of Ukrainian Pentecostals and opening up the possibility of a deep self-reflection and theological revision of the formulation of dogmatic positions. It has been proved that eschatology of Ukrainian Pentecostals was formed under the influence of foreign Russian literary sources from USA, and through the church leaders with American theological education who worked in unique historical and cultural conditions. It has been proved that theology of Ukrainian Pentecostals are a successor to the world dispensationalist tradition. Also in this thesis was demonstrated an influence of western theological thought for development of the eschatology of Pentecostal movement in USSR in the conditions of information isolation. The concept of "eschatological ecclesiology" as center of dogmatic of "illegal" Ukrainian Pentecostals is systematized as an example of a local Ukrainian Pentecostal eschatology, which was formed in an ideological struggle on the verge of the existence of a religious movement as a response to the unique historical and cultural circumstances of the aggressive atheism of the USSR. For the Pentecostal from USSR, the doctrine of "eschatological ecclesiology" has become an organizing principle that motivates the faithful to confront the regime with a steadfast belief in the victorious eschatological end. According to this formulation, the Baptists, who rejected the Pentecostal’s understanding of "glosolalia", could not be recognized as the part of the Church and were enrolled in the category of eschatological "saved nations". Thus, such an interpretation of eschatology formed the theological foundation for the need for a separate Pentecostal church union. This thesis also showed a direct cause-and-effect connection between the eschatological persuasion of Pentecostals of the USSR and start of religious migration, which was based on the persistent conviction in the apocalyptic role of the Soviet state, which was formed through the spread of special mystical revelations and specifically hermeneutics, which made it possible to identify the USSR with the images of "Babylon" from the book Revelation.