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Arie W. Zwiep – Luke's Understanding of Baptism in the Holy Spirit. An Evangelical Perspective
In particular response to the theses of R.P. Menzies, this article investigates the role of baptism in the Holy Spirit in Luke-Acts. After having established common ground between Pentecostal and Evangelical scholarship in the field, it is argued that for the author of Luke-Acts baptism in the Holy Spirit is an eschatological, corporate and barrier-breaking event, in which (not unlike what is found in the Qumran writings) present and future aspects are held in tension. Luke's portrayal of the work of the Spirit resists rigid categorization and, from a canonical perspective, helps to counterbalance an exclusive stress on Pauline teaching on the work of the Spirit.
PentecoStudies, vol. 6, no. 2, 2007, p. 127–149
Arie W. Zwiep, Luke's Understanding of Baptism in the Holy Spirit. An Evangelical
Luke's Understanding of Baptism in the Holy Spirit
An Evangelical Perspectivei
W. Zwiep
Universiteit Amsterdam
In particular response to the theses of R.P. Menzies, this article investigates the role of baptism in the Holy Spirit in Luke-Acts. After having established common ground between Pentecostal and Evangelical scholarship in the field, it is argued that for the author of Luke-Acts baptism in the Holy Spirit is an eschatological, corporate and barrier-breaking event, in which (not unlike what is found in the Qumran writings) present and future aspects are held in tension. Luke's portrayal of the work of the Spirit resists rigid categorization and, from a canonical perspective, helps to counterbalance an exclusive stress on Pauline teaching on the work of the Spirit.
The purpose of this paper is to engage in a critical and constructive dialogue between Evangelicals and Pentecostals on some matters of common interest. As a former Pentecostal (and now a somewhat distant sympathizer), pupil of James Dunn (whose interest and expertise in the field is undisputed), and biblical scholar with a special interest in Luke-Acts, the challenge that this kind of dialogue brings to me hardly needs comment. I appreciate, at any rate, the metaphor of dialogue. Dialogue I understand as an open conversation in which opinions are freely exchanged, leading to a better understanding of the drives and concerns of the conversation partners involved and aiming at a certain common understanding, if not consensus. This is only possible, of course, if there is a mutual willingness to give up one's own opinions for better ones. The omens are good, I believe, on both sides of the table, and the book by the Menzies now under discussion at this symposium is a challenging and sympathetic icebreaker.ii
As the current debate is an internal talk from a shared 'faith perspective', we need to be aware of the fact that the issues involved are far more complex than that. As Evangelicals and Pentecostals we have an inborn tendency to interpret spiritual phenomena, charismatic manifestations, spiritual gifts and so forth almost automatically in terms of explicitly theological and Christian categories: when a Pentecostal Christian starts to utter unintelligible sounds, it is readily believed that the Holy Spirit inspires him or her (but when my agnostic neighbour or a psychiatric patient do so, things are immediately rationalized by different categories). If someone speaks under prophetic inspiration (whatever we may mean by that), it is very often believed without further ado that he speaks on behalf of God, i.e. the Christian God. But from a history-of-religions perspective and in the light of the phenomenology of religion, sociology and psychology, all such phenomena have their counterpart in other religions of antiquity and in contemporary movements outside the Christian realm.iii To avoid the pitfall of socio-pragmatic hermeneutics, that is, reading the Bible to find confirmation of what one already believes (Thiselton 1992), our 'insider perspective' needs the litmus test of an 'outsider perspective'. This requires a more fundamental debate on the nature of religious experience, the mode of revelation, the influence of worldviews, and so forth. In our contemporary situation of secularism, globalization and interreligious dialogue I think these epistemological and hermeneutic questions are far more urgent than the exegetical issues now under debate, and here Evangelicals and Pentecostals have a common task and probably a common contribution to make.iv However, for the present purpose my objective is more modest, as I will focus on some of the exegetical and biblical-theological questions involved. But the issues I mentioned are constantly luring in the background.
Common Ground
To clear the field for a real debate, it may be helpful to spell out first what we have in common, that is, what we have gained from the past thirty or thirty-five years or so (taking understandably James Dunn's influential study on Baptism in the Holy Spirit from 1970 as a starting-point).v This helps us to put the whole matter in perspective and to outline future areas of research and debate.vi
First of all, there is common ground in the recognition that Luke is 'historian and theologian', to use the famous phrase of Howard Marshall. (Marshall 1998; Menzies 2000:40–42) To date, we would have to add that Luke is not only historian and theologian, but also an outstanding story-teller, and that for this reason narrative analysis and literary criticism are indispensable tools for theological exegesis, especially in the case of the book of Acts. These terms, it may be necessary to emphasize, do not describe two or three separate identities or activities (or disguises, so to speak), but they are evidence of one single concern. I believe, in fact, that it is more accurate to say that Luke presses home a theological or whatever message through some sort of history writing than to say that he is doing history and theology. Of course Luke is not at all a theologian in the strict sense of the word (not even Paul is) nor is he a creative thinker of the stature of Paul or John, but he does have an opinion on certain matters of faith and he certainly wishes to convince his readers of some of his insights about God, Jesus, the Spirit, salvation, Christian life, the Christian community, and so forth. In that respect, the historical character of Luke-Acts is subservient to its theological or ideological concern. Luke did not write church history for its own sake (nor one that accords with our modern conception of history writing, for that matter), but for the sake of communicating his beliefs and convictions. He writes, as biblical scholars of earlier generations used to say, Tendenzliteratur. Hence, to understand the work of the Spirit, the book of Acts should not be put on a theological sidetrack nor be treated as a stepchild to other New Testament writings, as many Evangelicals tended to do in the past,vii and it seems to me that this is to date an opinion shared by the majority of Evangelical and Pentecostal scholars.
Secondly, we fully agree with the methodological principle that Luke-Acts must not be read from the angle of Paul's theology or through a Pauline lens: Paul is not the norm for Luke. (Dunn 1970:39–40; Menzies 2000:49–50) Doing biblical theology in a methodologically sound way means to respect the individual authors' viewpoints at all costs.viii Luke is a thinker and writer in his own right, fully entitled to have his own views, even if they are different from or contrary to Paul's. Luke's view of the Spirit should not be forced into a Pauline mould. For instance, if Luke employs the metaphor of 'being filled with the Spirit' or speaks of 'being baptised in the Spirit', it should not be taken for granted that sense and referent of these terms are identical to Paul's terminology. In terms of semantics this would be a school example of an illegitimate identity transfer.ix
Third, if I am not mistaken, the classic dispensationalist position, which assigns the work of the Spirit exclusively to the early apostolic period (also known as cessationism), is rapidly on the retreat. Few evangelical scholars would nowadays advocate a traditional dispensationalist or cessationist position.x
Fourth, there is a broad consensus on the role of first-century Judaism as providing a more plausible context of understanding than Hellenistic religiosity, hence that the Spirit in Luke-Acts is primarily understood as the 'Spirit of prophecy', although there is still some debate on the influence of pre-Lucan Christianity on Luke's view of the Spirit.xi
Fifth, as far as I am concerned, we need not even have a debate on the power-for-mission character of (the) Spirit baptism in Luke-Acts (different from the conversion-initiation thesis),xii although in this respect I probably do not represent a majority view among Evangelicals. I think that Roger Stronstad's interpretation of the work of the Spirit in Luke-Acts is basically sound and does justice to Luke's particular view of the Spirit: in the Lucan writings the working of the Spirit results in mission, effective proclamation, it is empowerment for service; soteriological concerns hardly come to the surface.xiii Different from Stronstad and Menzies, I think it is safer to further qualify this by the adverb 'predominantly' rather than 'exclusively' or 'consistently': in Acts, the work of the Spirit is predominantly focused on power for mission.xiv
Areas for Further Debate
It occurs to me that the ground we have in common is much larger nowadays than it was twenty or thirty years ago. In this respect biblical scholars on both sides of the Pentecostal–Evangelical divide have given up rigid positions and have come considerably closer to one another.xv
Of course we should not walk into the trap of what is no more than a metaphor. The metaphor of coming closer to one another tends to suggest that the truth may be somewhere in the middle, if we could visualize the contours of the debate on a straight line. Perhaps, however, the truth is not in the middle, but somewhere beyond the line, on a side-track, so to speak, and should both parties be prepared to change their course into a new direction, gaining a new perspective on Spirit baptism, without being too much concerned about identity matters and dogmatic defences of classic positions. I think we readily agree that our identity should not lie in our respective traditions or theologies, but in our common commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
It seems to me that the conversion-initiation thesis of James Dunn (as an exponent of the classical Evangelical position) and the traditional Pentecostal doctrine of a second blessing subsequent to the coming to faith, are both at risk to interpret the Lucan texts from a perspective somewhat alien to Luke, or at least from a perspective that does not reflect his primary concern.
The Systemization Fallacy
Before making some more substantial comments on Luke's view of the baptism in the Spirit, I think an important warning is necessary against what I would call the 'systematization fallacy'. The drive to systematize what cannot and perhaps should not be systematized, is a serious obstacle in the current debate. Systematization is the indispensable work of scholars, yet the risk that method overrules and distorts content is a serious one, especially when we are dealing with the Spirit, who, in the highly ambivalent words of the Fourth Evangelist, 'blows where he wills' (Jn 3.8) (probably both Paul and Luke would agree on that!). Was it really Luke's intention to teach something on matters of subsequence, ordo salutis, levels of sanctification, and so forth, or did he simply wish to show the diversity and the dynamics of the working of the Spirit in the early Christian community?xvi Is not the fact that Luke describes the effects of salvation in history in so many different constellations (think e.g. of the varying sequence of conversion, baptism, reception of the Spirit etc. in Acts), indicative of the fact that he does not want to 'systematize' salvation of the individual and Christian life at large in a fixed scheme of salvation? I suspect that the drive at systematization is simply one of the fruits of Enlightenment rationalism. As soon as method reaches its boundary, the exegete should be at the alert and not succumb too quickly to the temptation of filling in the gaps. A bit of Gadamerian resistance against method would not be bad.
But let us now turn to matters of content. In what follows I wish to discuss baptism in the Spirit as an eschatological event, as a corporate event, and as a future and present experience. I will point to a possible parallel from Qumran, mention some implications of Pentecost as a barrier-breaking event, and draw implications from Luke and Paul in a canonical perspective. I round off with some concluding remarks.
Baptism in the Spirit as an Eschatological Event
In line with the Old Testament prophecies about the outpouring of the Spirit of God, promised to the nation of Israel 'in the last days' or in the near or distant future (Joel 2:28–32; Ezek. 36–37; Isa. 32:15; 44:3–5), Luke speaks of salvation and the work of the Spirit in eschatological terms.xvii
In the Lucan proclamation of John the Baptist, to begin with, a 'baptism with Spirit and fire' is announced that will be experienced by the penitent and the wicked alike, somewhere in the near future:
John answered all of them by saying, 'I baptise you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire' (Lk. 3:16–17 nrsv).
It is one event which is in view with a dual effect, blessing and judgement.xviii In the pre-Lucan strand of tradition, the reference is clearly to what is traditionally called the Day of Judgement or what we would nowadays call the eschaton. The saying is a clear testimony to the fervent imminent expectation at the time (Naherwartung). In Mark, at any rate, there is not a single reference to a fulfilment at Pentecost, while the context of Q (Luke's other source) is clearly that of (imminent?) eschatological judgement.xix It is difficult, on the other hand, to read Luke-Acts without relating the fiery Spirit baptism announced by John to the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost, but then the crucial question is how the relation between the two baptisms is defined. Did Luke consider the fiery baptism with the Spirit announced by John to be fulfilled at Pentecost? Or did he consider Pentecost a partial fulfilment or anticipation of the ultimate eschatological baptism-with-spirit-and-fire on all the people, believers and unbelievers alike, as a climactic event, the full realisation of which Luke still expected to occur in the future?
In the light of texts in Acts that affirm a consummation in the future (Luke does not seem to deny the traditional expectation of the parousia and the Day of Judgement) (Zwiep 1997:175–185), it is difficult to deny that the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost is not the definitive and final fulfilment of eschatological promises and expectations, but an anticipation (admittedly a dramatic and spectacular one) of traditional eschatological promises.xx The signs traditionally expected to occur at the end of history are already experienced in the early community; in that sense we can speak of the Christian community as an eschatological community. But surely the Day of the Lord (including Judgement Day and the anticipated baptism-with-fire) had not yet arrived, at least not in the usual sense of the word. Eduard Schweizer therefore rightly concludes that Pentecost 'ushers in a new age, but not the new age'.xxi
Although Luke does not sharply differentiate between a baptism-with-the-spirit already experienced in the Christian community and a baptism-with-fire to be accomplished at the Day of Judgement, it is clear that he puts all the emphasis on the present and positive aspects of the baptism in view. (Cf. Zwiep 1997:169–171) The fiery aspects, so to speak, are already visible now and then (think, e.g., of the stories of divine judgement in the book of Acts), but from an overall perspective the proclamation of the good news dominates. This is where the proclamation of Jesus and the early church sharply differ from that of John the Baptist and where Luke's particular theology on Spirit baptism as empowerment for service comes in: all the emphasis is on the empowering presence of the Spirit.xxii But even the positive aspects are visible only now and then. It is not yet heaven on earth. All is seen sub specie finis.
What are the implications of the eschatological understanding of the baptism in the Holy Spirit and of its anticipatory working? Of old, Evangelicals have accused Pentecostals of triumphalism and 'arrival theology', that is, an undue emphasis on the present work of the Spirit at the expense of its future consummation and as a consequence leading to a denial of the dark side of life.xxiii If Pentecost can be seen as an event of 'eschatological anticipation' rather than of eschatological fulfilment per se, we may have a fruitful point of departure to establish common ground: the work of the Spirit in the context of Jesus and the Church (up to the present!) is both real (as Pentecostals claim) and anticipatory or preliminary (as Evangelicals claim). This creates room for what Jürgen Moltmann calls an eschatology of the coming of God in which both present and future are held in a fruitful and dynamic tension. (See Moltmann 1995)
Baptism in the Spirit as a Corporate Event
In Acts, the Spirit plays a decisive role in the formation of the Christian community. It cannot be doubted that, for Luke, the Spirit is the identity-marker of the New People of God.xxiv That in some way Christian life is marked by the Spirit, is a non dubitandum for Luke. Few would disagree. Here, however, we should be alert at the danger of making more of things than we can deduce from the available sources. I have the impression that both Pentecostals and Evangelicals are first and foremost concerned to figure out the work of the Spirit in the individual believer. 'When does a person coming to faith receive the Holy Spirit?', seems to be the central question in the debate. 'Does he or she receive the Spirit at conversion or at a subsequent stage?' These, of course, are fully justified and relevant questions with significant repercussions in the wider context of pastoral theology and spiritual life. But were these modern questions of any concern to Luke when he wrote his two-volume book on Jesus and the history of the early Church?
I do not think so. Although it cannot be denied that for Luke salvation includes salvation of the individual, the dominant way of describing the effects of the coming of Jesus and the Spirit is first and foremost in collective or corporate terms. (Cf. also Bovon 2006:280, under a) The birth of the Messiah is good news to the whole people (Lk. 2:10). John the Baptist's message is directed to the people of Israel as a whole (3:6, 16). In Jesus' teaching it is the imminent arrival of the kingdom of God that dominates. Pentecost is first and foremost a group experience—it is the believing community that receives the Spirit—as is the case with the subsequent outpourings of the Pentecostal Spirit upon the assembled believers in a house in Jerusalem, upon the Samaritans, the household of Cornelius, the disciples at Ephesus.xxv
The Menzies certainly seem to recognize this corporate dimension to a certain degree, when they concede, for instance, that '(t)here are no pre-Christian references to a messianic bestowal of the Spirit that purifies and transforms the individual',xxvi and: 'John the Baptist described the Spirit's work not as cleansing repentant individuals, but rather as a blast of the 'breath' of God that would sift the nation'.xxvii And even: 'Luke sees the prophecy [of John the Baptist], at least with reference to the sifting work of the Spirit, fulfilled in the Spirit-inspired mission of the church. The essential point is that Luke presents the Spirit here not as the source of cleansing for the individual, but rather as the animating force behind the witness of the church'. (Menzies 2000:94) The critical question is, what are the implications of the corporate dimension of Spirit baptism? It comes somewhat as a surprise, when the Menzies argue time and again that the event in view, the baptism with the Holy Spirit, is to be experienced (at least potentially) by every individual believer. 'Luke's Pentecost account provides what is needed, a promise of missiological power for every believer'. (Menzies 2000:101; italics mine) The gift of the Spirit, they argue, is 'available to—and indeed, should be experienced by—everyone'.xxviii That is, they consider baptism in the Spirit as an event that must be applied to every individual Christian, it has to be individualized or particularized. When I read Luke-Acts, I cannot avoid the impression that this is far from obvious. Of course, individuals receive the Spirit, and individuals are called to repentance and are promised all kinds of blessings, but I fail to see convincing proof for the systematic individualization of Spirit baptism in Luke-Acts. Of course, in Paul and the Johannine writings there is clearer evidence that the Spirit is believed to dwell in each individual believer. Think, for instance, of 1 Corinthians 12:11, where it is said that the Spirit allots spiritual gifts 'to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses' (nrsv) (although, admittedly, in Paul much hinges on the interpretation of the formula 'in Christ', which seems to be a corporate rather than a individualistic metaphor). And in the Johannine writings texts such as Jn 3:5 and 7:38–39 (cf. 1 Jn 2:27) are as clear evidence as one can get that the gift of the Spirit is available to every individual (Johannine!) believer.xxix But the evidence of the Lucan writings seems to point to a different direction. Being the theologian of salvation history (Conzelmann 1993), Luke is focused on periods, more or less distinct epochs, historical eras, groups of people, communities, etc. The Menzies, again, seem to acknowledge this, inasmuch as they conclude:
It is one thing to assert that the Spirit influences, in an indirect manner (i.e., through the prophetic gift), the ethical life of the Christian community; it is quite another to assert that the Spirit transforms in a direct way the ethical life of each individual within the community. This latter notion, although clearly articulated by Paul (e.g., 1 Cor. 6:11), is not a dimension of Luke's pneumatology. (Menzies 2000:89; their italics)
This is a correct observation, I think, but this is precisely the Achilles' heel of the Pentecostal thesis. On what grounds is Spirit baptism—as presented in the Lucan writings—an event to be experienced by each individual member of the community anew?xxx Is it possible to defend the Pentecostal thesis as it stands without recourse to Paul?
An analogy from Pauline literature may help to illustrate what is the issue here. In Romans 9–11 Paul makes a fervent plea for the trustworthiness of God and his promises of old. That God is faithful to the covenant is evident from the preservation in the present age of 'a holy remnant', and, as Paul explicitly asserts, will be manifest in full when 'all Israel' will be saved (Rom. 9:26). Now, almost all commentators hasten to add that surely Paul does not mean to say that every individual Jew will be rescued—his concern is with ethnic Israel as a nation (people), not with individuals. Hence, the conversion of 'all Israel' is a collective and eschatological event, without necessarily implying the salvation of each individual Jew.xxxi It seems to me that this offers a close analogy to Luke's way of speaking about baptism in the Spirit as both an eschatological and a corporate event. Luke is concerned to spell out the implications of the work of the Spirit for the new or renewed community of God. He does not seem to make a dogmatic statement about each individual believer throughout the ages, and neither should we.xxxii
Perhaps a deeper theological, philosophical or pastoral predisposition is at work among both Evangelicals and Pentecostals, viz. (hyper-)individualism. Evangelicals and Pentecostals have traditionally put a great emphasis on the individual character of faith and the need of personal commitment. The message of the gospel is a message for me, for me personally. It demands an individual response and a personal commitment, and we can hardly conceive it otherwise. This existential drive, needless to say, helps to explain to a large degree the success story of both Evangelicals and Pentecostals in the twentieth century (as much as it did in the first-century). But at the beginning of the twenty-first century we begin to realize the constraints and negative aspects of individualism. Hence, a growing number of Evangelicals (and Pentecostals, I presume) become aware of the corporate dimensions of faith and salvation.xxxiii Traditionally averse to classical covenant theology, they now begin to recognize the valuable aspects of biblical thinking in terms of community and covenant.xxxiv All this must have repercussions on our understanding of the work of the Spirit.
If I may here put in a strongly theological consideration: is it, as far as the evidence of Luke-Acts is concerned, legitimate to speak of the Spirit as a possession of individual believers? The gift of the Spirit is intrinsic to the community, so to speak, hence every believer participates in the life of the Spirit. But that does not make Spirit baptism an event to be infinitely repeated in each individual believer throughout the ages.
Baptism in the Spirit as Present and Future
While Spirit baptism in Luke's theology is both eschatological and corporative, Luke describes its effects in strongly experiential terms, as a present and tangible experience. In comparison to at least some utterances of Paul, whose focus is first and foremost on the indwelling of the Spirit in the believer or in the believing community, Luke's writings have a more external, not to say spectacular focus on the visible and experiential effects of Spirit baptism.xxxv As redaction criticism has taught us long ago, this, indeed, reflects a typically Lucan concern, evidenced in a number of editorial touches. Different from Mark, Matthew and Q, for instance, Luke explicitly says that the Holy Spirit came down on Jesus 'in bodily form' (Lk. 3:22).xxxvi In the book of Acts, he describes the outpouring of the Spirit in dramatic terms, highlighting acoustic, visual and seismic effects (Acts 2:1–4; 4:31, etc.). Regardless of whether this Lucan tendency is inspired by the wish to demonstrate the reality of Christian experience or to oppose a Gnostic tendency, it is evident that Luke wants to make a statement on the objectivity of the work of the Spirit, which extends not to the spiritual realm and to the future only but to man's physical nature in the present. (See Schweizer 1968:406–407) Luke seems to give full space for the experience of faith.
A Parallel from Qumran?
Thus far, the Dead Sea Scrolls have hardly played a role in debates on Spirit baptism.xxxvii But we seem to meet here a similar way of understanding of the work of the Spirit as in the early Christian community. Given the close historical and geographical proximity of the Essenes to the early Christian community in Jerusalem and to Luke-Acts in particular (See Riesner 1998; Sterling 2000a:5–7; idem 2000b:497–498), this does not surprise. As in the New Testament, in the Dead Sea Scrolls the divine Spirit is believed to be at work in both past and future. He is at work in creation, but also at the end of history: in the end-time a full outpouring of the Spirit is expected.xxxviii This, of course, is the traditional Jewish understanding based on the Hebrew Bible. But there are also texts which suggest that the Spirit is already at work in individuals of special stature, such as the Teacher of Righteousness and the Messiah(s),xxxix and texts that attest belief that the Spirit has already been given to the community of elect as a whole. When initiates enter the Community, the Spirit is granted to them, that is, they come under the dominion of the divine Spirit. (Kuhn 1966:130–136) Émile Puech summarizes the Qumran view of the divine Spirit as follows:
Si Jo[el] 3:1–2 annonçait pour les temps futurs l'effusion de l'Esprit divin sur toute chair, le qumrano-essénien semble déjà participer à sa manière de cette effusion de l'esprit saint qui, une fois purifié par l'esprit saint et l'eau, lui donne de mener une vie de perfection à l'enseigne de Maîtres (Maître de Justice, Prophètes et consacrés), tout en attendant dans le futur l'effusion définitive. (Puech 1999:290)
This 'already-not yet' tension looks very much like what we find in the New Testament.xl Both Qumran and the early Christians were informed by a belief that 'the end of days' was at hand and that they were living in an eschatological time.xli Of course, more research is needed to substantiate this point, but I suspect that this is a line of research that would yield promising fruits for our understanding of Luke's view on baptism in the Holy Spirit. Perhaps the analogy between the Dead Sea Scrolls and Luke-Acts is stronger than we would expect at first sight.xlii
If the Pentecost baptism in the Spirit in Acts 2 is an anticipation of the end-time baptism with spirit and fire, the same can be said about the other outpourings of the Spirit in Acts, regardless of whether they are seen as repetitions or as extensions of the Pentecost experience. (Ladd 1993:383) They are indeed paradigmatic, but not as models of individual expectation, but as a foretaste of more comprehensive things to come ... Here Luke and Paul come close to one another (Rom. 8:23; 2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5; cf. Eph. 1:13-14).
Pentecost as a Barrier-Breaking Event
That the Joel prophecy taken up in the second chapter of Acts has programmatic significance, cannot be seriously questioned. It is, however, a matter of debate whether the specific interpretation Pentecostals use to give to it, is justified. It is usually suggested that Acts 2 provides a pattern for each individual believer to get access to the charismatic gifts of the Spirit. Hence a different category of believers is created, Spirit-baptised believers or charismatically endowed believers, distinct from believers who are not Spirit-baptised or charismatically endowed. In my view, Luke's universalizing tendency sharply contrasts with the Pentecostal wall of division that separates Spirit-baptised believers from ordinary believers. The essence of Acts 2 seems to me to be rather the contrary: in Acts 2:17–18 the classic walls of division are explicitly broken down: sons and daughters are said to prophesy (a prophecy unfortunately only partially fulfilled in many of our Evangelical and Pentecostal communities), young men and old men shall dream dreams, and upon slaves, both men and women, the Spirit will be poured out. (See Zwiep 2005:35) A two-stage initiation into a fuller Christian experience is simply not in view. On the contrary, the emphasis is on the unifying aspects and the comprehensiveness of the event. In a recent article in Pneuma, Mark Lee put much emphasis on the work of the Spirit as an identity-marker and rightly concluded:
When we contend that some disciples are baptised in the Spirit and some are not, we use language that, by definition, places individuals in different communities. It is one thing to acknowledge differences between disciples of Christ based on levels of maturity, commitment, and spiritual empowerment; it is another to use language that places them in different communities. The general tone of the New Testament resists this type of categorization within the body of Christ; we should resist it as well. (Lee 2004:97)
It is perhaps the irony of history, that it were above all Pentecostals who managed to cross the demarcation lines of ethnicity, class, and gender. Perhaps a reassuring thought that theological reflection and praxis sometimes choose to go different ways.
Luke and Paul in Canonical Perspective
Given the different understandings of the work of the Spirit in Luke and Paul, it may be of interest to ask what the effect is of the fact that at a certain point of time both viewpoints were put side-by-side in one and the same book. Historically, of course, it is clear that Paul has won the battle, not least because he had a fuller doctrine of the Spirit than Luke. The primary motif for or at least the dominant effect of adopting the book of Acts into the canon was that it provided a convenient historical substructure for the letters of Paul. For example, Brevard Childs, after having made all due allowances, says that 'the canon has retained the Pauline letters ... within the framework of Acts which provides hermeneutical guidelines for their interpretation'. (Childs 1984:240; italics mine) A slightly different accent is given by James Dunn, who thinks that Paul's theology should work as a corrective to Luke's enthusiastic and over-charismatic theology (Dunn 1990:174–202.), but the underlying principle is the same: Paul is the centre, Luke belongs to the periphery and plays the role of a servant. This, I think, is a bridge (or several bridges) too far.
I admit that what I am now saying is very hypothetical, but advancing hypotheses (and if need be, revising or even withdrawing them) is part of the academic game. What would happen if we would look at Luke and Paul from an entirely different angle? This point of view, as far as I know, has not been subjected to serious criticism (perhaps material for a thesis?), but I find the idea fascinating nevertheless. Let me explain.
The canonization of Acts has taken a long journey.xliii Only in the late second or early third century, the book was accepted, that is, in a period in which the Pauline writings were already a firm part of what we now call the New Testament. The acceptance of Acts is usually explained in terms of the framework it provides for understanding the ministry and letters of Paul. However, the Church Fathers who composed the canon may have done so with more subtlety than we now tend to think. After all, in the Greek manuscript tradition the position of Acts varies significantly, which at least suggests that Acts was not seen by everyone as providing the framework for Paul but was supposed to have a function of its own.xliv
Paul and especially post-Pauline circles tended to focus on the internal work of the Spirit, the work of the Spirit in the moral renovation of human life. Christian life is life 'in the Spirit', life 'in Christ' and so forth. The risk, of course, would be that Christian life became esoteric, focused on the soul at the expense of reality (Gnosticism, docetism), and we know that subsequent history has taken this unhappy road too often. Luke's two-volume work would be a nice counterbalance in favour of a more comprehensive and realistic understanding of faith. This, once more, is pure speculation, but one can readily see the dynamics behind this kind of reasoning. It is suggestive, at any rate, that Acts is often placed with the Epistle of James, the other competitor of Paul stressing the more visible aspects of Christian life.
Concluding Remarks
In sum, Luke's view of the Spirit differs from Paul's theology in some significant respects. Luke-Acts poorly fits the conversion-initiation thesis nor can it be squeezed into the highly individualized application some Pentecostals make of it. Luke's theology of the Spirit is a needed reminder that salvation and all that it comprises is a community-oriented experience that anticipates the future and is focused on the mission of the Church in proclaiming the gospel of the Kingdom of God. In a culture such as ours, where experience, including religious experience, ranks high, Luke's charismatic theology may be a fruitful avenue into authentic Christian living, probably even more so than in previous generations.
i This paper was presented at a symposium on the Lucan perspective on the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, organized by the Chair of Theology of the Charismatic Movement and the Chair of Pentecostalism at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, held on 16 February 2006, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Azusa Street Revival, in particular response to R.P. Menzies.
ii Menzies, Menzies 2000. Dutch trans. 2005. The Dutch subtitle ('the theology of the Pentecostal movement') is somewhat infelicitous. A very deplorable translation error (if not an outright Freudian slip?) is found on p. 157, where the correct translation should be: 'dat de uitoefening van deze gave [= tongues] ons niet naar het hart van de christelijke spiritualiteit voert' ('that the exercise of this gift does not take us to the center of Christian spirituality', p. 142). See also Menzies 1991.
iii See the relevant articles in: Wulff 1997; Beit-Hallahmi, Argyle 1997; Spilka, et al. 2003. Also Benner 1988.
iv Especially with regard to the role of religious experience, see Hurtado 2000, summarized in idem 2003:64–70, and the literature cited there.
v Dunn 1970. See also idem 1975; idem 1976:692–707. In the same year Dunn published his Baptism, another Evangelical scholar, F.D. Bruner, published A Theology of the Holy Spirit, 1970. In retrospect, his book has been much less influential than Dunn's. See for a recent assessment of Dunn's work from a Pentecostal perspective: F.D. Macchia 2002:1–6.
vi For reviews of scholarship on Lucan pneumatology, see Bovon 2006:213–251, 492–495; Menzies 1991:17–49. Further literature will be found in Mills 1985; Jones 1995.
vii E.g., the authors instanced by Menzies 2000:37–38 (B. Ramm, J. Stott, G.D. Fee).
viii Cf. I.H. Marshall's section on 'How Do We Do New Testament Theology?' in 2004:17–48, for a typical Evangelical approach to New Testament theology. Marshall would probably wish to qualify the words 'at all costs'.
ix Barr 1961:217–219. Pace Jackson 1989, the differences between Luke and Paul seem to go beyond the level of mere perspective.
x Contra Elbert 2004:181–215. The highly apologetic tone of his article is not very conducive to a fruitful debate.
xi On the Spirit of Prophecy in Judaism, see Menzies 1991:52–112; Levison 1997:244–254. On its role in Luke-Acts, see, e.g., Turner 1991:124–152; idem 1992:66; idem 1996; Perry 2005.
xii For the sake of convenience I use the terms '(the) baptism in/with/of the (Holy) Spirit', 'Spirit baptism' etc. in this article indiscriminately.
xiii Stronstad 1984; idem 1999. Also Ervin 1984; Menzies 1991:205–279. Their conclusions have been anticipated inter alios by Schweizer 1968:412: 'The Spirit [in Luke-Acts] gives the believer a special gift which makes him capable of certain additional expressions of his faith which are essential to, and alone make possible, the ongoing and as yet incomplete history of mission (...) according to Luke the Spirit gives only the power which enables the believer to discharge a special task, to express his faith in concrete action'.
xiv Cf. e.g. Acts 11:17, where Peter refers to the Pentecostal gift of the Spirit in the unmistakable context of a reference to salvation ('the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ'). In some cases the specific aim of Spirit Baptism is simply not mentioned (e.g. in Acts 19). In such cases the missionary focus is implied at most. But see Menzies 2000:51 ('exclusively'), p. 70 ('exclusively'), p. 72 ('exclusively'), p. 89 ('exclusively'), p. 133 ('consistently'). A more cautious approach is taken by Wesleyan theologian Dunning 1988:418–424, who interprets the work of the Spirit in Luke-Acts in terms of both moral renewal (sanctification) and endowment for prophecy.
xv Illustrative of the Evangelical openness towards the Pentecostal and charismatic renewal are e.g. Mallone, et al. 1984, and the writings of C.H. Pinnock and S.J. Grenz.
xvi Cf. Schweizer 1968:414: '(...) precisely in Acts the freedom of the Spirit is strongly emphasized'. Schweizer makes his statement in the context of the role of baptism. Cf. in similar vein: Witherington 1998:154–155.
xvii Cf. Berger 1984:194: 'Alles, was die christliche Gemeinde in besonderem Maße auszeichnet, wird unter die Vorzeichen des Endes eingereiht und daher strikt eschatologisch gedeutet. So wird die gängige Meinung widerlegt, Lk sei ein Vertreter der Enteschatologisierung'.
xviii So e.g. Dunn 1970:8–22; idem 1972:84–86; idem 2003:364–369 (and n.144); Nolland 1989:152–153. What the precise metaphor of the Spirit-baptiser's activity entails is immaterial to our purpose. See Webb 1991:103–111.
xix Q 3:7-9, 16-17. References to Q material are from Robinson, Hoffmann, Kloppenborg (1999). With regard to eschatology in Q, Tuckett 1996:163, concludes that 'large parts of Q are dominated by ideas of a futurist eschatology' and that 'the Q editor impresses the importance of the future eschatological events which will probably come sooner rather than later'. So also the recent doctoral dissertation by Gregg 2006.
xx I realize that 'anticipation' is a slippery term, but as yet I fail to see an alternative. The language of anticipation is also employed by Horn 1992:268. Here, incidentally, we touch upon an issue that is a matter of debate especially in German theology, but less relevant to the present discussion. Is Pentecost a replacement (Ersatz) for the parousia, or is it—as I have tried to argue elsewhere—an anticipation of the End? See the brief survey in: Zwiep 1997, and the relevant sections in Zwiep 2004.
xxi Cf. Schweizer 1968:411 (his italics). See also idem 1986:215–219 ('Endgültiges Kommen und Endgeschichte').
xxii This seems to be different again from the Johannine Paraclete sayings, where there is a neat balance between blessing and judgment.
xxiii See Menzies 2000:171–177 for a needed corrective. See also Mittelstadt 2004.
xxiv See esp. Lee 2004:81–98: 'Just as Torah served as an identity marker for Jews, the Spirit would become the main identity marker for the new covenant community' (p. 88). Cf. Jervell 1996:45: in Acts, the Spirit is 'the distinguishing mark of the people of God'; idem 1998:97–99; Wall 1999:219.
xxv Also: the whole point of the reconstitution of the twelve apostles in Acts 1:15–26 is their functioning as a group, as representatives of new or renewed Israel. The individuality of the members of the group is less important, with Matthias as the most obvious example: he is chosen to be the twelfth member and subsequently nothing is heard of him anymore.
xxvi Menzies 2000:94; their italics. Also Menzies 1991:140: '... we search in vain for a reference to a messianic bestowal of the Spirit which purifies and morally transforms the individual'.
xxvii Menzies 2000:94; italics mine. This is what Peter Schäfer 1984:176 calls the 'national-heilsgeschichliche Konzept'.
xxviii Menzies 2000:114; italics mine. Also: 'Everyone is included in the promise' (of the Joel prophecy) (p. 155, italics mine).
xxix See Stefan 2005:273–296, who concludes that 'the Johannine community was a community in which the prophetic gift of the Spirit was available to each believer' (p. 293).
xxx Witherington 1998:132 arrives at the same conclusion: 'Luke's focus in this passage [= Acts 2:1–13] is on one event that happened to the early followers of Jesus as a corporate gathering, but then affected many others because of their witness. Luke is not trying to give us a detailed description or chronology of individual Christian experience. It is quite clear that in crucial ways this event is unique. It is the beginning of the creation of God's eschatological people, properly speaking. It is the empowering of them to do their job—witness to Christ'.
xxxi A point which hardly needs substantiation, but see Fitzmyer 1993:623; Witherington 2004:275.
xxxii At first sight, Lk. 11:13 (the prayer for the coming of the Spirit) and Acts 2:38–39 seem to be exceptions. But Lk. 11:13 is clearly a community prayer (note the plural tois aitousin), and Acts 2:38–39 is naturally read in a corporate setting: Peter said to them, 'Repent ['which, in the plural, is presumably addressed to the whole house of Israel (v. 35)', Barrett 1998:153] and be baptized every one of you ('which is specifically directed to the individual members of the crowd', ibid. pp. 153–154) in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you (plural) will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him'. Cf. Jervell 1998:150 (on Acts 2:38): 'Das Ergebnis der Taufe ist die Vergebung der Sünden und die Gabe des heiligen Geistes. Der Geist ist keine Sondergabe an einzelne, sondern wird jedem Gemeindeglied gegeben, gehört so zur Gemeinde und wird bei der Taufe gegeben. Das ist überall in der Apg so ...'.
xxxiii See now Thomas 2005:7–8, who mentions the notion of community as one of the defining characteristics of twenty-first century Pentecostal theology.
xxxiv Grenz 2000:314–315 and passim. In biblical scholarship this tendency is not least inspired by the so-called New Perspective of E.P. Sanders and J.D.G. Dunn. See also the work of N.T. Wright.
xxxv Or, to use the words of Barrett 1998, 2:lxxxiv, Luke is focused on 'the shallower and showier aspects of Christian life'.
xxxvi This tendency is broader than pneumatology only. At the resurrection appearances Luke emphasizes the bodily nature of the risen Lord's body (Lk. 24:39–43; Acts 1:3).
xxxvii Menzies 1991:77–90 is a notable exception.
xxxviii 1QS 4:18–25. Texts and translations have been drawn from García Martínez, Tigchelaar 2000:78–79 (henceforth abbreviated as DSS.SE).
xxxix In the Thanksgiving Hymns, for example, it says: 'I give you [thanks] for the spirits [plural!] which you placed in me' (1QHa IV, 17; DSS.SE 1:148–149); 'And I, your servant, have known thanks to the spirit you have placed in me' (1QHa V, 24–25; DSS.SE 1:150–151).
xl Cf. the classic treatment by Cullmann 1962; idem 1967, followed inter alios by Ladd 1980; idem 1993, and Ridderbos 1985.
xli See especially Kuhn 1966; Penner 2002. On Qumran eschatology, see further Collins 2000:256–261, and the literature cited there.
xlii On this topic, see further Deasly 1986; Sekki 1989; Puech 1999. It somewhat surprises to see that there is no article on the doctrine of the two spirits / divine Spirit in the Encyclopedia of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
xliii On the canonization of Acts, see Barrett 1998, 2:lxiii–lxxii.
xliv For the Greek manuscript tradition, see the data in: Swanson 1998:509–513.
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___________ (1972) 'Spirit-and-Fire Baptism', NT 14, pp. 84–86.
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text:
The Black Baller delivers five impressively sized spheres for intense popping sensations. The easy-pull ring handle provides easy control and a secure hold, and the smooth, flexible PVC material makes this toy safe and easy to clean.
Measurements: 17.5 inch total length, 2.65 inch diameter beads
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Immoderate Greatness
New programs within the old paradigm will simply recreate the old problems in a new guise. Moreover, my analysis suggests that there is very little we can do. Most of the trends I identify are inexorable, and complex adaptive systems are ultimately unamangeable. To the extent that we can do something, the required measures are far outside the bounds of what is feasible or even thinkaable today....A genuine cure would require a revolution in human thought greater than the one that created the modern world. Such momentous changes do not occur by acts of human will. "Cultural solutions," says Wendell Berry, "are organisms, not machines, and they cannot be invented deliberately or imposed by prescription."
Democratic institutions...exacerbate almost all the problems described below. Mass democracy is also in large part a sham. To be meaningful, democracy requires settings that allow direct knowledge of persons and issues.
Those afflicted by hubris [immoderate greatness] become the agents of their own destruction. Like a tragic hero, a civilization comes to a ruinous end due to intrinsic flaws that are the shadow side of its very virtues....Indeed, civilization is a kind of Moloch whose demands for material and human sacrifice grow in proportion to its greatness.
One of the greatest traps of all is fanaticism: refusing to reconsider the values and goals of the system, even though they have now become perverse or even disastrous.
In Day of EmpireAmy Chua argues that growing multicultural tolerance and openness dissolves the social "glue" that makes empires cohere and thereby vitiates the elan that makes them great.....[In addition], thanks to the demolition job performed by the intellectuals, the society is increasingly "value free"--that is, it no longer believes in much of anything or takes anything seriously. The original elan, the moral core, and the guiding ideal of the civilization are now a distant memory.
An Age of Decadence inevitably follows. Frivolity, aestheticism, hedonism, cynicism, pessimism, narcissism, consumerism, materialism, nihilism, fatalism, fanaticism, and other negative attributes, attitudes, and behaviors suffuse the population. Politics is increasingly corrupt, life increasingly unjust. A cabal of insiders accrues wealth and power at the expense of the citizenry, fostering a fatal opposition of interests between haves and have-nots. Mental and physical illness proliferates. The majority lives for bread and circuses; worships celebrities instead of divinities; takes its bearings from below rather than above; throws off social and moral restraints, especially on sexuality; shirks duties but insists on entitlements; and so forth. The society's original vigor, virtue, and morale have been entirely effaced. Rotten to the core, the society awaits collapse, with only the date remaining to be determined.
With its ways of thinking and acting set in concrete, increasingly blind to reality and to alternative possibilities, an ossified civilization descends into a terminal stagnation that prepares its demise....The civilization's elites may understand that the system is dysfunctional, but fundamental reform would require major sacrifice on their part, so they fight to preserve their privilege and power....Bluntly put, human societies are addicted to their ruling ideas and their received way of life, and they are fanatical in their defense. Hence they are extraordinarily reluctant to reform. "To admit error and cut losses," said [Barbara] Tuchman, "is rare among individuals, unknown among states." Instead of changing their minds, leaders redouble their efforts to do what no longer works, wooden-headedly persisting in error until the bitter end.
They resort to stupidity--doing what has never worked in the past, what cannot succeed in the present, and what will destroy the future both morally and practically. First, by engaging in unnecessary wars or imperial ventures that drain the civilization of blood and treasure. Second, by buying off the populace with bread, circuses, and entitlements, thereby promising more than can be delivered in the long term.
A gradual and gentle transition to a viable agrarian civilization capable of supporting large numbers of people and a reasonable level of complexity is extremely unlikely....We must recognize that the deep structural problems elucidated above have no feasible solutions....Hence...the task is not to forestall a foreordained collapse but, rather, to salvage as much as possible from it, lest the fall precipitate a dark age in which the arts and adornments of civilization are partially or completely lost.
If preparations for collapse are made at all, they are likely to be too little and too late. Modern civilization is therefore bound for a worse fate than the Titanic....[The only way out] would require a fundamentl change in the ethos of civilization--to wit, the deliberate renunciation in favor of simplicity, frugality, and fraternity....In The Long Descent, [John Michael] Greer argues...that we will experience a more gradual (but still quite traumatic) "catabolic" collapse....Future generations will feed off the corpse of industrial civilization until the bones have been picked clean and humanity subsists once again on nothing but solar energy. However, this need not entail a hand-to-mouth existence. He envisions a relatively rich agrarian economy resembling that of Tokugawa Japan.
[But as for now, the problem, says Ronald Wright, is that] "As we climbed the ladder of progress, we kicked out the rungs below," leaving ourselves with no non-catastrophic way back to a less complex mode of existence....except among a few rural relicts, chicken coops and vegetable gardens are a distant memory; everyone else depends on supermarkets. Thus the survival skills that saw many through the Great Depression in the US...are virtually extinct.


text:
Since moving back CK and I have started to slowly work out a new New England daily routine again. This generally involves setting the alarm for 7:00 AM, then turning it off for another 30 minutes and going back to sleep instead of getting up and going to the gym. Then by the time I get ready, curl my crazy mop of hair, and attempt to put on makeup that doesn't look like I was attacked by a gaggle of pre-teens at a slumber party it's usually 9:00 AM. So yes, I'm that person who gets to the office at 9:30… ok…sometimes 10:00 AM. I'm a jerk. Whatever. I close that place down at night so it's all good.
Anyway, the problem with getting to work late is that you leave late and then you eat at 9:00 PM and when you mention that fact to your grandmother she pities you during the holidays. Obviously we need to work on this "routine" as right now it borders on first year college student meets Carrie Bradshaw. Perhaps that's something to deal with in the new year? One good thing about this timing/scheduling issue is that I often just decide on a whim that I'm not cooking and I make CK stop at random places along our drive home for dinner. Score one for impulsivity!
Which is exactly what happened on Tuesday. A few weeks ago I noticed a little new-to-me restaurant on Mass Ave. The sign read L'Impasto and it looked incredibly cozy and intimate with couples sitting on tall bistro tables in the the windows surrounded by a soft warm glow as we drove by. A quick peek on Yelp revealed a pretty stellar (considering the location) 4 star rating. So we stopped in.
A very kind gentleman waited on us in the tiny establishment and CK and I split a homemade Burrata appetizer that knocked my socks off. In fact all of the pasta, sauces and breads on the menu were made in-house. I'm also a sucker for open concept kitchens and it doesn't get anymore open than this place. You can practically tap the chef on the shoulder and ask him to pass the parmesan. The best part of the night though was being presented with half a loaf of their fresh raisin bread to take home with us before we left. Apparently it's just what they do. At the time though I felt like I had just won a place in the showcase showdown on The Price is Right. How cool is that? Free bread! All-in-all I was really very impressed and hope to go back soon. Something that will be easily accomplished considering how not into cooking dinner I am lately.


text:
Product Detail
Removable labels
Size: 17/32″ X 13/16″
Removable labels
Size: 17/32″ X 13/16″
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Baptism into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints requires full immersion in water by a person who holds the priesthood authority to baptize. It is the means by which people join the Church. Those who are baptized into the Church are cleansed of their previous sins and placed under covenant to live the principles of the gospel.
A person becomes a member of the Church only after they are both baptized and confirmed. A person is confirmed a member of the Church after baptism by a priesthood holder who puts his hands on the head of the person and blesses him or her to "receive the Holy Ghost."


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Data Analyst Course in Bhopal
In Collaboration with
Enroll in our Data Analytics training program in Bhopal to master Data Analytics in 3 months. Develop expertise in advanced concepts, enhance skills with top-notch mentorship, and kickstart your career advancement journey today.
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In terms of providing cognitive approaches and consulting services, SUNY is a pioneer.
SUNY invests $6 billion yearly in development and research and has long-standing expertise in data sciences and artificial intelligence.
The goal of 360DigiTMG's partnership with SUNY is to help introduce learners in order integrated blended educational experiences with the aid of our well designed, globally recognised curriculum.
Specialist trainers – highly experienced industry experts and professors from premier engineering and B-schools.
Reputed institute – carries a legacy of training 20,000+ professionals and 10,000+ students from across the globe.
Certifications demonstrate your commitment to the profession and motivation to learn. Instill employer's confidence in you and catch the attention of recruiters with these certificates.
Data Analyst Course fees in Bhopal
Virtual Instructor-led Training (VILT)
- Live online classes - weekends & weekdays
- 365 days of access to online classes
- Avail Monthly EMI At Zero Interest Rate
- Lifetime validity for LMS access
- 20+ live hours of industry Master classes from leading academicians and faculty from FT top 20 universities
- Career support services
- On site or virtual based sessions
- Customised Course
- Curriculum with industry relevant use cases
- Pre & Post assessment service
- Complimentary basic Courses
- Corporate based learning management system with team and individual dashboard and reports
Data Analytics Course Overview
360DigiTMG offers the best Data Analytics certification courses in Bhopal. The training program equips you with an apt understanding of data processing tools like Excel, SQL/NoSQL, and Data Visualization tools like Tableau and Power BI. While SQL/NoSQL is used to work with the data stored in the Database Management software, Tableau and Power BI are used in analyzing it and presenting visual stories to end-users. Concepts such as Data Preparation, Data Cleansing, and Exploratory Data Analysis are explored in detail. Influential concepts like Data Mining of Structured (RDBMS) and Unstructured (Big Data) data, with the aid of real-life examples, are illustrated. Advanced Excel aids in data proficiency Concepts and it will help to reduce reduces working hours.
What is Power BI?
Power BI is the perfect tool to convert unrelated sources of data into coherent, visually immersive, and interactive insights. It uses a collection of software services, connectors, and apps to get the work done. Whether your data be an Excel spreadsheet or a collection of cloud-based and on-premises hybrid data warehouses. With Power BI it gets easy to connect to different data sources, visualize and understand what is vital, and share. Power BI has numerous elements that all work together, but the below three points are the basic ones.
- Power BI Desktop: As the name suggests is a Power BI application for Windows Desktop.
- Power BI Service: An online SaaS service
- Power BI Mobiles apps: This is an app special for Windows, iOS, and Android devices.
What is Tableau?
Tableau is a very famous and most used Data Visualization tool, and it helps in understanding the trends, insights, and patterns to other connections in Dataset. Its major task is to connect and extract the data from different stored places. Tableau specializes in pulling data from any platform or database. After the initial launch of Tableau, the ready data connectors will allow you to connect to any database. Data extracted by the above process will be connected to the data engine, Tableau desktop. Dashboards are created by Data Analysts or Data Engineer's using the extracted data and are shared with users in the form of static files. With the help of the Tableau Server, the end-user can access files from all locations.
What is No SQL?
Not only SQL (No SQL) is a form of non-tabular databases that store data differently than traditional data storing databases. The databases change with respective data models. Key-value, wide-column, and graph are popular documents. It provides flexible schemas and scales easily with bigger datasets. No SQL database is used actively with
- Fast-paced agile development
- Storage of structured and semi-structured data
- Huge volumes of data
- Requirements of scale-out architecture
- Application paradigms like microservices and real-time streaming
What is SQL?
If you are dealing with Relational Databases, then SQL is the standard language. It can be used to insert, update, delete and search database records. We can also optimize and maintain the databases with the help of SQL. There are five types of SQL queries that are widely used: Data Definition Language (DDL), Data Manipulation Language (DML), Data Control Language (DCL), Transaction Control Language (TCL), Data Query Language (DQL) With the help of SQL users can:
- Access data in RBDMS systems
- Describing data
- It gives you access to manipulate specific data in the database.
- Creating databases and tables
- You can monitor who can use, see and alter the tables.
What is Advanced Excel?
Knowledge in Excel means processing the ability to use spreadsheets, calculations, automation, and tables efficiently to process huge data for businesses. Advance Excel will make this task easier by solving complex things in Excel. For example, it can manage high amounts of data using advanced level functions and excel features like power query, advanced data filters, asap features, power map. Advance Excel aids in data proficiency and reduces working hours.
Learning Outcomes of Data Analytics Training in Bhopal
The main aim of the course is to give you an outlook towards the various techniques used in handling huge data sets via Data Analytics. Learners get to assess the applications of these technologies that are used in storing and processing huge amounts of data. This module instructs the student on the various techniques used to analyze structured and unstructured data, building visual stories using Tableau and or Power BI capabilities. This is the ideal course for professionals who want to acquire in-depth knowledge of daily used Data frameworks. The three-month Data Analytics training in Bhopal will cover the essential tools like SQL, NoSQL, Tableau, Power BI, and Advanced Excel concepts. Students will learn to store, retrieve, manipulate, and analyze large datasets stored in Database management systems like relational database management systems or document-based database systems. They will also be introduced to various concepts to represent the data on the serving layer to show results in easier and readily consumable visual formats. The course contains multiple applied case studies that enable the participants to solve complex business problems improving profitability in their companies.
Work with various data generation sources
Perform load, retrieve, update, and delete the data in RDBMS
Analyse Structured and Unstructured data using different SQL and NoSQL queries
Develop an understanding of row-oriented and document-based database systems
Apply data-driven, visual insights for business decisions
Build dashboards and reports for day-to-day applicability
Develop live reports from streaming data to take proactive business decisions
Use Advanced Excel concepts to represent data for easy understanding
Block Your Time
Who Should Sign Up?
- IT Engineers
- Data and Analytics Manager
- Business Analysts
- Data Engineers
- Banking and Finance Analysts
- Marketing Managers
- Supply Chain Professionals
- HR Managers
Data Analyst Course Syllabus in Bhopal
- Introduction to Python Programming
- Installation of Python & Associated Packages
- Graphical User Interface
- Installation of Anaconda Python
- Setting Up Python Environment
- Data Types
- Operators in Python
- Arithmetic operators
- Relational operators
- Logical operators
- Assignment operators
- Bitwise operators
- Membership operators
- Identity operators
- Data structures
- Vectors
- Matrix
- Arrays
- Lists
- Tuple
- Sets
- String Representation
- Arithmetic Operators
- Boolean Values
- Dictionary
- Conditional Statements
- if statement
- if - else statement
- if - elif statement
- Nest if-else
- Multiple if
- Switch
- Loops
- While loop
- For loop
- Range()
- Iterator and generator Introduction
- For – else
- Break
- Functions
- Purpose of a function
- Defining a function
- Calling a function
- Function parameter passing
- Formal arguments
- Actual arguments
- Positional arguments
- Keyword arguments
- Variable arguments
- Variable keyword arguments
- Use-Case *args, **kwargs
- Function call stack
- Locals()
- Globals()
- Stackframe
- Modules
- Python Code Files
- Importing functions from another file
- __name__: Preventing unwanted code execution
- Importing from a folder
- Folders Vs Packages
- __init__.py
- Namespace
- __all__
- Import *
- Recursive imports
- File Handling
- Exception Handling
- Regular expressions
- Oops concepts
- Classes and Objects
- Inheritance and Polymorphism
- Multi-Threading
- List Comprehensions
- List comprehension
- Dictionary comprehension
- Enumerate
- Zip and unzip
- Generator Expressions
- Tuples – Nested, Names, Unpacking
- Splitting – Slicing Objects, Ellipsis
- Augmented Assignments with Sequences
- Build-in Sort Functions
- Ordered Sequences with Bisect
- Arrays, Memory Views, Deques
- Handling Missing Keys
- Set Theory, Variations, Operations
- Higher-Order Functions
- Function Annotations
- Functional Programming Packages
- Procedural vs Functional
- Pure functions
- Map()
- Reduce()
- Filter()
- Lambdas
- Loop vs Comprehension vs Map
- Identify, Equality & References
- MySQL db Module
- INSERT, READ, DELETE, UPDATE, COMMIT, ROLLBACK operations on SQL using Python
- Python Packages
- Pandas – Series, Dataframes
- Numpy – Arrays, Memory, Matrices, Broadcasting, Masked Arrays
- Scipy
- Matplotlib
- Seaborn
- Sklearn (Scikit Learn)
- Statsmodels
- Jupyter Notebooks, IPython Notebooks
- Data Collection using CSV, JSON, XML, HTML & Scrapping
- Data Wrangling
- Understanding
- Filtering
- Typecasting
- Transformations & Normalization
- Imputation
- Handling Duplicates & Categorical Data
- Data Summarization
- Data Visualizations using Python Packages
- Line Chart
- Bar Chart
- Histogram
- Pie Charts
- Box Plots
- Scatter Plots
- Figures & Subplots
- Additional Visualization Packages – bokeh, ggplot, plotly
- Python XML and JSON parsers
- Basic Images Processing using Python OpenCV
- Dates and Times
- Binary Data
- Pythonic Programming
- Exception Handling
- Purpose of Exception Handling
- Try block
- Except block
- Else block
- Finally block
- Built-in exceptions
- Order of 'except' statements
- Exception - mother of all exceptions
- Writing Custom exceptions
- Stack Unwinding
- Enhancing Classes
- Metaprogramming
- Developer Tools
- Unit Testing with PyTest
- Multi-Threading
- Program Memory Layout
- Concurrency
- Parallelism
- Process
- Thread of execution
- Creating a thread
- Joining a thread
- Critical section
- Locks
- PyQt
- Network Programming
- Scripting for System Administration
- Serializing
- Advanced-Data Handling
- Implementing Concurrency
- Asynchronous programming
- The asyncio framework
- Reactive programming
- Parallel Processing
- Introduction to parallel programming
- Using multiple processes
- Parallel Cython with OpenMP
- Automatic parallelism
- Introduction to Concurrent and Parallel Programming
- Technical requirements
- What is concurrency?
- Not everything should be made concurrent
- The history, present, and future of concurrency
- A brief overview of mastering concurrency in Python
- Setting up your Python environment
- Django with REST Webservices
- Client-Server architecture
- Web Application
- Web framework
- Installing Django modules
- Creating first basic Django
- Creating Model classes
- Django Template tags and template programming
- Django rest framework
- Understanding REST Architecture
- JSON serialization
- Writing REST API
- Web Extraction
- Beautiful Soup
- Selenium
- Serialization pickling, XML & JSON
- Introduction to Serialization
- Structure and Container
- Pickle Module
- pickling built-in data structures
- byte strings
- binary
- xml parsing and construction - xml
- json parsing and construction - json, simplejson
- Logging
- Purpose of logging
- Logging levels
- Types of logging
- Logging format
- Logging Handlers
- Disadvantages of excessive logging
- Custom loggers
- Eye for Detail - (Tableau Crosstabs), Highlight tables
- Comparative Analysis - Bar Graphs, Side-By-Side Bars, Circle Views, Heat Map, Bubble Chart
- Composition Analysis - Pie Chart, Donut Chart, Stacked Bar Graph
- Trend Analysis - Line Graphs and Area Graphs (Discrete and Continuous)
- Hierarchial Data Representation - Tree Map
- Correlation Analysis - Scatter Plot
- Distribution Analysis - Tableau Histogram, Box and Whisker Plot
- GeoSpatial Data Representation - Filled Maps, Symbol Maps, Combination Maps, Polygon Maps
- Relative comparison of 2 Measures - Bullet Graph, Dual Axis Chart, Dual Combination Chart, Blended Axis Chart, Bar in a Bar Chart
- Pareto Analysis - Pareto Chart
- Statistical Control Chart
- Tableau Gantt Chart
- Tableau Desktop Specialist
- Tableau Desktop Certified Associate
Power BI
- Power BI Tips and Tricks & ChatGPT Prompts
- Overview of Power BI
- Architecture of Power BI
- Power BI and Plans
- Installation and introduction to Power BI
- Importing data
- Changing Database
- Data Types in Power BI
- Basic Transformations
- Managing Query Groups
- Splitting Columns
- Changing Data Types
- Working with Dates
- Removing and Reordering Columns
- Conditional Columns
- Custom columns
- Connecting to Files in a Folder
- Merge Queries
- Query Dependency View
- Transforming Less Structured Data
- Query Parameters
- Column profiling
- Query Performance Analytics
- M-Language
- Managing Data Relationships
- Data Cardinality
- Creating and Managing Hierarchies Using Calculated Tables
- Introduction to Visualization
- What is Dax?
- How to write DAX
- Types of Function in DAX
- Creating Calculated Measures
- Types of Application of DAX
- Introduction
- Pie and Doughnut charts
- Treemap
- Bar Chart with Line (Combo Chart)
- Filter (Including TopN)
- Slicer
- Focus Mode and See Data
- Table and Matrix
- Gauge, Card, and KPI
- Coloring Charts
- Shapes, Textboxes, and Images
- Gridlines and Snap to Grid
- Custom Power BI visuals
- Tooltips and Drilldown
- Page Layout and Formatting
- Visual Relationship
- Maps
- Python and R . Visual Integration
- Analytics Pane
- Bookmarks and Navigation
- Selection pane
- Overview of Dashboards and Service
- Uploading to Power BI Service
- Quick Insights
- Dashboard Settings
- Natural Language Queries
- Featured Questions
- Sharing a Dashboard
- In-Focus Mode
- Notifications and Alerts in the Power BI Service
- Personal Gateway Publishing to Web Admin Portal
- Introduction
- Creating a Content Pack
- Using a Content Pack
- Row Level Security
- Summary
Advanced Excel
Google Looker Studio
- Accessing Looker Studio
- Connectors
- Creating a Report
- Controlling Data Access
- Editing Data Source Schema
- Other Common Data Source Operations
- Creating and Publishing Report
- Sharing a Report
- Creating Explorer
- Exporting from Explorer
- Using Explorer in analyst WorkFlow
- Understanding Dimensions and metrics
- Adding Dimensions
- Adding Metrics
- Sorting data in the chart
- Tables and Pivot tables
- Bar Charts
- Time series, Line and Area Charts
- Scatter Charts
- Pie and Donut Charts
- Score Cards
- Geographical Charts
- Configuring other chart types
- Where to use filters - Reports, Pages, Groups, Filter controls, charts
- Understanding editor filters
- Adding editor filter
- Interactive filter controls
- Limitations of Filters
- Adding Graphic elements
- Background and Border
- Text styles
- Common chart style properties
- Configuring style properties in Report Themes
- Adding Design Components
- Embedding external content
- Operations you can do with Calculated Fields
- Data Source vs Chart specific Calculated Fields
- Manipulating Data with Functions
- Using Branching Logic in Calculated Fields
- Creating New Parameters
- Understanding Blends
- Data Source vs Blends
- Join Operators - Inner, Left, Right, Full Outer, Cross
- Join Conditions
- Build a Customer Churn Analysis Report
- Build a ECommerce Revenue Analysis Report
- Monitoring Usage Looker Studio Report
- Optimising Reports for Performance
- Viewing Data from Google my Business
- Using Google search console for Audience Insights
- Web Data Visualizations
SUNY University Syllabus
- Data Workloads
- Data Analytics
- Relational Data Workloads
- Relational Data Management
- Provisioning & Configuring Relational Data Services
- Azure SQL Querying Techniques
- Non-relational Data Workloads
- Non-relational Data Services
- Azure Cosmos DB
- Non-relational Data Management
- Azure Analytics Workloads
- Modern Data Warehousing
- Azure Data Ingestion & Processing
- Azure Data Visualization
- Getting Started with Azure SQL
- Using Transact-SQL for Queries & Transactions
- Advanced Topics in Azure SQL Databases
- Certificate Course in Data Science by SUNY
Data Analytics Training Panel of Coaches in Bhopal
Alumni Speak
Why Data Analyst Course in Bhopal
The rapid scale of digital penetration over the last 10 years has changed the landscape of our universe. The size of the digital universe was roughly 140 billion gigabytes in 1995. In 2020 this number will swell to 50 trillion gigabytes. In this scenario, millions of new workers are needed to manage this digital world and companies will vie with each other for hundreds of thousands of workers. India is currently among the top 10 countries in Big Data Analytics and has around 600 firms. The Big Data Analytics market in India is worth $ 2 Billion and is tipped to reach $ 16 Billion by 2025.
In 2025, India will have a 32 percent share of global markets. India contributes to over 6% of the data analytics job openings worldwide. Currently, there are approximately 97000 jobs open in India 24% of which are clustered around Bengaluru. Bhopal and Mumbai are also the emerging hotspots for job seekers in the data analytics landscape in India. A Senior Data Analyst normally possesses 4 years plus experience. The minimum salary of a senior data analyst is around Rs. 6.5 lacs and the maximum Rs.11.8 lacs. A Junior Data Analyst (727 openings) garners a minimum of Rs. 4.0 lacs and a maximum of Rs.10 lacs.
Some of the top sightseeing places to see in Bhopal, Taj-ul-Masajid, Madhya Pradesh Tribal Museum, Van Vihar National Park, Bharat Bhawan, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhojtal, Regional Science Center and many others.
Why Choose 360DigiTMG for Data Analyst Training Institute in Bhopal?
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"AI to contribute $16.1 trillion to the global economy by 2030. With 133 million more engaging, less repetitive jobs AI to change the workforce." - (Source). Data Science with Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a revolution in the business industry.. AI is potentially being adopted in automating many jobs leading to higher productivity, less cost, and extensible solutions. It is reported by PWC in a publication that about 50% of human jobs will be taken away by the AI in the next 5 years.
There is already a huge demand for AI specialists and this demand will be exponentially growing in the future. In the past few years, careers in AI have boosted concerning the demands of industries that are digitally transformed. The report of 2018 states that the requirements for AI skills have drastically doubled in the last three years, with job openings in the domain up to 119%.
360DigiTMG provides a good Certification Program on Life Sciences and Healthcare Analytics meant for medical professionals. The course is devoted to Clinical Healthcare Data Analysis. Medical professionals will learn to interpret Electronic Health Record (EHR) data types and structures and apply predictive modelling on the same. In addition to this, they will learn to apply machine learning techniques to healthcare data.
Students must possess a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics / Statistics / Computer Science / Data Science or a Bachelor's degree in Engineering (any discipline) from a recognized institute.
The duration of this course is Four months. It comprises of 132 plus hours of classroom or online sessions, 80 plus hours of assignments and e-learning and 80 plus hours of live project work.
The key objectives of this course are:
- Become proficient with different data generation sources
- Master Text Mining to generate Customer Sentiment Analysis
- Analyze and transform Structured and Unstructured data using different tools and techniques
- Learn the techniques of Descriptive and Predictive Analytics
- Apply Machine Learning approached for business decisions
- Build prediction models for day-to-day applicability
- Perform forecasting to take proactive business decisions
- Represent business results using data visualization techniques
The curriculum of this course includes the following subjects:
- Data Preparation
- Data Cleansing
- Exploratory Data Analysis
- Feature Engineering
- Feature Extraction
- Feature Selection
- Hypthesis Testing
- Regression Analysis
- Predictive Modelling
- Data Mining Supervised
- Data Mining Unsupervised
- Text Mining
- Natural Language Processing
- Machine Learning
- Black Box Techniques - Neural Networks, SVM
- Time Series Analysis / Forecasting
- Project Management
The most obvious benefit of pursuing a this course is that one can apply to a plethora of job opportunities available in the data science market. The demand for data science professionals in India it has increased by 400% and the supply has increased by 19% only. This is the most sought after qualification. It is also the most lucrative career option with salaries hitting the ceiling.
Another benefit would be the range of analytical and problem-solving skills that a student acquires from a data analytics training. These skills can be used to analyse big data and draw meaningful insights from the same.
The third benefit is that you exhibit better business decision-making skills in the workplace.
Data Analytics is useful for Chartered Accountants. Chartered accountants can use big data analytics and machine learning to re-engineer the audit process. Network Analytics and Graph Data are used to identify fraudulent practices. The tools of data analytics can be used to detect business risks as well.
360DigiTMG offers a Data Science Course for Internal Auditors and a Certification Program in Financial Analytics. Chartered Accountants can pursue either one of these courses to develop cutting-edge analytical skills.
Data Analytics is widely used in the Financial Services industry today. Finance professionals can benefit from this course. They will understand how data analytics is employed in Stock Market Investments, Banking, Financial Advisory and Management, EPS etc. The application of Artificial Intelligence in Algorithmic Stock Trading, Automated Robo-Advisors and Fraud Detection Systems are also elaborated in-depth in a financial analytics course.
360DigiTMG offers a very comprehensive Certification Program in HR Analytics for HR professionals. The module includes
- Enabling Workforce Analytics
- Predictive Modelling for Ethnic Diversity
- Machine Learning to predict Employee Turnover
- NLP techniques to screen and recruit candidates
- Predicting Employee Performance
- Predictive Modelling of sickness/ absence
- Deep Learning for Emotion Mining in Workforce Analytics
The course material can be downloaded from our online Learning Management System (AISPRY).
Yes, We do teach data visualization with Tableau as part of this course.
As soon as a student joins a course he is assigned a mentor. If the institute feels that a particular student requires additional assistance then they will assign some more mentors for a single student.
We host several free webinars on data analytics on youtube. They can be accessed from the link given below
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNGIDQ466bNY87eEeKeQuzANo. The cost of the certificate is absorbed in the course fee.
All classroom sessions are video recorded and lodged in our Learning Management System AISPRY. If you miss a data analytics classroom session you can access the recorded session from the Learning Management System.
Once a student completes his course and receives the Course Completion Certificate, he is eligible for an internship. We offer an internship with INNODATATICS ltd. The students gets involved in a live project with INNODATATICS. At the end of his internship, he will receive an Internship Certificate in recognition of his efforts.
A fresh graduate will greatly benefit from the internship opportunity with INNODATATICS that our institute offers. He will work on a live project and get hands-on experience of implementing a data analytics solution. This will improve his employability immensely. Most employers value live project experience only.
You can apply for the following jobs after completing the course:
- Data Analyst
- Data Scientist
- Data Engineer
- Data Architect
- Business Analyst
A Data Analyst deals with Data Cleansing, Exploratory Data Analysis and Data Visualisation, among other functions. The analyst's job is to sift through historical data to understand the present state of the business.
A Data Scientist builds algorithms to solve business problems using statistical tools such as Python, R, SAS, STATA, Matlab, Minitab, KNIME, Weka etc. He also performs predictive modelling to facilitate proactive decision-making. Machine learning algorithms are used to build predictive models using Regression Analysis and a Data Scientist must develop expertise in Neural Networks and Feature Engineering.
A Data Engineer is essentially a programmer in Spark, Python and R and complements the role of a data scientist.
A Data Architect is entrusted with the task of establishing hardware and software infrastructure needed to perform Data Analysis. They have to select Hard Disk, Network Architecture, Databases, GPUs etc.
We offer end to end placement assistance to our students. We assist them in resume preparation and conduct several rounds of mock interviews. We circulate their resumes to reputed placement consultants with whom we have a long-standing agreement. Once placed we offer technical assistance for the first project on the job.
Business Analytics is the emerging field in data science. It is definitely worth pursuing a data analytics after your MBA. You can specialize in Financial Analytics, HR Analytics or Supply Chain Analytics. Once you finish your data analytics you can apply for the position of Business Analyst.
Field of Data Analyst Jobs in Bhopal
There are around 97000 vacant positions in data analytics in India. The opportunities for fresher account for 21 percent of analytics jobs in India. Employers are companies like Tech Mahindra, TCS, Genpact, Wipro, and HCL Infosystems.
Salaries for Data Analyst in Bhopal
The average salary of a Data Analyst in India is Rs.5 lacs per annum. A fresher can earn anywhere between Rs.1.62 to Rs.3.23 lacs, a junior analyst gets around Rs.4,51000 per annum while a Senior Data analyst earns Rs.7,74000 per annum.
Projects for Data Analytics in Bhopal
The Indian government has initiated several data analytics projects in the fields of Agriculture, Electricity, Water, HealthCare, Education, Road Traffic Safety and Air Pollution.
Role Of Open Source Tools In Analytics
Python is easy to learn and maintain and therefore a Godsend to developers in Data Science. Its extended library makes it possible to stretch the applications of Python from Big Data Analytics to Machine Learning. R is the preferred tool of statisticians that enables effective data storage.
Modes of Training for Data Analytics
The course in Bhopal is designed to suit the needs of students as well as working professionals. We at 360DigiTMG give our students the option of both classroom and online learning. We also support e-learning as part of our curriculum.
Industry Applications of Data Analytics
Data Analytics is used for securities fraud early warning, card fraud detection systems, demand enterprise risk management, analysis of healthcare information, seismic interpretation, reservoir characterization, energy exploration, traffic control and route planning.
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