The Human Face of Pentecostalism: Why the British Pentecostal Moment began in the Sunderland Parish of the Church of England Vicar Alexander Boddy.

In September 2007 a conference was held in Durham and Sunderland to celebrate and reflect on the remarkable Pentecostal outpouring which began in the UK in 1907 in Sunderland. In this paper I sought to set the scene by offering a narrative of the Boddys, the human face of Pentecostal renewal in the UK. It was their leadership and example which gave energy and stability to the new movement -- they were absolutely crucial to its growth. I will therefore explore their backgrounds as a means of helping to explain why this happened. I suggest that we find clues in the context of Sunderland and in the lives of Alexander and Mary Boddy. My approach is largely through an historical narrative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]