TGE considered: kierkegaard & pentacostals

By way of reading Tickle’s book The Great Emergence I came across a very interesting cross-pollination of sorts. There is a connection of ideas between the Pentecostals and Kierkegaard—I’m not sure if the founders of Pentecostalism had read Kierkegaard, but it sure would be interesting research to find out their influences for their ideas—both believe in the ability of the individual’s word from God. Here is a quote from Tickle’s book:

Pentecostalism by definition assumes the direct contact of the believer with God and, by extension the direct agency of the Holy Spirit as instructor and counselor and commander as well as comforter. As such and stated practically, Pentecostalism assumes that ultimate authority is experiential rather than canonical.

Further down the page Tickle states is very plainly, the Pentecostal when faced with decision of listening to the inner Holy Spirit or following the Bible/leadership on a matter the person will follow the Holy Spirit. She frames this discussion as discussing the issue of authority in the Church, who has the final say.

This seems to be basically the tenets of a knight of faith and the teleological suspension of the ethical, which you find in Kierkegaard’s writings.

I guess for myself growing up with certain pentecostal-charismatic roots, I’ve always kind of understood this to be true, though never truly in reflection. After reflecting this against the other spheres she writes about (and I blogger about) I can really understand the radical nature that this idea has.

I wonder if there has been work done by Pentecostals about the issues which Kierkegaard raises about the unspeakability of this type of faith, how to deal with the ‘crazies’ like Abraham who think they need to kill their son, and other such problems?