Anthony David Palma

Anthony D. Palma was born into a nominal Roman Catholic household to Filippo 'Philip' T. (b. 30 Jan 1894, Moiano, Benevento, Italy - 21 Aug 1971 Middlesex, NB) [though on his WWII draft card, he corrected this birth date to 30 Jan 1895] and Maria 'Mary' Carmine nee Parrillo (b. 1899, Moiano, Benevento, Italy-1968) on 22 December 1926 [Gohr adds] in Moonachie, New Jersey, where Filippo worked as a boiler maker (Ancestry.com; The Montrose Democrat, 6 Jan 1921, 3) and with various railroad companies, especially the Erie RR. Anthony's father had migrated to Susquehanna, PA and it was there that he went in c.1905 to join his father, Salvatore, then living at 527 Church Street. (At least six of Salvatore's siblings had also migrated - his sisters marrying as Margaret Pietrosanto, Scotia, NY, and and Mary Bianca, of Schenectady; his brothers Pietro 'Peter', Alberto 'Albert' and Giovanni 'John' settling in Schenectady, and a fourth brother, Carmine 'Carmen' settling in Saratoga Springs, NY). Salvatore served in the US Army for two years (1918-1919, including active service on the front line in France, and then in the Army of Occupation). Anthony's mother, Maria, migrated c. 1920 to join her parents (Pasquale 'Patrick' Parillo and Concetta nee Orapallo), who was also living in Susquehanna. (Her sister Alberta Parillo Saceo remained and married in Naples) One of five children (the older siblings being Salvatore, Susan 'Sussie', and Alexander, and a younger sister, Anna), he spent his early childhood in an Italian neighborhood in Hoboken, New Jersey. [The 1930 United States Federal Census, New Jersey, Bergen, Moonachie District 0168, via Ancestry.com, has the migration year as 1904, but these are often from memory and vary by several years. The Ellis Island records closes match is a Filippo Palma, 11 years of age, migrating from the agricultural hill town of Moiano, about 20 km southwest of Benevento, Campania,  on the SS Gallia, arriving 21 April 1905]

At age twelve, Anthony’s family moved to Jersey City. Residing nearby were three Italian immigrant ladies who attended a local Italian Pentecostal church. Because of their encouragement and evangelistic efforts, Anthony, his parents, and older sister Susan confessed conversion. Three years later (1943), at the age of 17, Anthony experienced the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. 

Palma placed great value on education and enrolled at Central Bible Institute (later Central Bible College) in Springfield, Missouri, in 1944, the same year in which he turned 18 and registered for the draft. (On his draft card, he gives his mother's address as 116 Beacon Ave, Jersey City, NJ). (Ancestry.com) From 1945 to 1947 he attended Eastern Bible Institute (now University of Valley Forge). He returned to CBI from 1948 to 1949, graduating with a BA in Bible. Graduating from Central Bible Institute in 1949, Palma joined the Navy in 1950 (coming on strength on 25 August of that year) during the Korean War. He would rise to the rank of Commander: all through the War he would write articles for the Christ’s Ambassadors Herald, and come to view the military as a “tremendous mission field”, with close to 5,000,000 men serving in the US armed forces.  While in the Navy, Palma said he “experienced a spiritual revolution which culminated in a deeper appreciation for our Pentecostal heritage.” [Gohr, 2023] (As Hutchinson and others point out, these chaplains and the relatively large number of American troops transiting through Australia and the region would become important carriers of pentecostal thought and practice into these regions). Palma would later serve as a reserve naval chaplain. His spiritual revival in the Navy led him to pioneer a church in Hoboken, New Jersey, a city where he lived as a boy and “never once heard the message of salvation or saw a Bible.” Through his efforts souls were saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit. Palma pastored this home missions church for three years while he was attending seminary. 

In August 1959, he married Elizabeth (Betty) J. Leskela (8 Dec 1930-14 Apr 2020), daughter of Albert and Elma (nee Kivijarvi) Leskela of Waukegan, IL. They would  have two children together (a son, Michael, and a daughter Catherine). Anthony was ordained with the New Jersey district on May 19, 1960. During that time he developed strengths in teaching ministry and taught at several AG institutions including: He began teaching at South-Eastern Bible College (now Southeastern University) in Lakeland, Florida. He then taught at Central Bible College (1962-70); Evangel College (now Evangel University) (1970-73).  Next he earned an MA in education from New York University in 1957. He also earned the Bachelor of Sacred Theology (STB) from New York Theological Seminary in 1960, and the STM (1966) and ThD (1974) from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. He went on to become a professor of New Testament, Theology, and Greek, at several institutions, and was Dean of the Bible Division of Assemblies of God Theological School (AGTS) (now Assemblies of God Theological Seminary) (1973-81; dean of theology from 1974-80)). He also taught at Valley Forge Christian College (now University of Valley Forge; academic dean at VFCC, 1981-86) in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania (1981-86), was administrator/principal at Calvary Temple Christian Academy (1987-89) in Philadelphia, PA; and Anthony and Betty both taught at American Indian Bible College (now SAGU American Indian College), Phoenix, Arizona (1990-1993; where they lived at 10020 N 15th Ave, Phoenix, AZ.).

In addition, from 1993 to 2004, he and his wife filled preaching assignments and ministered as short-term teachers at overseas Bible colleges and seminaries in Belgium, Italy, the Philippine Islands, Korea, Nigeria, Colombia, Peru, and Brazil. [Gohr 2023]

A prolific writer, Palma authored a number of books and articles, including The Holy Spirit: A Pentecostal Perspective (Gospel Publishing House/ Logion) in 2001.  He was one of the earliest pentecostal scholars to work out a systematic method for demonstrating the biblical basis for pentecostal teachings on 'two acts of the Spirit'. (Oss 2011)  In 1993, Palma was honoured by the General Council with the Distinguished Educator Award in recognition of his distinguished service to Christian higher education. From 1993 to 2004 he and his wife, Betty, served as volunteer, short-term teachers at overseas Bible colleges and seminaries, making two or three trips each year.

In August 2009, the Palmas celebrated their fiftieth anniversary in Pennsylvania, including their son Michael, daughter Catherine, and a granddaughter, Gabriella. They retired in Springfield, Missouri.

Palma was a former president of the Society for Pentecostal Studies. 

Betty died in April, 2020. She was buried in Washington Crossing National Cemetery, Newtown, PA. Anthony was predeceased by his brothers, Alex Palma and Salvatore Palma (of Saddle Brook, d. 2007), and sisters, Anna Bartels and Susan De Bonis. He died on 26 February 2023, in Media, PA, and was buried Washington Crossing National Cemetery, Newtown, Bucks County, PA.

Writings

Glossolalia in the Light of the New Testament and Subsequent History (S.T.B. thesis, 1960); 

Tongues and Prophecy: A Comparative Study in Charismata (S.T.M. thesis, 1966); 

The Holy Spirit in the Corporate Life of the Pauline Congregation (Th.D. thesis, 1974).  

The Holy Spirit: A Pentecostal Perspective (Gospel Publishing House/ Logion) in 2001.

The Writings of John: A Study Manual For Youth (1966); 

Knowing Your Bible (1970); 

The Spirit: God in Action (1974); 

Truth: Antidote for Error (1977); 

Baptism in the Holy Spirit (1999); 

The Holy Spirit: A Pentecostal Perspective (2001).

Pentecostal Evangel, various articles

“Spiritual Gifts — Basic Considerations” in Pneuma. 

Sources:

Ancestry.com

Gohr, Glenn, 'Dr. Anthony Palma (1926-2023): Assemblies of God Minister, Educator, Author', Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center Blog, April 6, 2023.

Oss, D. A., 'A Pentecostal/ Charismatic View', in Are Miraculous Gifts for Today?: 4 Views, Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2011.

Saggio, Joseph J., 'A Brief History of Italian Pentecostalism in America', AG Heritage n. 30 (2010), p. 36.