In a historic milestone in American Pentecostalism, an association of predominantly white Pentecostal denominations is poised to disband this week and erect a new multiethnic organization in its place.

The new body, still to be named, would include the nation's leading African American Pentecostal denomination, the Church of God in Christ, as well as the Assemblies of God, the nation's largest predominantly white Pentecostal denomination. Between them, the two groups account for about 10 million of the estimated 15 million Pentecostals in the United States.

Even Pentecostals admit that the dismantling of the all-white 46-year-old Pentecostal Fellowship of North America is painfully late, coming as it does 30 years after the tumultuous civil rights movement. However, they and outside observers call it the single most important development in the 88-year history of Pentecostal Christianity in the United States.

"It's dramatic. It's epochal," said Harvard University religion professor Harvey Cox, whose new book, "Fire From Heaven," traces the rise of Pentecostal spirituality.

Bishop Charles E. Blake of the West Angelus Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles said, "I cannot think of any comparable event in the life of the church that this would compare to."

Cox said the gathering, which opens in Memphis today, holds out the promise that a new generation of Pentecostals may now be willing to take their place in mainstream society and speak out on issues of pressing national importance, including poverty, racism and injustice.

"(The) Memphis (conference) represents one kind of answer and (religious broadcaster Pat Robertson's) Christian Coalition represents another in a very different direction," Cox said. The coalition has maintained a high profile of political activism in conservative causes, from opposing gays in the military to arguing against President Clinton's health care proposal. The coalition has also fielded candidates for public office and Republican party posts at the county, state and national level.

Pentecostalism is the fastest growing Christian sect in the world, with 410 million members, according to Cox. In the United States, they outnumber all but Southern Baptists, United Methodists and Roman Catholics. By the year 2010, Cox estimates, there will be more Pentecostals than all other non-Catholic Christians together.

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