Pentecost is considered the birth date of the church universal. There was also planted that day, in the preaching of the apostle Peter, an important seed — the fruit of which was almost lost at one point in the church's history. That seed was in this statement by Peter: "Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21).

Actually, Peter wasn't being original with that statement. He was quoting Joel 2:32, but that ancient prophet was talking about the salvation of the people of Israel on the great day of the Lord, whereas Peter was applying the text to the current circumstances of his audience. He was talking about their immediate salvation through their acceptance of Jesus Christ.

That was, and is, part of the good news of Christianity, but in the medieval churc…