African Pentecostalism and Lived Experiences in Local Cultural, Religious, and Diaspora Contexts

Abstract

African Pentecostalism is studied as part of the Pentecostal Movement that emphasises direct relationship with God through baptism in the Holy Spirit. Shaping the landscape of Christianity on the continent and in the diaspora, African Pentecostalism stands at the center of the shift in the growth of Christianity from the Global North to the Global South. An interesting current trend is the growth of African Pentecostalism in the diaspora, which also shifts our understanding of missions from a north-to-south to a south-to-north perspective. This necessitates a study on African Pentecostalism that can provide a broader understanding of the movement, its streams, typologies, and shadows. This article aims to provide an understanding of African Pentecostalism as a response to the lived experiences of Africans in different regions. It provides a rationale for differentiating African Pentecostalism from other popular religions in the local cultural and religious contexts. Further, it describes the impact of African Pentecostalism in the diaspora and how this affects our understanding of missions and world Christianity. Most importantly, and in a non-exhaustive way, the article delves into how scholars in the twenty-first century can understand and approach African Pentecostalism from a methodological point of view.