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The idea of a modern city is hardly construed from the prism of religion, even though the Tower of Babel has been discursively engaged as an agenda of building a megacity with an interplanetary goal. During the development and expansion of Christianity, cathedrals, with their elaborate architectural aesthetics and frequently as the only spectacular buildings in the provinces, became sites of ecclesiastical and political power. In Nigeria, although the mainline churches followed the cathedralization pattern of Western Christianity, the Pentecostal churches preferred the establishment or construction of prayer camps as the earliest mode of development and sacralization of space. However, there is a transition from prayer camps to prayer cities, with the latter conceived as a deliberate urbanization policy that embraces modern facilities. Using ethnographic and analytical methods, I study the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries’ Prayer City near Lagos, Nigeria, a “city” built on and sustained by prayer culture, and a “city” that invigorates urban life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Religion could drive development. Although Ghana is touted as the most religious country in the world, notably, some Charismatic/Pentecostal churches operate at the expense of community development and members' welfare. This study sought to achieve three objectives: to determine whether there is an opportunity for organizing the various churches for interfaith cooperative collective action; to assess the association between people's religiosity and the propensity to join interfaith cooperative collective action and to assess people's perceptions of the institutional framework that could facilitate the organization of the religious community in Ghana for interfaith collective action. Design/methodology/approach: Descriptive statistics and an ordered probit model (OPM) were used to analyze cross-sectional data from a representative sample of households in the Greater Accra Region. Thematic analysis was also used to analyze the qualitative data. Findings: The study found that generally, there is a positive response to a proposal to mobilize churches in an interfaith cooperative collective action, but distrust poses a great threat to interfaith cooperative collective action. The study also found that affiliation with the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and Pentecostal/Charismatic is negatively (positively) associated with the propensity to join a collective action, respectively. Finally, the results of the study found that accountability, proper management and fair distribution of the proceeds from a collective action will help in mobilizing churches in Ghana in an interfaith collective action. Originality/value: This is the first major study to explore the possibility of interfaith collective action among religious denominations aimed at accelerating poverty reduction and wealth creation in any developing country. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-08-2023-0670 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The African religiosity that permeates all human existence is driven by a consuming desire for connection with the spiritual world that provides and protects human flourishing. African neo-Pentecostal prophets (ANPPs) respond to this need by imposing themselves as the sacral agents that can connect people to God. The sacralisation of prophets leads them to personalise the church as their personal property. The question answered by this article is as follows: from a Christian soteriological perspective of Jesus as the only sufficient intermediary between God and humanity, how can we address the African need for connection with God that fosters a reliance on African neo-Pentecostal prophets and leads to the sacralisation of these prophets and the personalisation of the church? This article uses Christ's redemption of believers to challenge ANPPs' response to the African need for connection with God that leads to these prophets' domination and exploitation of their followers. This article challenges ANPPs to promote the freedom of Christ's redemptive work instead of sacralising themselves and personalising the church, which instils a religion of fear that keeps their followers subservient to prophets. The contribution of this article lies in assisting Christians, in this case the followers of ANPPs, to realise that sacralising the prophets provides grounds for these prophets to personalise the church. Therefore, Christ's redemptive work should be affirmed and promoted as a means of protecting the church from being personalised by sacralised prophets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current state of urban planning in South Africa excludes allocation for church land. In many South African cities, there is a temporary structure for church fellowship within neo-Pentecostalism. A literature review shows that many neo-Pentecostal churches still conduct fellowship in tents and shacks, which poses health hazards for congregants and followers of these churches. Furthermore, some of the neo-Pentecostal churches rent industrial or even community buildings for church services every week. These kinds of temporary structures, tents, and rentals make neo-Pentecostal churches to be very unmanageable in local governments. This article is a literature analysis that argues within the framework of land reform that landless neo-Pentecostal churches should be included in urban planning for the sustainable development of South African cities. This article found that when neo-Pentecostal churches are properly registered and given a portion of land to build proper church structures, local governments will be able to manage these churches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When nine Ghanaian banks collapsed during the country's 2017–2019 financial crisis, a Charismatic Pentecostal pastor was at the center of public accusations as the board chairman of one of the failed banks. His role put a spotlight on the growing influence of Charismatic Pentecostal institutions and elites in Ghana's financial market. Shifting the perspective between diverse actors who reckoned with the bank's collapse, from ordinary Christians to artist‐activists, this article explores how Ghanaians evaluated the culpability of the pastor and in so doing problematized who Christian elites involved in banking and business are accountable to: God, their congregants, or the public at large? We argue that global financial liberalization has generated new types of financial elites, Pentecostal pastors among them, who become subject to new lines of accountability. Holding someone accountable comes with stakes expressed through vernacular registers that demonstrate how financial markets are engulfed in broader social relations and regimes of ethical evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pentecostalism, to which the Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe belongs, is one of the fastest growing brands of Christianity in Zimbabwe. Most Pentecostal churches promise divine health, deliverance, miracles and prosperity to their members. In the Apostolic Faith Mission of Zimbabwe, women constitute the greater percentage of the church membership. Despite the fact that Pentecostal churches make promises of a good life, a church is generally expected to be a safe haven to its members. This paper wished to examine whether the Pentecostal church response to COVID-19 helped to build or destroy the mental health of its majority members, the women. The findings however show that the church mostly affected women's mental health in a negative way as it grappled with the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. This article therefore contests the claim of providing a good life as done by some Pentecostal churches. This was a qualitative study and utilized findings from a sample of 15 members of the Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe who were selected using purposive sampling. The findings suggest that the women were stressed by the teachings on marriage and emphasis on collection of money, discrimination against single women, the prosperity gospel, and patriarchy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the inception of the Evangelical Church of Mekane Yesus (EECMY), women have been part and parcel of the holistic ministry; however, their role has only been limited to providing social welfare activities for a long time. Meanwhile, a communist regime took power in the 1974 revolution and caused severe trials and persecution of evangelical churches, and prominent Mekane Yesus congregations opened for charismatic moves. Such upheavals loosened the stringent structures of the church, allowed women to serve freely and fearlessly, and showed their worthiness amid a brutal government crackdown. Subsequently, the issue of elevating women to ordination began to rise and took several years to realise. This article mainly discusses this historical process from the wider Lutheran tradition as well as in comparison with other Ethiopian mainline evangelical denominations; and how they resolved it constitutionally after intense and long debate by utilising key participant informants, bulletins, magazines, and research work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most devastating practices to be normalised in modern times is gender-based violence. Women and girls in South Africa can no longer enjoy the freedom that was promised by the country's Freedom Charter during the dawn of democracy. Rape, killing and other forms of female persecution have become common practices, and the most worrying part of this is that the perpetrators of this violence seem to enjoy more freedom than their victims. Unfortunately, this kind of violence is no longer a secular issue but something that is now encountered in religious circles, places in which most people would hope to be sheltered and protected. The article investigates these kinds of violence within the parameters of religious institutions, specifically Pentecostal churches, and also makes some suggestions as to what kinds of approaches we need as a country to eliminate this pandemic. This article uses a desktop/secondary approach to gather data and to reach the conclusions made as a bases for the argument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employs psychological type theory to advance the quest for the psychological Jesus within the reader-response approach to biblical hermeneutics, drawing on data provided by 192 participants from a Pentecostal background who completed two versions of the Francis Psychological Type Scales: one explored the participants’ psychological type profile; the other explored the psychological type profile that they attributed to Jesus. In terms of the 16 complete types, 35% of the participants profiled Jesus as ESFJ, compared with 14% who profiled themselves as ESFJ. In terms of underlying scale scores, the data revealed a significant tendency for participants to construct their image of Jesus within the contours of their own psychological type profile. For example, thinking types were more likely to form an image of Jesus as a thinking type, while feeling types were more likely to form an image of Jesus as a feeling type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article draws upon Ubuntu philosophy to reframe and construct a pentecostal constructive theology of hatred. It critiques contemporary manifestations of public hatred within Pentecostalism in Zambia, particularly in relation to the Christian nation clause in the constitution. The article argues that constitutionalizing Christianity perpetuates pentecostal normativity in political public spheres, institutionalizing religious-based political hatred. The exclusive reliance on pentecostal literal exegesis of scriptures fosters hierarchical dynamics, enforces norms, and obstructs dissenting voices and religious pluralistic character of the nation. The article contends Ubuntu constructive spirituality of hatred is essential for developing functional, moral, prophetic leadership and a just democratic nation. It proposes a theology of mutually transformative constructive hatred of evil as a means of countering prevailing destructive hatred in public discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on fieldwork conducted at a South African University, this qualitative study examines the lived experiences of black foreign students studying and living in South Africa. The study sought to understand the role that Pentecostalism plays in mediating the everyday experiences of black foreign students within and beyond the university campus spaces. A total of 30 student patrons from two Pentecostal churches were purposively sampled for the study. Data were collected using qualitative methods, including in‐depth interviews, participant observation, and informal conversations. Data were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analysed. The study findings revealed that for many African foreign students in South Africa, Pentecostalism mediated their sense of being on campus and allowed them to deal with the real and perceived social disarticulation fashioned by xenophobic terrains and attendant socio‐material anxieties. I assert that Pentecostal communities helped African foreign students to embed themselves and adjust to life on campus. These communities allowed them to forge convivial relationships and mutuality with fellow students and other Church members. Building on extant scholarly arguments and debates on Pentecostalism and student mobilities, I argue that Pentecostalism play(ed) a central role in the (de)construction of a sense of 'Otherness' through socio‐spiritual rituals including, sermons (the word), proselytisation and other social practices, albeit with varying degrees of success. Although Pentecostal networks strongly mediated black African foreign students' everyday navigation in precarious social spaces, the anxiety and the feeling of otherness are not completely removed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines how the urban fabric of Lagos is being transformed by neo‐Pentecostal forms of Christian religiosity—a transformation not only of inner, 'private' lives but also of urban infrastructures and their provision. Neo‐Pentecostal churches in Lagos now provide a range of infrastructures such as roads, bridges, electricity, water, healthcare, plus banking and educational facilities as well as a range of residential options. Church emblems are common features of the Lagos streetscape and can be found on buildings, vehicles and advertisement hoardings. In addition to their symbolic, moral and aesthetic register, Pentecostal urban infrastructures can be understood as a response to the crisis of social reproduction in Lagos, within the context of a postcolonial state that has adopted a position of entrenched neoliberalism. Critical questions remain, however, regarding whose interests are served by this arrangement. The article aims to understand (1) the ontological status of neo‐Pentecostal infrastructures, taking seriously the production and delivery of material infrastructures that are understood by some users to also be spiritual; and (2) the novel relations between church, state, market and citizen articulated by these infrastructures. Our arguments are based on qualitative data collected in Lagos between 2018 and 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document provides a compilation of recent print and digital resources related to Christianity in Africa. It includes books such as "Pentecostalism in Africa: Experiences from Ghana's Charismatic Ministries" which explores the growth of Pentecostalism in Africa, and "Understanding the Gospel: Culture and Environment: Essays in Honour of Allison Mary Howell" which examines the impact of Allison Howell's work on missiology and contextual theology. Additionally, it features "The Gender of Piety: Family, Faith, and Colonial Rule in Matabeleland, Zimbabwe" which explores the experiences of the Brethren in Christ Church in Zimbabwe. The document also includes open access resources on topics such as theological curriculum development and the transformation of the Church of Christ in Zimbabwe. [Extracted from the article]

Through an analysis of a series of revival movements that erupted across the Melanesian island of Malaita in the 1970s, this article articulates a strongly political reading of Pentecostal-charismatic Christianity (P/c). A series of charismatic eruptions that swept Malaita in 1970 effected an overhaul of the epistemological, organizational, and eschatological frameworks imposed upon local Christians by foreign missionaries. Such rapid profusions of charismatic activity reveal how P/c experientialism undercuts the laborious textualism of conservative evangelical Christianity, how the democratization of charisma challenges hierarchical mission religious authority and, most broadly, how the dramatic shift to messianic eschatology constructs a qualitatively different metahistorical narrative to that imposed by the colonial project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the role of mega size African Pentecostal/charismatic prophets and charismatic figures in the public response to Covid-19. There were responses to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in late 2019, and in Africa, a lot of these were religious. This article examines the intersection between religion and the Covid-19 pandemic, in the context contemporary African charismatic-prophetism. The data is sought mainly from oral and media sources of the various charismatic figures at the center of the discussion. The same religious interpretations that inform the understanding of events in society and human life in Africa were extended to the interpretation, diagnosis, and response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The charismatic power and influence of Pentecostal/charismatic church leaders, such as Emmanuel Makandiwa of Zimbabwe, was evident through the public role that the prophets played as these churches articulated their responses to the pandemic as a public health issue with spiritual implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in studying prayer has significantly increased because of the belief that it helps humanity to cope, particularly in times of crisis. Prayer is not just a communication with God, it is also an instrument of bond and embodied ritual among prayer litigants or people who belong to the same religious community. This article argues that divine violence, a sovereign act of God, was crucially needed by the litigants in order to guarantee human flourishing in the face of existential threat. The article studied how violent prayer—a genre of prayer that is targeted at the spirits underlying physical manifestation of suffering, pain, or crisis—was utilised by the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries (MFMM) in Nigeria to cope with the fear and uncertainties occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. This article is part of an ongoing ethnographic research on "The Politics and Poetics of Violent Prayer in the Nigerian Pentecostal Churches", which began in 2021. I utilised ethnographic engagement, particularly interviews and participant observation, to attempt to understand what these prayer litigants are doing when they pray violently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines how Pentecostal churches in Nigeria use online media to target the youth. Nigeria is now a major player in the commercialization of religion due to the sheer number of websites that promote add-on spiritual services. The promotion of Internet conversion is a major strategy in attracting the youth who are more active and comfortable on the Internet. Pentecostal consumerism became an avenue for the proliferation of religious programs and the consumption of different spiritual products on the Internet. At the same time, the lure of the global mission has also attracted the youth who have the idea (Japa syndrome) of emigrating from Nigeria to spread the gospel for economic reasons. This article intends to fill that gap in the literature by exploring how Pentecostal churches use the online media as a form of e-evangelism or e-vangelism for the youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past two decades, the Swedish pentecostal movement has undergone a major transformation in its way of organizing and collaborating around mission work. In this explorative study, the purpose is to investigate how these and other changes have influenced how contemporary Swedish pentecostal churches understand and make use of the concept of mission. The data for the study consists of texts from the churches' websites and draws on conceptual history in its theoretical and methodological approach. The findings of the study indicate a theological shift within the Swedish pentecostal movement. Among other things, it highlights a disconnect between the concept of mission and eschatological urgency and notes that priority is no longer given to mission as evangelism, over social work. The study also points to a linguistic instability associated with the concept of mission wherein the term "international work" is being used interchangeably with it and has, on some churches' websites, even replaced the "mission" altogether, a finding that suggests an ongoing dispute over the definition of mission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus is women suffering due to commercialisation of religion in Neo-Pentecostal Churches. Most of the religion commercialists are men with women as victims of Gender Based Violence (GBV). The CRL Commission discovered that women participation in religious commercial practices is quite alarming in terms of the ratio between men and women. There is a very serious gender bias in these churches in terms of abuse and outrageous practices. This paper focuses on vulnerability of women caused by marriage expectations, barrenness, divorce, and lack of leadership. The methods and techniques of religious commercialists will be used as demonstrations that women are indeed the victims of these malpractices. The area of finances will be highlighted to capture the truth that indeed women are victims of commercialisation of religion. Literature and social media will be engaged to validate facts. Theology of dialogue (God-talk) contributes towards the solution to these practices that have tainted the Pentecostal faith with negative outlook. Appeal is made to male perpetrators to reevaluate their patriarchal egos at the expense of women and that their theology should take a new turn of embracing feminist theology, which helps to understand the women's value as God's image carriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore in this article how Evangelical and Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches (EPCCs) view Artificial Intelligence (AI), and how they use it, either intentionally or indirectly. Considering first the digital habitus in which EPCCs are immersed, we have documented and analyzed three sample cases showing how EPCCs use advanced AI tools to improve the sanctification process for believers; how the Bible can be translated, distributed, and its reading can be fostered around the world, using machine intelligence; and how a spiritual revival among EPCCs can spread rapidly through AI-mediated algorithms. We discuss the implications of these developments and conclude finally with some ideas about how EPCCs should engage AI applications in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous prophetic church movements constitute a significant portion of Christianity in Africa and a unique spirit in African Christianity. Garrick Braide was the first to lead such a group in Nigeria in 1915. The Christ Apostolic Church is an ancient indigenous church in Nigeria; however, it appears that the church faces problems generated by the apparent confusion about the origin of the church. This confusion is evident in the 2018 centenary anniversary of the church, contrary to the Golden Jubilee organized in 1980. Similarly, the leaders often claim that CAC is the first indigenous Pentecostal church in Nigeria, whereas it is on record that Christ Army Church was established in 1916 by Braide and his followers. As a result, urgent need was required to interrogate the traditions of origin of these two indigenous church movements and their prophets.The findings revealed that Braide's Christ Army Church preceded the Christ Apostolic Church of Babalola. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author of this article explores whether there should be a space for silence in the worship of God in believers’ lives, church services and the part of the service in which God is praised with songs. To carry out the study, the author compared worship services of two churches in Zagreb – the Evangelical Pentecostal Church “Rock of Salvation” and the Church of Christ (on Kušlanova Street). The author analyzed the presence and role of silence, considering the non-use of musical instruments in the Church of Christ and concluded that the “empty” space in the church service between individual smaller parts is used in various ways. The author presented different definitions of silence or quietness, which nowadays for many no longer means absolute silence, by putting in dialogue the interviews with the pastors of the mentioned churches – Ratko Medan and Mislav Ilić – and the reflections of theologians and experts in the field of Christian services. The same problem is also put against the backdrop of modern times that are both unfamiliar and uncomfortable with silence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When applied to Pentecostalism in Zimbabwe, the concept of cultural hybridity provides a framework for understanding how global religious movements can adapt to and incorporate local cultural elements. This process results in a unique form of religious expression characterised by convergence and syncretism, reflecting cultural and religious identity's dynamic and fluid nature. This hybridity in religious practice is a testament to the ongoing, interactive cultural exchange and adaptation process. This article delves into the intricate cultural hybridity, convergence, glocalisation and syncretic tendencies within the characteristic features of New Religious Movements (NRMs) in Harare, Zimbabwe, illuminating their multifaceted role in addressing spiritual and material needs. Through a comprehensive exploration of selected NRMs that emerged from the Catholic Church in Zimbabwe, including Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries and Grace Oasis Ministries, this article unravels the central role of prophets and pastors in shaping the fundamental ethos of these religious entities. A striking and thought-provoking parallel emerges between the hallmark features of these NRMs and the tenets of African Traditional Religion and many other religious traditions. This parallel extends to practices such as exorcism, worship, healing, and deliverance, thus manifesting a profound form of religious expression informed by cultural hybridity, convergence, syncretism, and glocalisation. While there are ambiguities around scholarly debates on the definition of these terms, the article delves deep into the intricate religious elements embedded within the NRMs' characteristic features, such as hymns, modes of worship, healing rituals, and deliverance ceremonies. These elements are tangible manifestations of their unique position at the crossroads of diverse belief systems. The cultural hybridity, convergence, syncretism, and glocalisation tendencies within NRMs offer gateways to invaluable networks, fostering social cohesion and the sharing of critical information. Consequently, these characteristics have become instrumental in the holistic development of individuals and communities within the vibrant religious landscape of Harare. Thus, this article provides profound insights into the nuanced dynamics of NRMs in Zimbabwe, shedding light on their various dimensions. It contributes substantially to our comprehension of the intricate interplay between spirituality, material prosperity, and the rich tapestry of religious traditions in Harare and the broader context of religious studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As Pentecostalism continues to develop distinct processes, practices, and pedagogies as a unique worshipping community within the Church, little attention has been given to the production of a Pentecostal homiletic, or, at the very least, whether there is a need for one. Since Pentecostal hermeneutics has continued to evolve and solidify over the past century, it naturally follows that the next question to answer would be this: how do Pentecostals produce their sermons? This paper will address the philosophies of the Church; how worldview/hermeneutics/didoiesis build upon each other within the worshipping community; how Pentecostals view the church service, with specific attention to the sermon; and what Pentecostal homiletics would look like practically. Additionally, this paper argues that not only do Pentecostals provide renewal and re-enchanted views of scripture: but they also establish a unique 11-step homiletic, building upon the works of Karl Barth, James K.A. Smith, Chris E.W. Green, and Cheryl Bridges Johns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The book "Levitas. Pentecostal Drama" by Paly Pavez is an autoethnographic exercise that narrates the experiences of four women who are members of a choir in a Pentecostal Methodist church in San Bernardo. The text shows how these women construct meanings and understand social reality in a hierarchical and masculinized space. The book also addresses the violence exerted towards women in Pentecostal religious contexts and seeks to generate reflection on the role of women in the Pentecostal movement in Chile. [Extracted from the article]

This paper focuses on the Obolo women and the historical development of Christianity in Obolo from 1870 to 2020. The origin of Christianity in Obolo in the 19th century was traced to Madam Ngban Ijo who was a worshipper of Adumu prior to her conversion. She was converted by her Bonny trading customer, Mr. Ibitomie Hart who she accommodated during his trading expeditions in Ataba. Through her, Christianity was established in Ataba and Ataba became the first place in Obolo to embrace the new religion. Her house became the first centre of worship and early church activities. Other women were similarly converted and the church grew from her house to what is known today as St. James Anglican Church, Ataba. Obolo women were also instrumental in the spread of Pentecostal churches in the area. The women have contributed enormously to the expansion of Christianity in Obolo in several ways. They built parsonages and supported the church financially. The finding of this paper is that through Christianity, Obolo experienced great transformation which influenced the socio-economic life of the people and Obolo society. The methodology adopted to reconstruct this past are the primary and secondary sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores how two African American Pentecostal pastors in Buffalo, New York (USA) promote a phenomenology of respect as they link imperatives to labour for the good of others to the need to discern God's purposes. In African American communities, church leadership has long elicited respect because pastoring is hard work, important elements of which consist of encouraging other members to labour for the church and seeking insights from God about believers' lived situations. Respect is likewise key to believers' relationships with God, in that pastors promote techniques that encourage them not only to recognise spiritual beings but to respect and obey God and their leaders. As a result, acts of respect shape bodily knowledge about relationships with powerful human and spiritual others. Such enactments of respect counter suspicions of exploitation that accompany relations of dependence among the urban poor, so that believers' idioms of intercorporeal connection provide means for them to reflect on who has worked on behalf or taken advantage of others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars of contemporary Christianity have long noted the importance of sacred music in constructing faith communities and distinguishing religious actors from one another. Drawing on historical and ethnographic evidence gathered over 16 months in Johannesburg, South Africa, I examine the role of music in contributing to the Christian identity of conservative evangelicals and in mediating their relationship with religious others. For the interdenominational, multiracial network of conservative Christians with whom I worked, music sung during weekly church services was carefully curated to meet elders' pastoral aims informed by the conventions of orthodox Christian theology, yet it was also a site of tension and innovation as efforts to appeal to wider demographics were implemented. The palpable contrast between this music style and that of more charismatic evangelical churches was a point of implicit social commentary, semiotically standing in for the spectre of dangerous religious difference. This ethnographic research illustrates the power of embodied, sonic "feeling" to maintain cultural boundaries in South Africa's heterogeneous religious soundscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article argues that although Pentecostal churches in Africa have the potential to challenge and transform the reality of inequalities in Africa, instead, they are reproducing and perpetuating these inequalities by creating an inequality gap among themselves, especially, between the pastors and their fellow congregants. A closer look at some of these churches reveals that some of them are propagating social, political, and economic inequalities demonstrated in the gap that exists between the pastors and their ordinary members. In response, we construct a Pentecostal theology of radical sharing to argue for a balanced distribution of wealth between the rich and the poor to deal with the challenges of inequalities. It demonstrates that indigenous idioms such as sam‐ae (Korea) and ubuntu (Africa) are critical hermeneutics from the margins for interpretative translation/contextualization of the Christian faith into a theology of radical sharing in the fight against inequalities within African Indigenous Pentecostalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article surveys the pragmatic and sociolinguistic functions of common expressions used in Pentecostalism. Data for this study were collected from three selected Pentecostal churches found in two districts of Dar es Salaam. Data were collected through observation and interviews with the selected Pentecostal believers who expressed their views on the choice and function of certain expressions used in Pentecostal churches. The study findings indicate that Pentecostal churches make great use of phrases and expressions found in the bible and common words used in ordinary conversation. These common words carry different tones and connotations such as fear and joy when they are adopted in the religious context. The study has noted some common expressions and structures. The common functions of these expressions and structures include, but are not limited to: attracting attention, comforting, identifying believers as belonging to the same faith, directing the congregants to perform certain acts, rebuking the devil, blessing, praising and exalting God. The article notes that the language style used in Pentecostalism conforms to norms found in this denomination, and this is manifested in the way its members select expressions, which mark their identity. Such expressions can be noted in prayers, preaching and announcements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It was the late Bishop Ithiel Conrad Clemmons, former minister of the First Church of God in Christ of Brooklyn, New York, who said of the late famed novelist/essayist James Baldwin that "he was America's inside eye on the Black Holiness and Pentecostal Churches". Though Baldwin admitted that the culture and ethos of the African-American Pentecostal church were "highly significant and indelibly imprinted upon him", according to Baldwin, his faith community's "naiveté about life appalled him and drove him away". While Baldwin left behind the church of his youth, never to return, for the remainder of his writing career, the "backslidden" minister's literary musings continued to be informed (in both style and content) by the formative religious tradition that he left behind. Though several studies have been undertaken that examine Baldwin's significance to various aspects of the study of African-American religion and culture, precious little has been written regarding Baldwin's continuing engagement of the idiom of African-American preaching, the idiom which cultural critic Michael Eric Dyson has nominated as the "jewel in the crown of Black Sacred Rhetoric". While many studies of Baldwin include the fact that Baldwin was a preacher's son and that Baldwin himself preached for a time during his youth, the account is yet to be given of how Baldwin's writings continued to employ the rhythms, grammar, tones, and textures of the Black sacred rhetorical tradition, especially from beyond the borders of the African-American church. This essay seeks to expose not only how Baldwin self-consciously continued to stand in the rhetorical trajectory of the African-American preaching tradition, but the attempt is also to reveal how the writer secularizes the idiom, providing the Black Holiness preacher a hearing from beyond the church. Through a focus on Baldwin as a Black sacred rhetorician, sermonizing from beyond the church, this essay participates in the nearly 100-year-old conversation instigated by the early African-American literary and cultural critic James Weldon Johnson in God's Trombones: Seven Negro Sermons in Verse (1927), regarding the neglected significance of the sermon and the preacher in African-American literature and Black expressive cultures. Baldwin's sermonic is here examined as a highly distinctive mode of Black public theologizing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The church in her journey towards actualizing the priestly prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ for unity has been met with many difficulties; differences in doctrine, differences in perception of the teachings of Christ, and even political differences which rubbed off on the Church. However, at the dawn of the 20th century came a movement that defied every other odd. It was a movement that wanted freedom in the spirit; it was a movement born in response to the social encumbrances of the time; it was the dawn of the Pentecostal movement. Although this movement can be found in the Catholic Church and the Mainline Churches, the spirit of the movement propelled the founding of other Christian churches. With this movement that bothers not so much on doctrinal differences, came proliferation of Christian churches, especially in Nigeria. As a child of circumstance in America where it originated, it became even more so in Nigeria a response to the socio-economic hardship experienced by the people. With freedom in the spirit, and with prosperity preaching in the background, it became very acceptable to the people. However, for Ecumenism especially in Nigeria, Pentecostal churches became a militating factor due to its lack of homogeneity. Hence, this article seeks to expose those bottlenecks that pose a challenge to ecumenism in Nigeria with particular reference to the Pentecostal churches. It further proffers suggestions to aid the movement towards the unity of Christian churches in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Religious Entanglements: Central African Pentecostalism, the Creation of Cultural Knowledge, and the Making of the Luba Katanga" by David Maxwell explores the complex relationships between the Luba Katanga people and the Congo Evangelistic Mission (CEM) leaders in the Belgian Congo from 1915 to 1960. The book examines the process of creating cultural knowledge and the roles of both missionaries and Africans in this work. Maxwell's research draws from a wide range of sources and oral interviews, shedding light on the intersection of science, theology, and colonialism in the mission. The book also highlights the agency of the Luba people in navigating the challenges of colonialism and the breakdown of their kingdom, as well as their contributions to ethnographic knowledge and Christian identity. While the book provides valuable insights, the reviewer notes a desire for more exploration of women's contributions and gender dynamics within the context of the study. Overall, "Religious Entanglements" offers a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the complex dynamics between missionaries and Africans in the creation of cultural knowledge. [Extracted from the article]

In this paper, a theoretical framework for human capital development in Pentecostal Religious Organizations through knowledge sharing is provided. The framework conceptualizes that religious organizations should prioritize launching a knowledge management initiative and appointing a knowledge management team or manager to conduct a knowledge audit and design an appropriate knowledge management plan as explicated. Knowledge management is the process of creating, sharing, using, and managing the knowledge and information of an organization or group. It involves identifying, capturing, organizing, storing, and sharing knowledge and information in a way that allows individuals and teams to access and use it effectively to improve decision-making, problem-solving, and innovation. The knowledge management plan should focus on codifying tacit and explicit knowledge to ensure it can be easily accessed, understood and transferred, and should be connected to the organizational strategy for human capital development in community services by religious organizations. The study has practical implications for religious organizations looking to improve their organizational effectiveness and contribute to the human capital development of its members as well as host communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poverty is one of Africa's most intractable problems. Decades of deliberate and strategic socioeconomic policies have not yielded considerable concrete results to eradicate it. Upon succeeding the brutal colonial administration, the burgeoning African governments promised their citizens material well-being through socioeconomic development. A half century later the continent is perpetually witnessing a blatant betrayal of dreams. Just like the African governments that succeeded colonial governments, religious organizations continue to promise poverty eradication by divine means to their adherents, whose numbers keep exploding across the continent. The Pentecostal variant of African Christianity is particularly renowned for its promises of wealth, health, and prosperity through supernatural divine power: in the Bible, God has promised to deliver immense material goods to those who believe in Jesus Christ. The expediency of these promises to alleviate poverty and bring about social transformation is debatable. Some scholars argue that African Pentecostalism is an elaborately complex increase in religious activities devoid of social structural transformation, while others opine that it contributes positively to development. In asking whether African Pentecostal Christianity is a move toward or a distraction from development, this article broadly explores discourses on Pentecostalism and development in Africa. Arguably, in the endeavor to preach and live out the experiential power of the Holy Spirit, Pentecostal Christianity in Africa inadvertently plays a role in the broader ongoing development discourse. Although they do not view themselves as 'religious' or 'religion', Pentecostal churches' attempts to make the teachings of Jesus Christ relevant to the mundane help individual believers cope with life's stresses and vulnerabilities. However, it does not transform the social conditions that create problems for individuals. The liberating hope of African Pentecostal Christianity lies in theologically nuancing its discourses to meaningfully engage in global development discourses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay examines the impact of the contemporary praise and worship music industry on the songs available to worship leaders. It focuses on the dominance of a few church groups, including Bethel Music, Elevation Worship, Hillsong Worship, and Passion, in contributing a significant number of top songs in this genre. The study analyzes data from the CCLI and PraiseCharts top song lists, which provide insights into the songs used in evangelical, charismatic, and Pentecostal churches. The authors find that a small number of church bands and artists have a strong influence on the industry, with 95% of the top 25 songs being linked to four church bands. The article also highlights the challenges faced by independent songwriters in gaining recognition in this industry. Overall, the study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms and trends that shape the contemporary praise and worship music landscape. [Extracted from the article]

While the Pentecostal Christianity on the continent of Africa in general and Ghana, in particular, continues to attract growth in terms of membership, the same cannot be said of the historic mission churches in the same breath. This development is partly because the Christianity introduced by the nineteenth-century European missionaries was enveloped in European culture making it almost impossible to resonate with its religio-cultural milieu. As a result, converts have great difficulty in identifying with their newly found faith as it also struggled to address their existential challenges. This development had translated into a situation where the Christian faith as introduced at the time failed to attract new converts while some of the existing ones made their way back into their former religion (syncretism). Other developments besides syncretism experienced by the historic mission churches were schism(s) as well as the emergence of Pentecostal Christianity in Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was among synod officials of the Indonesian Isa Almasih Pentecostal Church, and has experienced growth both in quality and quantity. Along with the growth of the church, the church leader or pastor appoints his leadership qualifications to assist in stewardship tasks among synod officials of the Isa Almasih Pamtekosta Church in Indonesia. The purpose of this study is to find out how the qualifications of Christian leaders are carried out by synod officials of the Isa Almasih Pantekosta Church in Indonesia. This study used a quantitative method, where data were obtained through questionnaires, interviews and a standardized scale. Questionnaire validation at the initial stage tested all validated questionnaire scores filled in by the promoter to be tested on 30 initial samples. The conclusion of this research is basedanalysis resultsusing Classification and regression trees (CRT)shows that age background is the most dominant background category forming the Confirmation of Qualifications of Christian leaders based on the book of Titus chapter 1 among synod officials of the Pentecostal Church of Isa Almasih Indonesia(Y). From the suragates table it is known that age background is able to improve by 111,063 points from the condition of the Implementation of the Qualifications of Christian leaders based on the book of Titus article 1 among synod officials of the Pentecostal Church of Isa Almasih Indonesia (Y). As well as from the importance table it is known that background employment status is affirmed by 100% of respondents with a score of 231.093 points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pentecostalism has experienced massive growth and evolution, both within Africa and beyond, as is evident through the emergence of dynamic neo-Pentecostal movements, including independent, prophetic, and charismatic churches. However, all its establishments have been primarily characterized by problematic governance. While neo-Pentecostal founders and leaders often asserted that they were breaking away from regressive bureaucracy and supposedly "cold" spiritual practices to embrace a more dynamic approach that advances the missio Dei and missio ecclesiae through expressive and demonstrative ministries, they paradoxically ended up becoming similarly, if not more, regressive. Rather than being focused on serving others (being other-centred), they became self-centred in their actions and priorities. Drawing on missional ecclesiology, extensive engagement with relevant literature, and in-depth phenomenological observation, this paper undertook a qualitative examination of their polities. It interpretively and descriptively assessed and explored the fact that all ecclesial governments exhibit both strengths and weaknesses. In light of this analysis, the paper argues and proposes that churches should integrate their predominant governmental systems with inclusive and empowering principles from other polities. By doing so, they can transform their administrative structures and enhance their missionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Religious specialists inhabit ambivalent institutional positions. On the one hand, as professionals working for organizations, their scope of autonomy is constrained and subject to organizational rules, religious dogmas, and religiously sanctioned restrictions on their own lives in the form of celibacy, choice of residence, etc. On the other hand, because of their charisma and their epistemic authority with regard to, for example, the interpretation of everyday events, personal crises, religious scriptures, and moral judgments, they may also have considerable autonomy and power. In this article, we compare the lives of Greek Catholic monks in the Middle East and Pentecostals pastors in South Africa. We focus on the question of how the subjective understandings and objective realities of personal autonomy relate to one another and change in the course of religious specialists' careers. Scrutinizing religious agency in a gendered environment allows us to analyze how dominant constructions of connections to God, religious charisma, and ecclesiastical careers reproduce the masculine structure of church institutions. While Eastern Catholic monks are often portrayed as extremely constrained by institutional rules, Pentecostal pastors appear as largely autonomous, organizing the religious affairs of their congregations in a highly independent fashion. Our analysis demonstrates that such images often mirror idealized portrayals that are produced by dominant religious discourses. As our analysis also shows, however, these discourses obfuscate both the agency of monks and the institutional constraints of pastors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Religious organisations are significant producers of knowledge and in recent years, knowledge management (KM) has become a crucial necessity for organisations to achieve success and effectiveness. Pentecostal churches are frequently established, particularly in densely populated informal settlements in many parts of Africa. This study aimed to assess KM practices at a Pentecostal church in an informal settlement in Cape Town, South Africa, using the knowledge conversion model. The study objectives were to examine the level of awareness and uptake of KM practices, determine the level of openness to knowledge sharing and conversion among church leaders and members, and evaluate how knowledge conversion and management practices contribute to achieving the church's goals of spreading the gospel and enhancing community services. The study population consisted of the church leadership and adult members. The results revealed that the level of awareness and uptake of KM practices was very low, with no documented training or responsible individuals identified for managing knowledge. Tacit knowledge was being shared informally through dialogue and religious meetings but was not formally extracted, documented, or converted into explicit knowledge for organisational productivity, sharing, and reuse. Some leaders were not keen on explicitly managing and sharing knowledge, a number of members thought it is very important for knowledge to be documented and shared. The study developed a conceptual model for implementing KM in Pentecostal religious organisations. The model provides a practical framework for improving knowledge sharing and enhancing organisational productivity, which can lead to more effective gospel dissemination and community service. This study highlights the importance of effective KM in religious organisations and provides valuable insights for leaders seeking to leverage knowledge to achieve their goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Christian attempts at hibernating from corrupt world systems, people, and governments are nothing new. From monasticism in post-apostolic times to utopian societies to cults to the new monasticism, Christians and others have sought protection throughout the years from tyranny, moral pollution, and governmental overreach. Today such is found in several overlapping movements including Christian Nationalism, the American Redoubt, Kingdom Now Pentecostals, and theonomy. The present series of articles will ultimately focus on the Pacific Northwest and the growing and influential Reconstructionist communities that emphasize not only hibernation but also ultimately rebuilding American society after a new order immersed in Old Testament Law. The best-known spokesman for this community is Doug Wilson, Pastor of Christ Church and board member and professor at New St. Andrew College in Moscow, Idaho. Prior to examining Wilson and the American Redoubt in detail, it is necessary to identify and have (at least) a basic understanding of many links that connect and have led to this phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the Africanization of Catholicism in Ghana as a process that embraces activities deriving from the inculturation doctrine as well as those emerging during the most recent process of pentecostalization. The complex and changing historical and current discourses on "African tradition", "traditional religion", and "African spirituality" are presented in relation to the creation of an independent Ghana and the state-instigated concept of "national heritage", as well as the Catholic theological developments strongly shaped by the Second Vatican Council. The influences of Pentecostal and charismatic Churches are described and the pentecostalization of Catholicism is interpreted as a kind of subversive development of inculturation doctrine and practices. The article refers to the material and embodied aspects of religion, pointing to the importance of material culture and "embodied continuation" in shaping contemporary African Christian and African Catholic identities. The article draws on ethnographic material collected in Catholic parishes in central Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Religious traditions with their universal intent on human salvation or well-being have de-territorialized themselves or migrated from the place of their origin along trade routes in the company of merchants, invaders, and colonizers. Taking for granted Intercultural theology as the bedrock of faith education in an multicultural context, the author seeks to enumerate the specific competencies that can render the process of intercultural faith education possible, significant, and feasible. Henning Wrogemann's article that introduces "Intercultural Theology as In-Between Theology" takes up the profile of intercultural theology against the background of world Christianity and the anthropology of Christianity and defines it as an in-between theology with respect to factors such as audience, media, power, methodology, plurality, and connectivity. From a catechetical or faith education point of view, this article analyses the three perspectives of faith that intercultural theology should promote, namely, the dialogic personalization of faith, the prophetic challenging of faith, and the cohesive exchange of faith - corresponding, respectively, to personal and interpersonal dimensions, communitarian and social dimensions and expressive and missionary dimensions of faith. [Extracted from the article]

In most societies where Christianity is dominant, it has manifested itself in different ways, reflecting its admixture with indigenous religious practices, an admixture commonly seen in most African contexts. This is evidenced by overt syncretic practices and rarely covert syncretic practices that conceal the blending of beliefs, including belief in the mystical powers of water. In part, this explains why African Christian believers, particularly African Pentecostal believers in most African countries, often uncritically believe claims about holy water. To that end, this article examines the literature to uncover the existence of covert syncretic holy water in African Neo-Pentecostal Churches (ANPC), particularly in South Africa, where ANPC pastors make arbitrary claims about the power of holy water. Contrary to the apparent syncretism, claims about holy water as witnessed among ANPCs in South Africa, covertly combine elements of two belief systems (ancient African traditions and contemporary African Christianity), resulting in covert syncretic holy water. As little or no literature understands the covert syncretic holy water, the work of this paper warrants future research to further examine the covert syncretic holy water, particularly in relation to ANPC holy water claims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This commentary section presents a dialogical discussion on Appau's (2021) 'Toward a divine economic system', an article in which he explores religious exchanges in the context of a Pentecostal Church in Ghana and proposes 'the divine economy' as an alternative economic system to interrogate and extend scholarship on the relationship between the market and religion. In a thought-provoking conversation, four commentators (including Appau) engage in a critical discussion aimed at generating new ideas on theorizing the complex relationship between the market, consumption, and religion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the multiple links between Pentecostalism and the production of security in Cape Town's isiXhosa-speaking townships and traces the ways in which Pentecostal churches have become embroiled with Cape Town's criminal economies, illegality and violence. In these marginalised urban spaces, which are also territories of relegation, Pentecostal pastors compete with other spiritual specialists who lay claims to spiritual protection just like the state's law-enforcement agencies over the meanings of crime and violence and legitimate ways to counter them. This competition thrives on the fact that physical harm and the associated states of victimhood are seen as resulting not only from criminal assaults but also from the congeries of spiritual forces that enable them. Simultaneously, there is mounting competition within the religious field and increasingly strenuous assertions of religious sovereignty vis-à-vis the secular state. I argue that all of these developments have contributed to Pentecostalism's links with illegality. Importantly, capacities to wield spiritual power are as central for understanding the dynamics of the market of spiritual protection against risks as are accusations that those wielding them do so with malign intent. The ambivalent perceptions of Pentecostalism with regard to crime and protection against harm therefore echo those of witchcraft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most devastating practices to be normalised in modern times is gender-based violence. Women and girls in South Africa can no longer enjoy the freedom that was promised by the country’s Freedom Charter during the dawn of democracy. Rape, killing and other forms of female persecution have become common practices, and the most worrying part of this is that the perpetrators of this violence seem to enjoy more freedom than their victims. Unfortunately, this kind of violence is no longer a secular issue but something that is now encountered in religious circles, places in which most people would hope to be sheltered and protected. The article investigates these kinds of violence within the parameters of religious institutions, specifically Pentecostal churches, and also makes some suggestions as to what kinds of approaches we need as a country to eliminate this pandemic. This article uses a desktop/secondary approach to gather data and to reach the conclusions made as a bases for the argument.