Pentecostalism has become an increasingly prominent feature of Africa’s religious and political landscape. The movement’s growth has been particularly dramatic since the era of decolonization in the 1950s and 1960s. According to recent figures from the World Christian Database, pentecostals now represent 12%, or about 107 million, of Africa’s population of nearly 890 million people. […]
Origins and Growth 1910s-1920s: Around 1910, an Anglican deacon launches an indigenous prophetic movement that later becomes the Christ Army Church. Following an influenza epidemic in 1918, revivals flare within the mission churches and the Christ Army Church. Spirit-filled groups also expand, including those known by the Yoruba word Aladura (“praying people”). Early Aladura churches […]
Is France Doing a Better Job of Integration than Its Critics?
Pentecostals represent a very small proportion of Asia’s population of nearly 4 billion people. This contrasts sharply with pentecostalism’s share of the population in parts of Africa and Latin America, which often exceeds 10-20 percent. According to 2005 figures from the World Christian Database, pentecostals represent 3.5% of Asia’s population, or about 138 million people. […]
Origins and Growth 1700-1900: In the 1700s, German Lutherans and British Baptists establish Protestant missions in southern and western India (Frykenberg 2003). In 1860, revivals in the U.S. and Europe inspire an Indian Anglican to lead a pentecostal revival in southern India (Burgess 2001: 87-88). In the 1860s and 1870s, Protestant churches in southern India […]
Concerns Pre-Date Airplane Plot
Contrary to widespread perceptions, pentecostalism does not always draw disproportionately from the lower socioeconomic sectors of society. Whether pentecostals and charismatics have higher or lower income levels than the general population very much depends on the country in question. In some countries, including the U.S., the survey finds that renewalist groups do tend to have […]
Akinsuyi, Yemi. 2001. “Election 2003 Shall Be Well, Says Mbang.” This Day. November 26. Amadi, Sam. 2004. “Theological Ambivalence and Democratic Accountability.” Summary of presentation given for the Pentecostal-Civil Society Dialogue, Lagos, Nigeria. October 18. Amran, Athman. 2005. “Christians Urged to Be Sincere on Vote.” The East African Standard. August 30. Anderson, Allan. 2005. […]