Pentecostalism and Politics in Africa

As the epicenter of Christianity has shifted towards Africa in recent decades, Pentecostalism has emerged as a particularly vibrant presence on the continent. This collection of essays offers a groundbreaking study of the complex links between politics and African Pentecostalism. Situated at the intersection between the political, the postcolonial, and global neoliberal capitalism, contributors examine the roots of the Pentecostal movement’s extraordinary growth; how Pentecostalism intervenes in key social and political issues, such as citizenship, party politics, development challenges, and identity; and conversely, how politics in Africa modulate the Pentecostal movement. Pentecostalism and Politics in Africa offers a wide-ranging picture of a central dimension of postcolonial African life, opening up new directions for future research.

I.- Introduction.- 1. Introduction: The Pentecostal and the Political in Africa.- 2. Explaining the Growth and Legitimation of the Pentecostal Movement in Africa.- Part II: Pentecostalism and Society in Africa.- 3. Pentecostalism, Islam, and Religious Fundamentalism in Africa.- 4. "Buy Back the Future": Charismatic Pentecostalism and Africa’s Liberation in a Neoliberal World.- 5. When Pentecostalism Meets African Indigenous Religions: Conflict, Compromise or Incorporation?.- 6. Pentecostal Panopticism and the Phantasm of “Ultimate Power”.-  7. The Pentecostal Movement and the Ecumenical Movement in the African Context.- 8. Pentecostalism, the Prosperity Gospel, and Poverty in Africa.- 9. Soft Tongue, Powerful Voice, Huge Influence: The Dynamic of Gender, Soft Power and Political Influence in Faith Evangelistic Ministries in Kenya.- 10. The Role of Women, Theology, and Ecumenical Organisations in the Rise of Pentecostal Churches in Botswana.- 11. Neither Jew nor Greek?:Class, Ethnicity, and Race in the Pentecostal Movement in Africa.- III. Pentecostalism and/as Politics in Africa.- 12. Pentecostalism, Political Philosophy and the Political in Africa.- 13. Political Ramifications of Some Shifts in Nigeria's Pentecostal Movement.- 14. Pentecostalism as an Alternate Social Order in Africa.-  15. Pentecostals, Conflict and Peace in Africa.- 16. Leadership and Power in the Pentecostal Movement: Selected Case Studies.- 17. African Pentecostalism and Modernity: Critical Reflections on Tensions and Social Concerns.- 18. Pentecostalism, Power and Politics in Nigeria.- IV. Conclusion.- 17. African Pentecostal Political Philosophy: New Directions in the Study of Pentecostalism and Politics.