Pentecostal Theology in Africa

Book excerpt: Pentecostal Theology in Africa is a collection of essays that explore the theology of African Pentecostalism from various vantage points. The theological focus of the volume is timely as African Pentecostalism, though well researched, is rarely given a thorough theological elucidation. The book does not approach the issue of African Pentecostalism in a systematic fashion but aims at explicating the theological implications of African Pentecostal practices and beliefs. The book is divided into two sections: the first deals with theological issues and the second with the more practical ramifications. This volume is by no means the last word on this issue but hopes to make a contribution towards opening up more theological discourse in the study of African Pentecostalism over against the historical, empirical, and anthropological. ""This is a distinctive book for people who are intellectually curious about African pentecostal theology. It provides thick descriptions of the major themes, motifs, moral visions, and trends of African pentecostal Christianity."" --Nimi Wariboko, Katherine B. Stuart Professor of Christian Ethics, Andover Newton Theological School ""The Christian community is witnessing a tremendous growth of Christianity in Africa, a continent which was once a mission field. This book is an attempt to throw more light on African Pentecostalism, which is the climax of the Christian growth in Africa. It is a very good tool for scholars who want to increase their knowledge and understanding of African Pentecostalism."" --Opoku Onyinah, Chairman, the Church of Pentecost ""The spread of Pentecostalism has become a global phenomenon. Despite some similarities in the pentecostal Christian community, there are peculiar theologies from one continent to another. This book informs readers about some key theological topics, the mode of formulating theologies, and the undercurrent forces that influence the formulation and articulation of pentecostal theology in Africa. The book is a door to Pentecostalism in Africa and a step to understanding African Christianity."" --Thomas A. Oduro, President, Good News Theological College and Seminary, Accra, Ghana ""The analysis set forth in this book finds no refuge in the vestiges of a truncated perspective of African indigenous religion. Clarke's vast knowledge of world Christianity enables him to strategically chart the hope of a bright future for scholars seeking to know with intimacy the yearnings of an authentic African pentecostal theology."" --Leonard Lovett, Founding Dean emeritus, C.H. Mason Theological Seminary ""This is an important contribution to the emerging literature on pentecostal theology in Africa. It is therefore an unavoidable read for all who want to understand contemporary African Christianity generally and Pentecostalism in particular."" --J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, Baeta-Grau Professor of African Christianity and Pentecostal Theology, Trinity Theological Seminary, Accra, Ghana ""This is a very important contribution, not only to the understanding of African pentecostal Theology, but also to the understanding of what could be legitimately considered as the 'soul' of African Christianity. It is my hope that the publishers would arrange to make the book to be easily accessible to institutions in Africa. It is by doing so that we could expect a more vibrant and holistic dialogue."" --Emmanuel K Larbi Founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Regent University College of Science and Technology, Ghana ""This fascinating and provocative collection of seminal essays about novel theological currents within African Pentecostalism introduces the reader to fresh contextualized ways to explore theological topics such as Christology, pneumatology, eschatology, biblical hermeneutics, social action, and religious pluralism. Throughout this fine book, African theologians and perspectives, Pentecostal and non-Pentecostal, are engaged critically and imaginatively in order t