South African pentecostalism in context: Symptoms of a crisis

Abstract

The social stratum in which Pentecostals enjoyed their greatest successes was that of the poor. The reason for the success lies in distinctives that form the centre of Pentecostalism and provide the impetus for its mission. It is this complex of distinctives that have mediated the redemptive effects of salvation so effectively to the poor. There are signs of crisis in South African Pentecostalism; its centre appears to be unravelling with attendant uncertainty and loss of sense of mission. The crisis affects particularly the anthropology, ecclesiology and pneumatology of Pentecostalism. To recover their sense of mission Pentecostals need to recover that which forms their centre.