Global Pentecostal Studies

The Rise of Network Christianity Brad Christerson and Richard Flory have written a highly readable account of the social changes in religion that are growing and expanding throughout the world. The authors argue that independent charismatic leaders like Che Ahn, Bill Johnson, and Mike Bickle, among others, illustrate a shift from organizational patterns associated with modern religion like denominations to networks of ministries that share common objectives through relational associations. The key characteristics of post 1970s social change, according to the authors, include globalization, the digital revolution, and the rise of networks with the decline of bureaucracies. The implications of these social changes for religion include increased cultural and religious pluralism, interactive media and religious participation, and declining loyalties to organizations like denominations. In other words, social change accounts for the decline of one form of religion in particular but als...

Pentecostals and the Body Annual Review of the Sociology of Religion. Brill, 2017. Edited by Michael Wilkinson and Peter Althouse The intersection of religion, ritual, emotion, globalization, migration, sexuality, gender, race, and class, is especially insightful for researching Pentecostal notions of the body. Pentecostalism is well known for overt bodily expressions that includes kinesthetic worship with emotive music and sustained acts of prayer. Among Pentecostals there is considerable debate about bodies, the role of the Holy Spirit, possession of evil spirits, deliverance, exorcism, revival, and healing of bodies and emotions. Pentecostalism is identified as a religion on the move and so bodies are transformed in the context of globalization. Pentecostalism is also associated with notions of sexuality, gender, race and class where bodies are often liberated and limited. This volume evaluates these themes associated with contemporary research on the body. Table o...

  ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION Volume 8: Pentecostals and the Body Forthcoming 2017 Edited by:  Michael Wilkinson (Trinity Western University, Canada) and Peter Althouse (Southeastern University, USA) The body is an important area of research in sociology as well as across a number of disciplines including religion. The intersection of religion, sexuality, gender studies, queer studies, disability studies, health and illness, pain, death and dying, emotions, and embodiment, or more specifically the social and cultural meanings of the body are especially insightful. While literature on embodiment continues to expand, to date, there is no sustained examination of Pentecostalism and the themes associated with research on the body. And yet, Pentecostals offer some very interesting observations about religion, religious experience, religious embodiment, healing, sexuality and notions of control, holiness, and celebration. Pentec...

Call for Papers: International Society for the Sociology of Religion The 33rd ISSR Conference: Sensing Religion .  Louvain-la-Neuve July 2-5, 2015 Thematic Session Pentecostalism, Religious Experience, and the Body / Le pentecôtisme, l’expérience religieuse et le corps Michael Wilkinson, Trinity Western University (Canada) michael.wilkinson@twu.ca Peter F. Althouse, Southeastern University (USA) pfalthouse@seu.edu The intersection of religion, sexuality, gender, disability, health and illness, pain, death and dying, emotions, and embodiment is especially insightful for researching Pentecostal and Charismatic notions of the body. Pentecostalism is well known for overt bodily expressions of religious experience that includes kinesthetic worship such as speaking in tongues, dancing, twirling, and falling down. Among Pentecostals and Charismatics there is considerable debate about bodies, the relationship between bodies and the Holy Spirit, possession of evil spiri...