Power-Purity Pneumatology for African Pentecostalism

Abstract

Africa once again occupies a strategic place in the history of Christianity as one of its chief centres when the religion is somewhat receding in the West. This development is reminiscent of the pivotal role the continent had earlier played in the formative years of Christianity. Historical records show that places such as Alexandria, Carthage, Hippo and Ethiopia produced prominent Christian theologians of that time. As Christianity today grows in Africa, there is a noticeable increase in the influence of African Pentecostalism that is shaping African Christianity. However, the current growth of African Christianity has yet to translate into the widespread and holistic significance it exerted in the early centuries, as African Christianity still attracts the stereotype of being “a mile wide, but only one inch deep”. Therefore, this paper employs historical analysis to present a power-purity pneumatology to reinvigorate African Pentecostalism and, in turn, impact African Christianity generally.