African Pentecostalism and Social Action

Joseph Bosco Bangura (PhD, VU University Amsterdam and ETF Leuven) was Academic Dean and Senior Lecturer in Mission Studies and Intercultural Theologies of African Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements at The Evangelical College of Theology, Sierra Leone. He is a postdoctoral fellow at the Faculty of Theology, North-West University, South Africa.

The recent rise of African Pentecostalism and the movement's progression beyond the isolationist posture that once characterized its history continues to generate scholarly inquiry. While many approach the social engagement programs of African Pentecostalism from a historical perspective, no attempt has been made to apply an intercultural and contextual perspectives on Africa's fight against poverty and strive to attain economic development. This work uses the experiences of the National Pentecostal Mission (NPM), Sierra Leone, to address this conceptual gap and proffers a rejoinder to the perceived problem of African Pentecostalism's social inaction. By using localized research drawn from the experiences of the National Pentecostal Mission, this study profiles the development aspirations and consequences of African Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements. It critically examines how the theology of this indigenous Pentecostal denomination inspired the mission to take onboard social action programs that bear relevance on the political, social and economic development of Sierra Leone.