On 18th April 1906, the Los Angeles Daily announced that 'the newest religious sect has started in Los Angeles'. It was a reference to a church in Azuza Street near the centre of the city where people were celebrating baptism in the Holy Spirit and were speaking in tongues. Just three years after that event, the first Pentecostal church started in Australia, the Good News Hall, under the guidance of Mrs Sarah Jane Lancaster. One hundred years later and the Pentecostal and charismatic churches claim approximately one quarter of all people world-wide describing themselves as Christian and are second only to the Catholics in the numbers of followers.

A new study of Pentecostalism has been undertaken across 10 countries by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. Their research tells us much about the development of the Pentecostal churches and the directions in which the movement is heading. The study uses three distinct labels for its research:

1. Pentecostals belong to a Pentecostal denomination such as the Assemblies of God.
2. Charismatics are Christians who belong to a non-Pentecostal denomination, but who describe themselves as charismatic Christians, or Pentecostal Christians or who speak in tongues at least several times a year.
3. Renewalist refers to both Pentecostals and charismatics.

The Pew Forum used national data such as censuses supplemented by other surveys such as the World Values Survey to determine the overall numbers of Pentecostals and Protestants in the country. The information on the beliefs and practices of the Pentecostals and charismatics involved a survey of between 600 and 1000 people in the general populations in the various countries through face-to-face interviews (except in the United States where it was a telephone survey). It should be noted that in India, only three provinces were sampled. In Brazil, South Africa and South Korea, the surveys were based on urban samples. In each country, Pentecostals and charismatics were oversampled in order to provide samples mostly between 250 and 500 people in each category. The one exception was in Nigeria where only 67 charismatics were sampled.

The Pew Forum estimated that the total proportion of the population which could be described as 'renewalist' varied considerably from one country to another. Except in the parts of India surveyed, it was at least 10 per cent of the population and in the Philippines, Brazil, Guatemala and Kenya, close to half the population. Only in the United States, South Africa and South Korea were there more Protestants who were not part of the renewal movement than those who were (pp.2-3).

Many of those describing themselves as Pentecostals indicated in the survey that they were converts, often from Catholicism. In Brazil, Chile, Guatemala and the Philippines, more than one quarter of Pentecostals had been Catholics. In the United States, 43 per cent of Pentecostals were converts, most from Protestantism (27%) with just a few converted from Catholicism (6%). The number of converts is indicative of the continuing rapid growth of Pentecostalism in most countries around the world (p.33).

Twenty-nine per cent of charismatics in the USA also said that they had not always belonged to their current religion or denomination. In other countries, the number of converts among charismatics was generally much smaller. In South Korea and India, few, either of the charismatics or the Pentecostals, were converts.

Experiences

In all countries, Pentecostal and charismatic religious faith was characterised by the idea that God is involved in human life in significant ways. Most of these people reported having personally experienced divine healing, direct revelations from God and exorcism of evil spirits or the devil. Their services of worship generally included speaking in tongues, prophesying and other signs of the Spirit.

Nevertheless, not all Pentecostals or charismatics spoke in tongues themselves. In the United States, Brazil, South Africa, India, and the Philippines, between 40 and 50 per cent of all Pentecostals said they never spoke in tongues (p.14).

Prophesying and interpreting prophesy were reported less frequently than healings and exorcisms. Between 6 and 30 per cent of Pentecostals said they had given or interpreted prophecies (p.16).

Most renewalists reported that at one time or other they had received specific answers to prayer requests. While this was also true of some non-renewalist Christians, the survey found the latter were less frequent in claiming such experiences (p.16).

Practices

The Pentecostals and charismatics were generally more enthusiastic in practising their faith. They attended church more frequently than other Christians (p.17). Most of them prayed daily and many of them said they read the Bible daily (p.19). Fasting was less common, but occurred more frequently among renewalists than among other Christians. They also listened to religious radio programs or watched religious television programs more frequently than did other Christians (p.20).

In every country, apart from India, the majority of Pentecostals said they found opportunities to share their faith with non-believers at least once a week. Again, in every country, the Pentecostals were more frequent in sharing their faith than were the charismatics and much more so than other Christians (p.21).

Most Pentecostals were part of a prayer group or a Bible study group meeting at least once a week. Charismatics varied much more in their levels of involvement: from 70 per cent in Kenya and close to that in South Korea to only 15 per cent in Brazil (p.22).

Beliefs

The renewalists tended to hold their beliefs more intensely than most other Christians. More than 75 per cent of Pentecostals, except in the Philippines and in South Africa, hold that the Bible is the Word of God and is to be taken literally. Charismatics varied more in their attitudes to taking the Bible literally with close to half of them doing so in the United States, Brazil, Chile and the Phillipines, although around 80 per cent did so in South Korea, India, Guatemala, and 72 per cent in South Africa (p.23).

Most Pentecostals also believed in the rapture of the Church: that, before the world comes to an end, the faithful will be rescued and taken up to heaven. The charismatics were not quite so sure about their belief in the rapture, although the majority of them accepted the idea (p.24).

In six countries (the US, Chile, Guatemala, Kenya, India and South Korea), at least half of all Pentecostals said they believed that Jesus would return to earth during their lifetimes. In the other countries surveyed, a minority of Pentecostals took this point of view (p.24).

In most countries, between 72 and 84 per cent of the Pentecostals affirmed their belief that angels and demons were active in the world. In South Africa, India and Korea, the proportion affirming angels and demons was a little lower: close to 65 per cent. Again, charismatics also affirmed the activity of angels and demons but were less strong in their affirmation (p.26).

Most Pentecostals and charismatics believed that Christians have a duty to convert others. In general, this was associated with the belief that Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved from eternal damnation (p.27).

Close to 90 per cent of Pentecostals believe that God will grant health to believers. The one exception is the Pentecostals of the United States where only 68 per cent affirmed God would do this. The prosperity gospel that holds that God will grant believers wealth is less strongly affirmed. Nevertheless, it is affirmed by more than 80 per cent of Pentecostals in all countries surveyed except Chile (49%) and the USA (66%). The prosperity gospel is also affirmed by 70 per cent or more of charismatics in most countries. The exceptions were USA (59%), Brazil (61%), and Chile (36%). The survey found that the majority of other Christians who are not Pentecostals or charismatics in Latin America (apart from Chile), Africa and Asia also believed God blesses Christians with wealth with 43 per cent of other Christians in the USA concurring (p.29).

Despite the affirmation of the prosperity gospel, between 80 and 100 per cent of all Pentecostals and charismatics affirmed that Christians have a duty to work for justice for the poor. Nevertheless, the Pew Forum report indicated the majority of these people affirmed that if people were brought to Christ, social ills would take care of themselves (p.30).

Social and Moral Values

In most countries, Pentecostals and charismatics generally held that there are absolute standards of right and wrong (p.35). This was evident in their responses to questions about sexual morality. In every country but two, 80 per cent or more of Pentecostals said that homosexuality was always wrong. The two exceptions were Brazil (76%) and Chile (64%). There were similar attitudes to prostitution. In Kenya, Nigeria, India and South Korea around 90 per cent of Pentecostals indicated that extra-marital sex could never be justified. In other countries, the proportions feeling that way were considerably less, with around 64 per cent of Pentecostals in the US, Brazil and South Africa. In most countries, the vast majority of Pentecostals also felt that polygamy could never be justified. The exceptions were USA (71% ) and Kenya (77%) (p.36).

In general the proportions of charismatics indicating that homosexuality, prostitution, extra-marital sex and polygamy could never be justified were less than the Pentecostals, but more than other Christians.

More than three-quarters of all Pentecostals in South Korea, and two-thirds of Pentecostals in Kenya saw AIDS as God's punishment for immoral sexual behaviour. This was also true of around half of Pentecostals in Guatemala, Nigeria, India and the Philippines. However, only 34 per cent of Pentecostals in USA and 37 per cent in South Africa agreed. In South Africa, a higher percentage (46%) of Christians who were neither Pentecostal nor charismatic saw AIDS as God's punishment (p.37).

Most Pentecostals and charismatics were opposed to abortion. However, there was greater division among them as to whether the government should interfere with people's ability to obtain an abortion. Many people felt that while they were personally opposed to abortion, their governments should not prohibit women from seeking an abortion (p.38).

The Pew Forum report noted that, in most countries, drinking alcoholic beverages was less acceptable than getting a divorce (p.39). In Brazil, for example, 72 per cent said that drinking alcohol was never justified, while only 37 per cent of Pentecostals said that getting a divorce was never justified. In the Unitied States, 48 per cent of Pentecostals considered drinking alcohol unacceptable in every situation, while only 15 per cent felt that divorce was always unacceptable. In many countries, more than 70 per cent of Pentecostals said drinking alcohol was never acceptable.

In terms of gender roles, there was widespread support among Pentecostals, in particular, and among most charismatics, for equality of gender roles in relation to the work place. Most Pentecostals and, to a slightly lesser extent, charismatics, were happy for women to serve as pastors of churches. On the other hand, the majority of Pentecostals in the African countries, India and the Philippines agreed with the statement that a wife should always obey her husband (pp.40-41).

Political Views

Traditionally, Pentecostals have had comparatively little involvement in politics. In South America, they have often been contrasted with some Catholic groups that have seen political involvement as an important expression of their faith. However, in most countries today, the majority of Pentecostals and charismatics saw it as appropriate for religious groups to express their views on political questions. The only exceptions to this were India (48%) and South Korea (50%) where close to half felt that it was appropriate to express views, and a slightly smaller proportion felt that religious groups should keep out of political matters (p.57). On the other hand, most Pentecostals said they never or only rarely discussed politics with their friends and family. The same was true of most charismatics (p.61).

In most countries surveyed, the majority of Christians, including both Pentecostals and charismatics, saw the corruption of political leaders as a very big problem. Corruption was seen as an issue least in the United States, although even here 56 per cent of Pentecostals and 55 per cent of charismatics felt that it was a substantial problem - along with 52 per cent of other Christians (p.64). Most Pentecostals and charismatics feel that it is important for political leaders to have strong religious beliefs (p.58). On the other hand, in most countries, a small majority believed that there should be a separation of church and state, rather than the government to be explicitly Christian. The major exceptions to this were the USA (52%) and Nigeria (58%) where the majority of Pentecostals felt that the government should make the country Christian. Charismatics generally did not agree with them.

Opinions about the US-led war on terror varied considerably from one country to another. In most places, Pentecostals and charismatics have similar attitudes to each other and to other members of the population. There was moderate opposition to the war on terror in the Latin American countries with around 60 per cent opposing it and a little less than 40 per cent supporting it. In South Korea, the opposition was stronger. On the other hand, there was general support for the US-led war in Kenya, among the Christians in Nigera (but not among the Muslim part of the population), India and the Philippines, and, of course, in the United States. South Africa was divided in its opinions (p.68).

Conclusions

The Pentecostal movement has arisen out of the Pietistic tradition of faith in the Church with a strong emphasis on personal beliefs, devotions and moral behaviour. It has become a very significant expression of Christian faith in many countries around the world.

The Pentecostals and, to a lesser extent, charismatic Christians distinguish themselves from other Christians by their enthusiasm for their personal faith. They distinguish themselves by their belief that God is active in visible and particular ways in everyday life.

However, Pentecostalism, and to a greater extent, charismatic Christianity, hold a variety of ideas about how God operates in the world. Some practise speaking in tongues, but others do not. Some believe God blesses people with wealth while others disagree. Some see AIDS as God's punishment, others do not. While some accept divorce, others do not. While most Pentecostals and charismatics are not focussed on political issues themselves and believe that the best way to help other human beings is through converting them to faith in Jesus Christ, many do believe that it is appropriate for the churches to express their views on political issues.

Philip Hughes

Reference:

The Pew Forum on Religion
and Public Life, Spirit and Power: A 10-Country Survey of
Pentecostals, Pew Forum, October 2006. The report is available on
the internet: http://pewforum.org/surveys/pentecostal.