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In honour of Prof Nico Botha, this article is a contextual reading of Luke 4:16-19. The article addresses social issues like poverty, captivity, oppression and bondage not only as the mission of Christ but in the context of the poor and the marginalized in the city of Tshwane. These are the same social ills that the homeless in the city of Tshwane experience in their everyday life. Literature review on the topic of social justice demonstrates a relationship between social justice and social poverty. It also demonstrates that homelessness is associated with social factors like unemployment, poverty and inequality. However, the literature review on social justice demonstrates the research gap in studying the subject from Luke 4:16-19. Equally so the context of Luke 4:16-19 demonstrates a research gap in applying the text in the context of the homeless in the city of Tshwane. To address the two research gaps, this article reads Luke 4:16-19 in the context of the homeless in the city of Tshwane.

Pentecostal ecotheology presents a holistic approach to healing that recognises the inherent worth of all creation and the interconnectedness of human and nonhuman creation. It draws on the Pentecostal full gospel and the experiences of biblical Pentecost to inspire an expansive pneumatology that transcends an anthropocentric soteriology and views the entire cosmos as the altar where human and nonhuman creation can tarry for and experience the sacred presence, power, and conviction of the Holy Spirit with a sense of eschatological urgency such that (inter alia) repentance from ecological transgression becomes normative. This framework envisions all of creation participating in the Spirit's presence, power, gifting, and renewal. Leveraging Pentecostal ecotheology for holistic healing involves intentionally engaging, replicating, and contextualising the pneumatological experiences of the biblical Pentecost. It also involves embracing the pneumatological continuity between us and the biblical charismatic communities, enabling us to administer healing in contemporary environmental contexts through the Spirit's anointing. Engaging in ecotheological intercession, overcoming the creational desacralisation that leads to the mechanistic exploitation of creation, and adopting a Spirit-born sense of solidarity with creation are further essential strategies for leveraging Pentecostal ecotheology for holistic healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intersections of migration and mission have been studied in past, but little has been developed regarding theoretical frameworks for approaching the subject from the discipline of missiology. This calls for the development of a framework that will assist in the missiological approach to migration and mission. The current study reflects on the current missiological approaches to migration and mission to identify the existing gaps such as relevance to Pentecostalism. To fill the gaps, this article brings together three theories of pneumatological imagination, missiological spirit and missional imagination to develop a pneumatological missional imagination. The findings are that a pneumatological missional imagination is relevant for dealing with some of the challenges in migration and mission in Pentecostalism such as an inability to minister relevantly to the host countries, cultural differences, and orientation to the mission of God. These challenges are outlined by using the Apostolic Faith Mission Ministry International in the United Kingdom (AFMIMUK) as a case study. The pneumatological missional imagination is relevant for witnessing to others, speaking foreign languages, and orientation to the mission of God. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the contended issues in Pentecostal studies is the exclusion or inclusion of African Independent Churches (AICs) as part of the Pentecostal tradition. This article resuscitates this old debate by looking specifically into the inclusion or exclusion of Zionist AICs in the Pentecostal tradition to make a theological contribution. This will be achieved by briefly discussing the Zionist AICs in the South African context. The various factors that contribute to who or what qualifies to be Pentecostal will be discussed by conceptualising Pentecostal identity. In other words, the research question to be answered is on top of which mountain do we stand to include or exclude Zionist AICs in the Pentecostal tradition? Therefore, this article will discuss the theological criteria used to include the Zionist AICs in Pentecostalism. Similarly, the theological criteria for the exclusion of the Zionist AICs will be discussed in detail. The aim and objective of this article are to attempt to answer the question are Zionist AICs Pentecostal? This will have implications for the study of Pentecostal theology in the South African context. Data was collected by reviewing and analysing literature on the AICs and their relationship with the Pentecostal tradition within a theological framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covenant theology seeks to explore the connection between deity and humanity which spans from the time of creation to the time when God sent his son to redeem the world from sin. The main tenets of the covenant theology also known as covenantalism are the covenant of works mainly found in the creation story. Second, it is the covenant of grace based on the promises of eternal life through faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ, and embracement of the Holy Spirit. The third component of covenant theology is the covenant of redemption which recognizes the sending of the Son of God into the world to die for the sins of the people. This article argued that covenantalism in the Pentecostal movement is not a mere doctrine based on these three tenets but rather is pneumatologically defined as a way of dealing with adversity. This is demonstrated through the theoretical framework of the pneumatological imagination in illustrating how Pentecostals in Africa are rooted in the covenant between them and their God through the Holy Spirit. Thus pneumatology in Pentecostalism becomes the foundation for the Pentecostal pneumatological covenant theology of dealing with adversity. This changes how we study covenant theolog., It is not only about religious doctrine but also a means of dealing with adversity. The study is a literature review within qualitative methodology. The study makes an important contribution to covenant theology by suggesting a theology of dealing with adversity beyond doctrinal issues. Therefore, covenant theology should be studied by taking into cognizance the role of the Holy Spirit within the framework of pneumatological imagination in helping believers overcome adversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current state of urban planning in South Africa excludes allocation for church land. In many South African cities, there is a temporary structure for church fellowship within neo-Pentecostalism. A literature review shows that many neo-Pentecostal churches still conduct fellowship in tents and shacks, which poses health hazards for congregants and followers of these churches. Furthermore, some of the neo-Pentecostal churches rent industrial or even community buildings for church services every week. These kinds of temporary structures, tents, and rentals make neo-Pentecostal churches to be very unmanageable in local governments. This article is a literature analysis that argues within the framework of land reform that landless neo-Pentecostal churches should be included in urban planning for the sustainable development of South African cities. This article found that when neo-Pentecostal churches are properly registered and given a portion of land to build proper church structures, local governments will be able to manage these churches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article problematises the inward-looking approach adopted by classical Pentecostalism in a South African context. A literature review on White-led classical Pentecostal churches reveals that in their early development, these churches were inward-looking and only concentrated on their theology of Spirit baptism, evangelism, and eschatological expectations. This inward-looking approach made classical Pentecostalism passive in response to socio-economic and socio-political issues. Issues such as racial segregation and economic challenges are highlighted here to demonstrate classical Pentecostalism's non-engagement. The aim of this article is the rationale the benefits for classical Pentecostal churches in broadening their ways of engaging with South African society. This can be done by learning from African Independent Pentecostal Churches whose theology on socio-economic and socio-political issues is exceedingly outward-looking. These lessons have implications for Blackness as they demonstrate that Black leaders can change their circumstances without the supervision of Whiteness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies on media and Pentecostalism have demonstrated the role of media in the growth of the Pentecostal movement worldwide. A literature review on the mediatization of dangerous practices in the new prophetic churches demonstrates that mass media is pivotal in making the religious sphere more popular in the public sphere. This changes the discourses on the relationship between Pentecostalism and media with some implications for both South African and Global Pentecostalism. Pentecostalism and media are no longer understood only in terms of the church square but also in terms of the public sphere. Discourses on the relationship between media and Pentecostalism will be explored with particular reference to African Pentecostalism. The different dangerous faith practices and how they were reported by mass media shall be highlighted in detail. The rationale behind this reporting will be discussed to show some implications for both South African and global Pentecostalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A scholarship of engagement is an approach that connects knowledge systems to the challenges facing society in a meaningful way. This article reviews the literature on Pentecostal missiology to make a new contribution through a scholarship of engagement. Previous studies on Pentecostal missiology have focused on how Pentecostals conduct their mission and very little on how they engage societal problems. This leaves a gap in how Pentecostal missiology as a discipline engages wounded society, particularly in a South African context. Wounds found within South African society, such as gender-based violence, crime, effects of COVID-19, corruption, climate change, and economic crises are highlighted. This article aims to illustrate that Pentecostal missiology must be aware of societal wounds to be able to truly engage with wounded societies. The study challenges Pentecostal missiologists to not only focus on Pentecostal missions inwardly but to also engage society and its challenges through a scholarship of engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prayer is traditionally used as a way of communicating with God and giving petitions to Him. However, within African neo-Pentecostal spirituality, prayer is more than communication and petitions; it is a way of addressing the evil forces in the spiritual realm. This is informed by the link that African neo-Pentecostals make between life challenges and evil forces in the spirit realm. In other words, problems such as diseases, sicknesses, miscarriages, misfortune, curses, and others are seen as coming from the spirit realm and as being caused by evil spirits. Surprisingly, even problems of unemployment, visa application, poverty, and inequality are linked to the evil forces in the spirit realm by some African neo-Pentecostals. Previous studies have addressed this phenomenon within the context of African neo-Pentecostal spirituality. What is new in this article is the development of a theology of spiritual warfare within the African neo-Pentecostal spirituality. This article argued that not every situation emanates from the spirit realm. Some challenges have a human element of incompetencies, greed, corruption, and so forth. The study is a literature review on spiritual warfare. The study makes a new contribution to the Pentecostal theology of spiritual warfare by paying attention to other life challenges that are not linked to evil forces. This changes how Pentecostal scholars and theologians study the concept of spiritual warfare, there is a need for considering other causative factors in life situations. It is recommended here that a Pentecostal theology of spiritual warfare should holistically look at life rather than always perceiving all life challenges as emanating from the spirit realm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article builds on and contributes to work in the field of syncretism in some neo-Pentecostal ministries. While some studies have investigated the increasing syncretistic practices within certain neo-Pentecostal groups, there has been a lack of emphasis on the similarities and differences between sangomas who strictly follow African Indigenous Religion and sangomas who are spiritual leaders in certain ministries. In certain neo-Pentecostal ministries, sangomas have risen to leadership roles, even founding their congregations. The rapid growth or trend of sangomas on the pulpit is sometimes characterised by condemnation and hostility against "born-again" Christians. Sangomas, who are usually prophets or pastors, attempt to ascertain that the "born-again" have lost their identities because they believe in Western theologies. This article draws strongly on the concept of syncretism as the theoretical framework. Employing the evidence provided in the literature through a literary analysis, this article intends to examine and expose the current trends of syncretism. This article also uses a few cases of neo-Pentecostal ministers who have adopted sangomic practices in their pulpits. Some of the practices were observed by the authors through the participant observation method. Accordingly, it will further identify the failure of westernised Christianity, which was one of the stumbling blocks for Christianity to be integrated into the indigenous historical tradition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apostolic Faith Mission International (AFMI) is a classical Pentecostal denomination with branches all over the world. In Africa, it has more than one million members spread in countries like South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and others. The AFMI in Africa has managed to grow due to its ability to minister relevantly to the people of Africa and their cultures. However, through an observation participation method, the study found that there is a different trend in the growth of Apostolic Faith Mission International Ministries United Kingdom (AFMIMUK). AFMIMUK has grown in the past three decades, but the church is not able to penetrate the local context due to local cultural challenges. As a result, their growth is based on gathering African immigrants in the UK. The article discusses these cultural challenges identified as individualism, reserved liturgy, monoculturalism, and unilingualism within the theoretical framework of ethnography to find a possible solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]