Pentecostal Christology (Empirical Approach in Indian Context)

The book investigates and presents the nature of Christology among ordinary Pentecostals in India. Pentecostalism is growing rapidly among Tribal-groups, Dalits, lower castes and ordinary people. However, the movement has not articulated its theological identity in order to consolidate and further its development.

This research work has meticulously analysed and systematised the Christology of Indian Pentecostals using qualitative research methods. Ordinary Indian Pentecostals understand Jesus as the healer, exorcist, provider and protector in the context of poor healthcare, a spirit worldview, extreme poverty, caste-system and religious persecution. Their Christian experience enables them to acknowledge Jesus as the Saviour, Lord and supreme God. These Christological themes are consonant with the larger Pentecostal tradition, theology and indeed the New Testament testimony. This work critically engages with scholarship in Pentecostalism and the broader Christian tradition to propose a modification of these Christological categories.

Dr. Shaibu Abraham holds a Ph.D in Pentecostal Theology from the University of Birmingham, the United Kingdom and now is on the faculty of the India Bible College & Seminary, Kerala. He is also author of the books, Pentecostal Theology of Liberation, The History of the Pentecostal Movements in North India and other articles in various books and journals. He is married to Sheena and now lives in Kumbanad, Kerala.

The Pentecostal movement is one of the major Christian denominations in India today. In the Indian sub-continent, the Pentecostal movement is growing fast. The World Christian Encyclopedia, the reputed source book of World Christianity terms India as one of the major hubs of Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity. As we stand at the verge of the third decade of the twenty first century, religious observers, sociologists and Christian theologians acknowledge the remarkable growth of Pentecostalism all over India, especially in north India among the Tribals, Dalits, and lower castes in rural areas as well as among middle class in urban centres. Nevertheless, until recently, the growth and expansion of the movement in India has not been noticed or documented. Even now it is hard to ascertain the extent and pace of its growth and consolidation, however, the recent testimonies and researches have shown that the movement is growing fast.

Even though the movement has been growing at a fast pace, it faces adverse external challenges such as religious pluralism, cultural diversity, poverty, caste- oppression, communalism and especially a recent spate of violence against Christians. These elements have affected the growth and consolidation of the movement negatively. On the other, there are various issues within the movement like schism, caste-consciousness, leadership conflicts and cross-cultural differences. Within this context, the movement faces a fundamental problem, namely the lack of an articulated theology, especially with regard to Christology which can affect the movement in the long run.

The task of retrieving the theology of the Indian Pentecostal movement is painstaking. The pioneers of the movement were so engrossed in their mission that they were wary of developing a carefully articulated theology of their vibrant faith. Nevertheless, a close observation reveals that Indian Pentecostals have a rich tradition of oral theology informed by their experiences. Given the above- mentioned community struggles, the time has come to systematise those rich experiential elements into popular theological categories.

**Contents and Sample Pages**