Beyond Belief: How Pentecostal Christianity is taking over the world, by Elle Hardy

Author: Elle Hardy. Review by Reg Naulty

Pentecostals now comprise one quarter of the world’s Christians, up from just six per cent in 1980. By 2050, one billion people will be part of the movement. The cliché about Pentecostalism is that it is about health, wealth, and the second coming of Christ. It holds that after forgiveness we may be sanctified, but adds a further key step: we may then be filled with the Holy Spirit, as though Pentecost were endlessly repeated.

Somewhat like Friends, Pentecostals prize personal experience over written truth, although they insist on biblical literalness, and are absolutist on doctrine. One of the few criticisms of Elle Hardy’s engrossing book is that she doesn’t make it clear what these doctrines are.

Some of the greatest successes of Pentecostalism come in countries with shamanistic cultures. More than half of Zimbabwe’s population belong to Pentecostal churches. In Lagos, Nigeria, probably the most religious city on earth, there are Pentecostal churches and Pentecostal mosques. Some people attend a Pentecostal church on Sunday morning and a Pentecostal mosque on Sunday afternoon. ‘It’s no big deal,’ one of them said to the author, ‘Christians celebrate one prophet, Muslims another.’

Pentecostalism performs differently around the world. One disturbing event occurred in Guatemala in 1982. President Rios Montt, an ardent Pentecostal, had the view that the local Maya culture was demonic, and carried out sixty-nine massacres in his first year of government.

There is no top-down control of national or international Pentecostalism, and churches are jealous of their autonomy. Nevertheless, schemes for political control have been sketched out, covering control of education, religion, family, business, government, arts and entertainment, and media. The seven mandates seem to have become part of Pentecostal culture.

Why has Pentecostalism been such a success? The service itself is attractive, with singing and dancing. But the main reason seems to lie in a comment made to the author in Brazil: ‘The difference between Pentecostalism and Catholicism is that Pentecostalism says you can be happy in this life.’ It is not surprising that poor people respond enthusiastically to the message that they can be spiritually fulfilled, healthy, and financially secure. If that is the secret of success, what will happen if the promise is not delivered? And will people still need the movement when these goods have been obtained?

It is difficult not to have reservations. More than half of Pentecostals believed that Donald Trump was anointed by God, and they feel besieged by those who have no religion. If Pentecostals ever achieve political power, they are unlikely to have much sympathy for them.

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