Book Reviews / Pneuma 35 (2013) 87-156
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Afro-Pentecostalism: Black Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity in History and Culture. Amos Yong and Estrelda Alexander, ed. (New York: New York University Press, 2011). 261 pp., $80 hardback; $30.00 paper; $13.20 kindle.
“We cannot truly understand or appreciate Pentecostalism as a global Christian phenome- non without understanding its deep (though not exclusive) roots in the African American religious world and in the Black Church tradition” (233-4), contends Dale Irvin. Amos Yong and Estrelda Alexander bring together a set of highly engaging reflections on the role of Afro-Pentecostalism within American Christianity. In his essay, Cecil Robeck appropriately contends that the African American nature of Pentecostalism has not been adequately mined. The collective story of these essays cries out for a hearing!
The first two essays address the culture of early Pentecostalism. Cecil Robeck considers the African American nature of the Azusa Mission; David Daniels addresses the relationship of Afro-Pentecostalism to civil society. When researched from the perspective of an African American church, notes Robeck, Azusa not only provides a challenge to the church at large, but a challenge of cooperation and community to other African American churches. In par- ticular, the mission seems to have given “more space in their midst for the recent influx of less educated, poorer African Americans” (22) in comparison to other African American churches. Robeck’s most significant challenge to the reader, however, is to recognize and appreciate the African American nature of the mission. Daniels highlights the significance of Afro-Pentecostalism to the broader African American community. “Afro-Pentecostalism would change the religious landscape of black Protestantism” (43), taking its place alongside Methodist and Baptist churches in the African American community. Afro-Pentecostalism calls Americans to consider the contributions of persons of color. “[I]nstead of embracing the dominant values and norms of white society that black civil society adopted, Afro- Pentecostalism challenged these values and norms at their core. Hence Afro-Pentecostalism was both a part of, and yet also separate from, the wider black community” (59-60). Together Daniels and Robeck set the stage for viewing Afro-Pentecostalism as a significant contribu- tor to the Pentecostal community and to the broader American society.
The second section provides four dynamic articles that address culture. Valerie Cooper looks at the received heritage from nineteenth century black women; Clarence Hardy con- siders the role of church mothers within Afro-Pentecostalism. Some women, such as Ida Robinson, Cooper points out, founded churches and denominations. Other women found voice in the midst of male-led churches as church mothers. Hardy highlights several women who in the role of church mother planted and nurtured churches. “[T]hey established a parallel power structure to that of male clergy” (86).
Two of the most riveting articles are Craig Scandrett-Letherman’s “Rites of Lynching and Rights of Dance,” and Louis B. Gallien, Jr.’s analysis of the contributions of Afro-Pentecostal- ism to popular music. At a glance, the subject matter of these two articles — that of lynching and pop music — seem to be extremely different and unrelated. Yet, by placing these articles together, Yong and Alexander convey the juxtaposition of tragedy and celebration that have challenged the African American community. Scandrett-Leatherman identifies the dance of African Americans as they celebrate the value of life in the midst of the dominant culture’s
© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2013 DOI: 10.1163/15700747-12341304
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Book Reviews / Pneuma 35 (2013) 87-156
devaluing life via the lynching tree. Gallien identifies tragedies in lives of three musicians — Sam Cooke, Donny Hathaway, and Marvin Gaye — whose music celebrated life.
Essays engaging ethics and pneumatology in the third section consider the role of Afro- Pentecostalism as a prophetic community. Leonard Lovett provides a fascinating reflection of his life, including his days as a student at Morehouse College where he “recall[ed] Dr. [Martin Luther] King and Malcolm X frequenting the campus” (155), to his being “liter- ally booed during an entire presentation at an SPS meeting in Vancouver in 1979” (159). Cheryl Sanders questions how Pentecostals can appropriately advocate for the rights of the poor, while not buying into the deficiencies within aspects of prosperity gospel. William C. Turner considers narrative, the struggle for social justice, liberation from oppression, and ecclesial ministry. Fredrick Ware addresses how liberationism interacts with eschatology within Afro-Pentecostalism. Particularly significant to Ware’s analysis is how Afro-Pentecos- tal premillennialism engages or fails to engage social inequities. Because of its premillenni- alist commitments, Ware argues, Pentecostalism emphasizes the individual, deemphasizing social structures. Ware calls for Pentecostals to reevaluate their eschatology, so that a con- structive liberation theology may be developed from a Pentecostal perspective.
The final essays consider a global context. Ogbu Kalu reflects upon members of the Afri- can American community who assume the biblical role of Joseph. Those who engage this perspective on missions to Africa see themselves as ones who had been sold into slavery, like Joseph, in the hopes that they might bring liberty to their family. Within Kalu’s essay, the intersections of African and African American Pentecostalism, including spiritual and cul- tural contributions are considered. In the concluding essay, Dale Irvin reengages the call of Leonard Lovett to develop a theology of social transformation, asking how such a theology can contribute to a global context. Irvin desires to bring black Pentecostalism into conversa- tion with black theology. The African American Pentecostal “churches have remained rela- tively silent on the themes that have animated black theology” (234), contends Irvin. Yet, reincorporating some of the themes from early Pentecostalism may provide an opportunity for Pentecostals to engage dynamics from black liberation theology. Black Pentecostalism and black theology could draw upon their common liberating dynamics, contributing to each other.
Edited volumes inherently tend to reveal to the reader that the articles came from varying sources. While this collection by Yong and Alexander reflect differing writers and perspec- tives, the essays work well together. Together, the writers tell the story of the value that the Afro-Pentecostal communities bring to the larger Christian community. Further, these essays cry out for researchers to mine the resources of Afro-Pentecostalism and to continue telling the Afro-Pentecostal stories.
Reviewed by Zachary Michael Tackett Assistant Professor of Theology Southeastern University, Lakeland, Florida [email protected]
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