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Pentecostalism and Neo-Liberal Capitalism: Faith, Prosperity and Vision in African Pentecostal- Charismatic Churches
Abstract
Focusing on the phenomenal popularity of Pentecostal-Charismatic
Churches (PCCs) in Africa, this article addresses the apparent consonance
between the rise of this type of Christianity and the spread of neo-liberal
capitalism. It is argued that Max Weber’s Protestant Ethic can serve as a
source of inspiration for grasping this phenomenon, but should not be
employed as a blue print because this would blind us to certain aspects of
PCCs that markedly digress from Weber’s model. A plea is made for
investigating central features of PCCs—the emphasis on Born Again faith in
miracles, the promise of Prosperity, and the entanglement of media with the
message—so as to gain insight in their enmeshment with capitalism, as well as into the internal limitations and contradictions implied by this.
Churches (PCCs) in Africa, this article addresses the apparent consonance
between the rise of this type of Christianity and the spread of neo-liberal
capitalism. It is argued that Max Weber’s Protestant Ethic can serve as a
source of inspiration for grasping this phenomenon, but should not be
employed as a blue print because this would blind us to certain aspects of
PCCs that markedly digress from Weber’s model. A plea is made for
investigating central features of PCCs—the emphasis on Born Again faith in
miracles, the promise of Prosperity, and the entanglement of media with the
message—so as to gain insight in their enmeshment with capitalism, as well as into the internal limitations and contradictions implied by this.
