Review of Brill’s Encyclopedia of Global Pentecostalism

Wilkinson, Michael. Brill’s Encyclopedia of Global Pentecostalism. Leiden: Brill, 2021, pp. 810, $295, hardback.

Overall, Brill’s Encyclopedia of Global Pentecostalism will make a meaningful addition to the reference section of seminary and university libraries. The resource will be highly beneficial for professors and students desiring to get a more current and broader introduction to the modern Pentecostal/Charismatic movement worldwide.

For over a century, Pentecostalism has been changing the face of global Christianity. Moreover, the global presence of the Pentecostal faith has changed Pentecostalism itself. In light of this, defining, counting, conceptualizing, and theologizing about Pentecostalism around the world has become increasingly more complex. Gone are the days when Pentecostalism could be considered merely as a movement that originated in US and expanded globally after Pentecostal missionaries traveled. Instead, the editors of Brill’s Encyclopedia of Global Pentecostalism (BEGP) invite their readers to rethink the contours, expressions, and development of Pentecostalism from a global perspective.

Toward this aim, the editors begin with guiding essays and statistical information meant to introduce the current state of global Pentecostalism. Recognizing the dynamism, fluidity, and diversity of Pentecostal faith around the world, a new and helpful methodology is developed and explained followed by the most recent data for assessing the worldwide growth of Pentecostalism. Looking at the big picture, the explosive growth of Pentecostalism over the past century can be quantified when considering it had around one million adherents in 1900, which grew to over 640 million by 2020 when combining statistics of Pentecostals, Charismatics, and Independent Charismatics. Using this threefold typology, eight summary tables are produced providing an eye-opening demographic overview of the global context of the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement from 1900-2020, including estimated projections for 2050. Additionally, a 14-page table is meticulously put together to provide a comprehensive and comparative (1970/2020) analysis of Pentecostalism by country, region, continent, and the globe. Following the introductory essays and statistical data, BEGP includes over 400 articles offering a wide-ranging exploration of global Pentecostalism at its present state. Usefully, all the articles are organized in alphabetical order covering four main areas: geographical studies by regions and countries, thematic and topical analyses, biographical sketches of prominent figures, and historical summaries of movements/organizations. It is not an exaggeration to say the list of authors is literally an index of who’s who among contemporary scholars of Pentecostalism writing on their main areas of expertise. In addition, the contributors consist of a great mix of senior and upcoming scholars who are respected as top specialists in their field of study. Moreover, true to the global nature of Pentecostalism, the dictionary editors managed to put together a group of diverse authors with regard to gender, racial and ethnic background, denominational affiliation, geographical location, institutional representation, and academic ranking.

Another notable development of the last twenty years has been the maturing of Pentecostal/Charismatic scholarship, especially in the field of theology. Pentecostalism has come of age theologically, and for this reason, the collection of articles on most of the main systematic foci are a much-needed contribution made by BEGP.

Gauging from the high cost of BEGP, however, it is more likely this resource will be housed at a seminary or university library as an excellent reference help for students desiring to study Pentecostalism. Though the older New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements (2002) still retains value as a compendium of biographical, historical and theological essays, the last twenty years has seen the flourishing of newer churches, ministries, and developments that required a scholarly assessment. For example, BEGP includes articles on Bethel Church, Hillsong, and Planetshakers which have become influential churches in the contemporary praise and worship scene worldwide. Moreover, when the New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements was published some persons and movements were too recent for authors to attain greater academic detachment that leads to a more critical assessment and eludes mere celebratory depiction. As a result of this, the article entries on the “Toronto Blessing,” “Inter-religious Relations,” the “Prosperity Gospel,” and the Brazilian “Universal Church of the Kingdom of God,” to name a few, exhibit more balanced overviews and appraisals of both positive and negative impacts, which at times only comes with historical distance.

Another notable development of the last twenty years has been the maturing of Pentecostal/Charismatic scholarship, especially in the field of theology. Pentecostalism has come of age theologically, and for this reason, the collection of articles on most of the main systematic foci are a much-needed contribution made by BEGP. Indeed, the theological introductions to the doctrines like ecclesiology, eschatology, pneumatology, soteriology among others help to substantiate the present rigor, breadth, and depth the movement has attained within academic circles. Each of the articles provide helpful summaries pointing to key essays and monographs by recognized Pentecostal/Charismatic authors and serve as great starting points for understanding the main contours of Pentecostal theology.

In relation to these theological articles, two shortcomings need to be addressed. The first is the surprising absence of specific articles on Christology, God (theology proper), and the Trinity. Though it could be argued they are sufficiently discussed within other articles that touch on these doctrines, surely a few more pages could have been added to outline these significant topics, especially for such a long-awaited project. The second critique concerns the lack of diversity within the authors chosen to cover these doctrinal emphases. Though biographical, historical, and regional articles exhibit well-rounded diversity of authorship, it is disappointing that theological articles were assigned mainly to European and US male authors with the only exception of the one on anthropology written by Ilana Van Wyk. Surely the modern Pentecostal/Charismatic movement now counts with equally competent theologians who better represent the majority world.

Conversely, greater diversity of authorship is achieved in articles focused on other interdisciplinary fields that are welcome additions for the study of Pentecostalism. For example, the inclusion of articles on the topics of science, ecology, ethics, history, psychology, and sociology reveals significant forays into the scholarly study of the Spirit-filled life. Even more promising, BEGP contains illuminating articles that provide valuable surveys highlighting Pentecostal insights into issues like colonialism, gender, globalization, migration, mysticism, politics, racism, secularization, sexuality, and socialization.

Overall, Brill’s Encyclopedia of Global Pentecostalism will make a meaningful addition to the reference section of seminary and university libraries. The resource will be highly beneficial for professors and students desiring to get a more current and broader introduction to the modern Pentecostal/Charismatic movement worldwide. Given the growth and influence of Pentecostalism today, it has become essential to the study of church history, missions, theology, etc. to have a less myopic outlook when exploring the global Christian church. This work will provide helpful starting points, different perspectives, and useful expansions for thinking more globally about the story and work of the church in the 21^st century.