African Scholars and African Pentecostalism: Achievements, Challenges and Possible New Directions

From being remotely present in the study of African Pentecostalism in the late 1980s and early 1990s, African scholars now have a significant presence in the field. African scholars are actively contributing to the shaping of the field of African Pentecostalism. This chapter surveys the output by African scholars writing on the phenomenon. It highlights their achievements, drawing attention to the heavy odds they have to overcome for them to be able to communicate their findings in a published form. The chapter outlines some of the more prominent areas where the contributions of African scholars are discernible. It also draws attention to the challenges accompanying the contributions of African scholars to the study of African Pentecostalism, while also mapping some of the possible new directions.