The Study of Zambian Pentecostalism by Zambian Scholars: A Review

Among African countries, Zambia has the distinction of declaring itself a “Christian nation”. It did so in 1991 under the late former president, Frederick Chiluba, a Pentecostal. Successive governments have since not demonstrated any appetite to review this stance. This is mainly due to the influence of Pentecostalism on the Zambian psyche. This phenomenon of Zambian Pentecostalism has attracted the attention of scholars from abroad, as well as indigenous Zambian scholars. This chapter trails the contribution of Zambian scholars to the study of Zambian Pentecostalism with specific reference to Austin Mumba Cheyeka. It draws attention to the institutional context in which the study of Pentecostalism has been undertaken, alongside highlighting the major themes that have dominated the study of Zambian Pentecostalism. The chapter outlines the main achievements and challenges, as well as pointing out some neglected areas.