Tracing a Personal Journey Towards Women in African Pentecostalism

Pentecostal Christianity has elevated some women who find alternative pathways to church leadership in Pentecostal spirituality. It has also been noted that, to some extent, there is positive affirmation of womanhood in a number of Pentecostal churches in Africa which makes Pentecostal movements in Africa especially attractive to women. This chapter will explain how my interest in African Pentecostalism as practiced by African women developed. This would underscore my personal journey into the field. It shall introduce the origins of Pentecostalism in the Kenyan context. Further, it shall provide an overview of three essays arising from my work on women in African Pentecostalism. These essays document women’s lives thus providing space for the articulations of their voices. This chapter shall also pay attention to my further reflection of these essays which ensured a conscious partiality for women in African Pentecostalism. Further, the thread that runs across these essays in relation to the position in relation to the status and role of women in African Pentecostalism shall be made explicit.