Historicizing Christian independency: The southern African Pentecostal movement c. 1908-60

Early studies of Zionist-type independency were historically weak. Missiolo gists and sociologists ignored the question of origins, preferring instead to consider issues of syncretism, authenticity and cultural resilience. Whe n historians did study Zionist churches it was primarily to demonstrate ind ependency's supposed proto-nationalist character. By combining an internati onal and regional perspective with a thorough marshalling of the historical sources, this paper illuminates Zionist-type independency's common origin and transnational character by situating it in the global pentecostal movem ent. At the same time it demonstrates pentecostalism's remarkable capacity to take on local colour in different contexts. Taking the case of the Apost olic Faith Mission, a major catalyst of pentecostal advance, the paper cont rasts its sympathetic response from the South African state with its frosty reception in Southern Rhodesia.