Proselytism, retention and re-affiliation : the hybridisation of an Assembly of God Church
This study provides a qualitative analysis of an Assembly of God Pentecostal church in the North East of England. The research employed an ethnographic framework incorporating overt participant observation and in-depth interviews over the period of one year at the City Christian Centre. In addition, a number of other churches (of varying denominations) were visited and observed. In this work, former interpretations within the sociology of religion, regarding membership and recruitment, are challenged and new perspectives offered. Few ethnographic studies of conservative evangelical Christians in the United Kingdom exist and quantitative work on this group, generally, has failed to define significant concepts such as salvation and conversion adequately. While such concepts remain foundational to the conservative evangelical believer, a significant transformation of religious expression is taking place within contemporary British Pentecostalism. This thesis gives an account of a synthesis between classical Pentecostals and the Charismatic movement that is creating a distinct form of spiritual expression resulting in a hybrid church. This fusion of traditions affects congregations in a number of important areas.
Gold, Malcolm
BL Religion ; BR Christianity
Proselytism, retention and re-affiliation : the hybridisation of an Assembly of God Church. This study provides a qualitative analysis of an Assembly of God Pentecostal church in the North East of England. The research employed an ethnographic framework incorporating overt participant observation and in-depth interviews over the period of one year at the City Christian Centre. In addition, a number of other churches (of varying denominations) were visited and observed. In this work, former interpretations within the sociology of religion, regarding membership and recruitment, are challenged and new perspectives offered. Few ethnographic studies of conservative evangelical Christians in the United Kingdom exist and quantitative work on this group, generally, has failed to define significant concepts such as salvation and conversion adequately. While such concepts remain foundational to the conservative evangelical believer, a significant transformation of religious expression is taking place within contemporary British Pentecostalism. This thesis gives an account of a synthesis between classical Pentecostals and the Charismatic movement that is creating a distinct form of spiritual expression resulting in a hybrid church. This fusion of traditions affects congregations in a number of important areas.
retention affiliation assembly god church study provide qualitative_analysis assembly god pentecostal church north_east_england employ ethnographic framework incorporate overt participant_observation depth_interview period city christian centre addition number church vary denomination visit observe work former interpretation within sociology religion regard membership recruitment challenge new_perspective offer ethnographic_study conservative evangelical christians united_kingdom exist quantitative work group generally fail define significant concept salvation conversion adequately concept remain foundational conservative evangelical believer significant transformation religious_expression take_place within_contemporary british pentecostalism give_account synthesis classical charismatic movement create distinct_form spiritual expression result hybrid church fusion tradition affect congregation number_important area