a contextual missiology of the spirit - eTheses Repository ...

and Lewis Houston and Bill O’Leary who come as occasional teachers while
others come to offer ministerial training to pastors of FFCI. Some of them are
allowed to teach short courses which are not included in the curriculum. Not all
that they teach may have relevance in the Rajasthan context, but the college is
interested to keep its link with global Charismatic partners. FBC is planning to
offer a Masters Degree programme in Pentecostal Studies in the near future, and
the curriculum for this is in the process of being developed. 56 The desire of the
Governing Body of FBC is to obtain validation for these programmes from a
western university.
5.5. Pentecostals and the Missio-ethical Dilemma
Having reached the dawn of the Third Millennium Pentecostals in Rajasthan seem
to be in a dilemma because of various issues, like the religio-political challenges,
the socio-economic status of Pentecostals, and the global- local tensions. As this
predicament has both missiological and ethical aspects, I refer to it as a ‘missio-
ethical dilemma.’ At the same time, this issue seems to be a tension between
‘mission’ and ‘ethics.’ This dilemma involves some complex issues. Some
Pentecostal leaders think that they have to move away from the tribal
communities and other poor elements of society and focus on the urban middle
class. Because of the accusation that Pentecostals as a group have focused on the
weak and poor segments of society, they consider that, in line with global
Pentecostals, at least in some places in the West, they can prosper to become an
affluent middle class religion. They argue that such an attempt can be an answer
56 I was also asked to contribute my input.
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