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

eligio-political challenges such as the minority crisis, religious intolerance and
persecution.
Chapter five showed that apart from issues from outside, Pentecostals face several
challenges from within the movement. The socio-economic status of
Pentecostalism as well as the inter-denominational issues in Rajasthan is affecting
the image of the movement and causing problems within and outside the
community. Moreover, inter-cultural issues have created a north Indian- south
Indian divide within the movement. On the one hand, Pentecostalism is growing,
and on the other, the churches are divided into fragments.
At the same time, the impact of the globalization of Pentecostalism on
Pentecostals in Rajasthan is considerable. Local Pentecostal spirituality is affected
by global Charismatic features, creating tensions within the movement. On the
one hand, Pentecostals are culturally sensitive, and on the other, globally dynamic.
While Pentecostals in Rajasthan are identified with the growing global Pentecostal
movement, they also struggle to maintain their indigenous identity. The local
Pentecostals are in a missio-ethical dilemma due to issues from within and
without the movement. The socio-economic status of Pentecostals and the change
in the religio-political context of Rajasthan, as well as the impact of global
Pentecostalism, have placed Pentecostals in this dilemma. This is an indication of
the constant and ‘creative tension’ 1 within the movement.
1
This term is used by Bosch to explain the difficulty to hold together opposite positions. See
Bosch, Transforming Mission, 367.
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