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However, the indigenous identity search of the Indian church became more
dynamic at the start of this century. In particular the Mylapore Institute for
Indigenous Studies (MIIS), Chennai, India was organized to facilitate vigorous
research into indigenous Christianity in India with the aim of developing it as a
new academic discipline. 23 It is publishing a series of research projects under the
title ‘The Indigenous Christianity Series’ to document the fact that Christianity
exists in numerous local expressions, and its greatest growth has been in the post-
colonial period. 24 This research project is a clear indication of the desperate nature
of the search of Indian Christians for indigenous identity.
2.1.3. A Pentecostal Research Issue
The quest for identity is an important issue for research among Pentecostals in
many regions of the globe. Pentecostalism in several parts of the majority world,
especially Latin America and Africa, has been studied very seriously. Even in the
Asian context, an interest in researching Pentecostalism is on the rise particularly
in the Philippines, 25 Korea, 26 China 27 and India. 28 The complex nature of the
23 R.E. Hedlund, ‘Introduction: Indigenous Christianity as a Field for Academic Research, Writing,
Publication,’ in Christianity is Indian, xiii.
24 Hedlund, Quest for Identity, v.
25 Jeong Jae Yong, ‘Filipino Pentecostal Spirituality: An Investigation into Filipino Indigenous
Spirituality and Pentecostalism in the Philippines’ (ThD thesis, University of Birmingham, 2001).
The major discussion in AJPS, 8, no.2 (2005) is Filippino Pentecostalism. Also see Joseph Suico,
‘Pentecostals in the Philippines,’ in Asian and Pentecostal, 345-62.
26 For example, Boo-woong Yoo, Korean Pentecostalism: Its History and Theology (Frankfurt am
Main: Peter Lang, 1988); Chong Hee Jeong, ‘The Formation and Development of Korean
Pentecostalism from the Perspective of a Dynamic Contextual Theology’ (ThD thesis, University
of Birmingham, 2001); Hyeon Sung Bae, ‘Full Gospel Theology and a Korean Pentecostal
Identity,’ in Asian and Pentecostal, 527-50; Chong Hee Jeong, ‘The Korean Charismatic
Movement as Indigenous Pentecostalism,’ in Asian and Pentecostal, 551-574.
27 Tony Lambert, China’s Christian Millions: The Costly Revival (Crowborough, UK: Monarch
Books, 1999); Wesley Luke, The Church in China: Persecuted, Pentecostal and Powerful, AJPS
Series, no. 2, ed. Wonsuk Ma, William W. Menzies, and Joseph R. Suico (Baguio, Philippines:
AJPS Books, 2004); Deng Zhaoming, ‘Indigenous Chinese Pentecostal Denominations,’ in Asian
and Pentecostal, 437-65; Edmond Tang, ‘“Yellers” and Healers: Pentecostalism and the Study of
Grassroots Christianity in China,’ in Asian and Pentecostal, 467-508.
28 For example, Bergunder, South Indian Pentecostal; Das, ‘Evaluation of the History’; S.
Mathew, Kerala Penthecosthu; Kutty, Place and Contribution of Dalits; V.V. Thomas,
‘Pentecostalism among the Dalits.’ Indian Pentecostalism was the subject of discussion for
Dharma Deepika 6, no.2 (2002).
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