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2.3. The Origin of Pentecostalism in India: Multiple
Jerusalems
As observed by A.C. George, a prominent Indian Pentecostal historian, there has
been little serious in-depth study on the history of Pentecostal movement in
India. 78 However, as mentioned in the previous chapter, there have been various
approaches to the origin and history of Indian Pentecostalism and the current
research identifies three major approaches.
2.3.1. Approaches to Pentecostal Origins
The first and most popular approach is the Eurocentric (North-America centred)
approach. One of the most traditional ways of understanding the story of Indian
Pentecostalism has been to see it as a product of North American Pentecostalism.
The comment of Frank Bartleman, a narrator of the Azusa Street revival, on the
revival reveals the superior mentality of those who take the Eurocentric line. He
said, ‘The present world-wide revival was rocked in the cradle of little Wales. It
was “brought up” in India, becoming full grown in Los Angeles later.’ 79 Although
Bartleman accepted that the Indian revival 80 took place prior to the Azusa event,
his statement shows that he wanted to give the later revival pride of place.
Nevertheless, as Anderson argues, the Mukti Revival was a ‘full-grown’
Pentecostal revival like the Azusa Street Revival, even before the report on the
78
George, ‘Pentecostal Beginnings in Travancore,’ 218.
79
Frank Bartleman, Azusa Street: An Eyewitness Account (Gainesville, FL: Bridge-Logos, 1980),
22.
80
By which he meant the revival at Pandita Ramabai’s Mukti Mission.
65