Toward an African Pneumatology: A Case Study of The Neno Evangelism Centre in Nairobi

Abstract

This study explains the understanding of the Holy Spirit from an African perspective. With the rise of Neo-Pentecostalism in Africa, the doctrine of the Holy Spirit has been thrust into the center of African theology, to the point that, it can be argued, there is a “Pentecostalization” or “Charismatization” of African Christianity. To this end, the study objectives were to investigate and evaluate how African Christians, specifically the Christians of the NEC, understand Pneumatology. The study also sought to evaluate how African primal understandings of the spirit world have if at all, influenced the understanding of the person and work of the Holy Spirit. The approach or strategy that was used to conduct this research is that of an ethnographic case study, as this enabled the researcher to focus on the empirical or ongoing phenomenon of experiences of the Holy Spirit witnessed in the NEC. The approach of the case study is an ethnographic case study of the NEC. This is because an ethnographic case study focuses on the description and interpretation of the culture and social structure of a social group, in this case, the NEC. The study took as its point of departure the fact that the NEC understanding of Pneumatology is based on three things. First is the Pentecost event, narrated in Acts of the Apostles chapter two. Secondly is the way Christianity has interpreted the doctrine of the Holy Spirit throughout its long history. And lastly is the African Primal Worldview, particularly with the regards to spirits in the African cultural and religious heritage. The NEC was selected because it offers a unique and interesting case, where the activity of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Christians is highly celebrated. The atmosphere of the worship services of the NEC church in Nairobi, are normally charged with the expectation of the manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit, with a large banner right at the front proclaiming, “The Holy Spirit is on Duty Now.” The Holy Spirit seems to be important in the ministry of the NEC as it is involved in the ministries of healing, exorcism and deliverance through the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus the NEC makes an interesting case that epitomizes other neo-Pentecostal / Charismatic Churches, which emphasizes the experience, evidence and power of the Holy Spirit.’It is in this regard that this study employed participant observation, questionnaires and interviews as data collection tools, and found that the premise of the study was justified, in the sense that the NEC understanding of Pneumatology is informed by the three premises mentioned above. However, this is a general finding, based on research done only in one Church in Nairobi, hence the limitations of its scope. More research needs to be done in this area, incorporating other Christian stratums such as Protestants, Roman Catholic, and African Instituted.