Pentecostal, Indigenous churches growth: What’s behind the trend

for the growth of these “new” churches over the past decades. First, there are cultural reasons. ere’s growing interest among both “ordinary” believers and scholars in the decolonisation of religious beliefs and practices.

A stream in a eld with buildings in the distance. People, some in owing white robes, gather and watch a baptism in the stream. The largest proportion of South Africa’s Christians ( 40.82 percent) are expressing a longing to bring together African identity and African philosophical systems with their religious beliefs. ey’re opting to join church communities that preach, sing and pray in African indigenous languages and that wear culturally appropriate clothing.

A notable debate is even taking place in South Africa’s largest “mainline” Christian denomination. There’s an appeal that Methodist ministers who are also traditional healers ( ukuthwasa) be allowed to practise as both at the same time.

Second, there are socio- economic reasons. As South Africa’s predominantly young population struggles with poverty, unemployment and inadequate social provisions, there’s a turn to churches that promise supernatural pathways to wealth and social prominence. ese churches, which o en have links to either west African or US prosperity gospels, have long abandoned the central elements of colonial Christianities – like religious vestments or liturgies that still pray for the King of England. ey’re devoting themselves to new forms of imperialism – like capitalism, individual liberty and identity politics. ird, there are political reasons for the growth of these churches. Many South Africans have found the historical ties between “mainline” Christianity and political parties to be a disappointment. In the last parliamentary census, 63 percent of parliamentarians indicated they were members of the Methodist church. e church recently posted on social media that politicians should not be “given the mic” in church services.

As South Africans lose faith in the promises of politicians, they’re also losing faith in the religious communities that seem to uncritically support them.

A history of Christianity o ers insights into the hopes, dreams, frustrations and sorrows of South Africans. is can be seen in how religion has shi ed along social, political and economic lines. South Africans remain religious, and are growing in religiosity. Some of the forms of Christianity to which they are turning are politically dangerous and economically harmful, while others o er the promise of a more authentically African way of believing and living.

What people believe matters, and what they no longer believe matters too.

Dion Forster, Professor of Public eology in the Department of Beliefs and Practices, Faculty of Theology, at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam ( Free University of Amsterdam), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. ( e Conversation)