Book Description

The author of Christ at the Checkpoint analyzes the appeal of Pentecostalism, from the belief in miracles to tongue-talking to the prosperity gospel. Combining personal stories and sound scholarship, Paul Alexander, a young scholar with a Pentecostal background, examines the phenomenal worldwide success of Pentecostalism. While most other works on the subject are either for academics or believers, this book speaks to a broader audience. Interweaving stories of his own and his family’s experiences with an account of Pentecostalism’s history and tenets, Alexander provides a unique and accessible perspective on the movement. “When I teach about religion in the current world situation the most frequent question I get is ‘But why is Pentecostalism growing so quickly and in so many places?’ I try to explain, but after reading this book my answer can now be much more complete and well grounded. This is the book that answers that question. It is fair, accurate, balanced, and written in an accessible style. No one seriously interested in the fastest growing Christian movement in the world can afford to miss it.” —Harvey Cox, Harvard Divinity School, author of Common Prayers