Spiritual Explosion

A Review of the Literature on the Sudden Growth of Pentecostalism in Australia

Authors

  • Jon K. Newton Alphacrucis College

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/jasr.37176

Keywords:

Pentecostalism, growth, spiritual factors, cultural factors, leadership, governance, demographic factors, charismatic movement

Abstract

Australian Pentecostalism may be traced back to the late nineteenth and early twentieth century but remained a very small part of the Australian religious landscape until the late 1970s, when it suddenly began an explosive growth period that was sustained for twenty years. This article explores and analyses the statistics that chart this growth. It reviews the existing literature on the causes of this sudden growth spurt produced by participants and observers of Australian Pentecostalism in books and journal articles. It concludes that, according to this literature, there were four main factors driving this phenomenon: cultural changes in Australia; a spiritual movement that included the 'charismatic movement' and the 'Latter Rain' stream; the emergence of new leadership and governance structures; and demographic factors. The article concludes by raising a number of questions that demand further research.

Author Biography

  • Jon K. Newton, Alphacrucis College

    Jon K. Newton, PhD (Deakin) is the Program Director for the Doctor of Ministry at Alphacrucis College based in the Melbourne campus. He previously served as the Dean of Postgraduate Studies and Research with Harvest Bible College. He is a long-standing Pentecostal pastor and scholar with research interests in Australian Pentecostalism and the book of Revelation. He is the author of two books on Revelation and journal articles published in Australian and overseas journals, the editor of the Journal of Contemporary Ministry and convenor of the annual Research Conference on Contemporary Ministry in Melbourne.

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Published

2018-11-21

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Newton, J. K. (2018). Spiritual Explosion: A Review of the Literature on the Sudden Growth of Pentecostalism in Australia. Journal for the Academic Study of Religion, 31(1), 75-96. https://doi.org/10.1558/jasr.37176