African Pentecostalism and Diasporic Mission in Southeast Asia

Reinterpreting Spirituality, Cultural Relativism and Historical Consciousness

Abstract

The complex nature of spirituality within church missions continues to shape theological understandings of faith, identity, and culture. The Church of Pentecost in the Global South provides a significant context for reassessing how spirituality, cultural relativism, and historical consciousness intersect in diasporic mission in Thailand. However, insufficient research has examined how African Pentecostals create religious spaces and engage with Thai host culture. Drawing on an ethnographic case study conducted in 2018 and revisited in 2024, this study uses focus-group discussions and participant observation. The findings indicate that African expressions of spirituality foster cultural reproduction and preservation but offer limited evidence of mutual engagement with the host culture. The study therefore contributes to discussions of the tensions among cultural influence, interpretation, and the preservation of spiritual identity in diasporic church mission.