1985; (4) Another Jesus? Word of Life in conflict, expansion and reconciliation, 1986–2006; (5) Migration and international Pentecostalism changes the scene, 2007–present. The presentation also offers some reflections on Pentecostalism from Sweden: missions and churches in Latin America, Africa, Asia and former Soviet Union.
Torbjörn Aronson is Professor of Church History at Scandinavian School of Theology, Uppsala, Sweden, and Professor-at-large at Southeastern University, Tampa, Florida. He has taught and conducted research at several universities during the last three decades. He is married to Lena. They have one daughter, Maria, and
the family lives in Uppsala.
This presentation first briefly discusses the history of the Finnish Pentecostal Movement (Helluntaiherätys) and then outlines the current state of the Movement.
Arguably, the two main distinctive principles of Finnish Pentecostalism have historically been the independence of local churches and opposition to theological education, especially within universities. However, in recent decades there has been a growing appreciation of theological education, and in 2002 the Pentecostal Church of Finland was established as a state registered religious denomination. Other organizational, spiritual and ethical changes have also taken place in recent years, which will be noted in the presentation.
Harri Koskela has worked as a senior lecturer at the University of Eastern Finland (UEF), a visiting
professor at the Lutheran Theological Seminary (Hong Kong), and a pastor in the Finnish Pentecostal
Church. He holds a doctorate in practical theology, and is currently studying for a PhD in psychology (on
the relationship between religiosity and subjective well-being) at the UEF. Harri has two adult kids with his
wife, Hanna.
The Pentecostal revival started in Norway in 1906 under the leadership of T. B. Barratt and a vibrant Pentecostal movement was soon formed. From the 1950s different renewal movements influenced Norwegian Christians and led to new organizations and denominations. In this presentation, I will argue that some of the key challenges Norwegian Pentecostal-Charismatics have faced can be analysed through the lens of discernment. Looking at how different leaders have attempted to discern the genuine manifestations of the Spirit from the counterfeit, what institutions and structures best facilitate the work of the Spirit, and how to contextualize Pentecostal-Charismatic Christianity in Norwegian society, may give new insights as we attempt to discern what the Holy Spirit is leading us towards in the future.
Rakel Ystebø Alegre (PhD, Regent University) is associate professor of church history at the Norwegian School of Leadership and Theology, Oslo, Norway. She wrote her dissertation on T. B. Barratt as apologist for the Pentecostal revival and is interested in global Pentecostal history. She lives in Bergen, Norway, with her husband and two children.
The presentation analyses the current Pentecostal/Charismatic landscape in Denmark. Although Pentecostalism has been relatively influential in other Scandinavian countries, the movement is often depicted as a minority movement in Denmark. However, in this presentation I argue that it is better to employ an inclusive definition of Pentecostalism and highlight the influence of Pentecostal spirituality in other Christian denominations. While this adjusts the publicperception of Pentecostalism as a minority religion, we still need to “wake up” and understand our challenges and opportunities.
Leif Petterson is the Principal of the Danish Pentecostal Bible College (Mariager Højskole), a Bible teacher, and a former pastor. He is also a PhD student at the University of Birmingham, where he is researching the orality of Danish Pentecostalism. Leif has two adult kids with his wife, Birgitte.
