MACMILLAN Pentecostal Politics in a Secular World: The Life and Leadership of Lewi Pethrus (Christianity and Renewal - Interdisciplinary Studies)

This book investigates the life and leadership of Lewi Pethrus, a monumental figure in Swedish and international Pentecostalism. Joel Halldorf describes Pethrus’ role in the emergence of Pentecostalism in Sweden, the ideals and practices of Swedish Pentecostalism, and the movement’s turn to professional party politics.  When Pentecostals in the USA ventured into politics, they became allied with the Republican party, and later Donald Trump. The Swedish Pentecostals took another route: while culturally conservative, they embraced the progressive economic politics of the Social Democratic party. During the 2010s, they have also rejected the nationalism of the growing populist movement. Halldorf analyzes and explains these differences between Swedish evangelicals and Pentecostals on the one hand, and the Religious Right in the USA on the other.  Review “This book is a compelling account of Lewi Pethrus’s life, ministry and witness. Halldorf shows how Pethrus, a singular and influential figure in Swedish Pentecostalism, developed his distinctive vision and practice and how it contrasts with many popular assumptions about how Pentecostals engage in culture and politics. Along the way, Halldorf portrays how Pethrus advocates for what are often seen as opposed, namely, integrating what it means to be modern with what it means to be Christian, the pursuit of personal holiness with campaigns for social justice, and spontaneous social movements with the slow work of building institutions. This book is an important contribution not just to the history of Pentecostalism but also to the growing body of Pentecostal political theology.” ―Luke Bretherton, Professor of Theological Ethics, Duke Divinity School, Duke University, USA   “Joel Haldorf’s book is a sweeping analysis of the rise of Pentecostalism in Sweden.  Lewi Pethrus’ life serves as a hermeneutical lens for interpreting Swedish Pentecostalism’s unique polis in the midst of the politics of a modern, mass society. Haldorf goes beyond the reductionism that is usually found in standard sociological categories. In doing so, he breaks new ground and helps the reader see the multiple dimensions of Pethrus’ larger than life personality.   I was particularly fascinated by the last chapter, in which Halldorf traces the history of U.S. Evangelicalism and compares that to rise of the Swedish Evangelical movement, noting both similarities and stark differences.” ―Cheryl Bridges Johns, Robert E. Fisher Professor of Spiritual Renewal & Christian Formation, Pentecostal Theological Seminary, USA From the Back Cover This book investigates the life and leadership of Lewi Pethrus, a monumental figure in Swedish and international Pentecostalism. Joel Halldorf describes Pethrus’ role in the emergence of Pentecostalism in Sweden, the ideals and practices of Swedish Pentecostalism, and the movement’s turn to professional party politics.  When Pentecostals in the USA ventured into politics, they became allied with the Republican party, and later Donald Trump. The Swedish Pentecostals took another route: while culturally conservative, they embraced the progressive economic politics of the Social Democratic party. During the 2010s, they have also rejected the nationalism of the growing populist movement. Halldorf analyzes and explains these differences between Swedish evangelicals and Pentecostals on the one hand, and the Religious Right in the USA on the other.  About the Author Joel Halldorf is Associate Professor at the University College Stockholm and docent in Church history at Uppsala University. He is a regular contributor to several newspapers and magazines in Sweden.