Deprivation and the emergence of neo-Pentecostalism in American Christianity

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of this article is to present a summary of an examination of neo-Pentecostalism. The emergence of Pentecostal, sectarian practices among middle class Americans has called into question prior sociological explanations for sectarian behavior. Previous explanations were based on sect-church theory which is allied with the theory that sectarian behavior is based on socio-economic deprivation. However, neo-Pentecostals do not fit the pattern of sect-church development and neo-Pentecostals are not deprived economically or socially in the conventional sociological sense. These facts reveal the need for new or modified approaches to neo-Pentecostalism. This study tested the usefulness of such an approach by applying Glock's theoretical framework on deprivation to neo-Pentecostalism. Glock's theory retains the concept of socio-economic deprivation as important for understanding the emergence of sectarian groups, but extends sect-church theory to include other types of non-objective deprivation...