Pentecostal Liturgical Spaces

Abstract

The Anglican Communion recently faced a threat of a split between revisionist and conservative groups about the acceptance of LGBTQIA+ members and ministers in liturgical spaces or their exclusion based on their status. The study aims to use the journey of the Anglican Communion as a case study to find out whether these positions are also prevalent in liturgical spaces in Pentecostal congregations and whether it is a contested or embracing space towards LGBTQIA+ members and ministers. The study employs decolonial and intersectional approaches to critically analyse ecclesial pronouncements of the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa, a Classical Pentecostal church in South Africa, to determine whether these position statements are conservative or revisionist; whether Pentecostal liturgical spaces are contested or embracing for LGBTQIA+; and if not, what can be done to transform Pentecostal liturgical spaces into welcoming and embracing spaces for LGBTQIA+ members and ministers. The Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa, standing in the Classical Pentecostal tradition, can find in their tenet of the priesthood and prophet-hood of believers, a democratic and transformative principle, that is inclusive of LGBTQIA+ members and ministers; Pentecost offers a humanizing pneumatological space that embraces the God-given humanity of the LGBTQIA persons and cultivate respect for their human rights to live without fear of discrimination, bias and prejudice in the household of faith. Such Pentecostal liturgical spaces reflect the queer sociality of the Azuza Street Revival.