Prophecy and Politics in South African Pentecostalism A Pentecostal Political Theology in Postcolonial Africa

This book is an interdisciplinary study of the relationship between prophecy and politics in South African Pentecostalism. The role and the power of prophecy in enhancing the presence of politicians in the church square are unpacked through historical examples, as well as case studies of contemporary prophets. Solomon Kgatle argues that the influence of prophecy in politics has the potential to weaken the prophetic voice of the church in general and the Pentecostal movement in particular. He proposes a Pentecostal political theology of prophecy. This theology is developed by taking into cognizance the theoretical and theological frameworks of prophetic imagination and pneumatological imagination. In addition, this theology seeks a balance between prophecy and power and prophecy and sovereignty.

1 Introduction

Part I Prophecy and Politics in South African Pentecostalism

2 Historical Dimensions of Prophecy and Politics in South African Pentecostalism

3 The Practice of Prophecy in Contemporary Pentecostalism

4 Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and Politics

5 Other Contemporary Prophets and Politics in South Africa

6 Problematising the Intersectionality of Prophecy and Politics in Post-colonial Africa

Part II Development of a Pentecostal Political Theology of Prophecy

7 Pentecostal Prophetic Imagination in Post-colonial Africa

8 Pneumatological Imagination: A Pentecostal Approach to the Political Theology of Prophecy

9 Pentecostal Political Theology of Sovereignty in Post-colonial Africa

10 Towards a Pentecostal Political Theology of Prophecy in Post-colonial Africa

Mookgo Solomon Kgatle is a Professor at the Department of Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology, University of South Africa, and a National Research Foundation (NRF) Y-Rated researcher (2019-2024) in African Pentecostalism. He has published more than 70 peer-reviewed articles and 6 books in the same field. He is the founding President of the Southern African Society for Pentecostal Studies.