The “European Research Network on Global Pentecostalism” (GloPent) is committed to the study of global Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity, using disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives. A particular interest of GloPent is to stimulate the research of Pentecostal and Charismatic movements in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
GloPent was founded in 2004 by the Centre for Pentecostal and Charismatic Studies at the Graduate Institute for Theology and Religion at the University of Birmingham, represented by Prof. Dr. Allan Anderson, the Hollenweger-Center at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, represented by Prof. Dr. André Droogers and Prof. Dr. Cornelis van der Laan, and the Department of History of Religion and Missions Studies at the faculty of Theology, Heidelberg University, represented by Prof. Dr. Michael Bergunder. In 2010 the Institute for Pentecostal Studies at the University of Uppsala joined the steering group of the network.
GloPent aims to network existing European research initiatives on Pentecostalism and Charismatic Christianity worldwide, with a particular interest in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Participation in the "European Research Network on Global Pentecostalism" is not confined to the before-mentioned institutions, but open to all scholars from European institutes of higher learning or non-European universities who are researching Pentecostal and Charismatic movements at the PhD level or beyond.
The main objective of GloPent is to connect researchers on global Pentecostalism and Charismatic Christianity in order to encourage and promote international and interdisciplinary approaches to the study of Pentecostal/Charismatic movements. GloPent links research activities, promotes study exchange, facilitates the discussion of methods and theoretical frameworks as well as common research projects, and stimulates academic publications on Charismatic movements and Pentecostalism.
- Linking Research Activities
- GloPent supports existing research activities by facilitating ways of linking researchers and their projects on global Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity. This grants wider publicity to participants' projects, allows for individual contact between researchers in similar fields of study, and indicates current and future trends in the study of Pentecostalism. GloPent also aims to making research from African, Asian and Latin American scholars available to the European academic world.
- Promoting Study Exchange
- In order to connect the different resources and approaches at the participating institutions, GloPent promotes study exchange, especially for post-graduate students with dissertation projects. In short-term visits they participate in classes or workshops, exchange ideas with other students and researchers, and use local libraries or archives. GloPent has a special interest in arranging study visits for international researchers from Africa, Asia and Latin America.
- Facilitating Discussion of Methods and Theoretical Frameworks
- There is a considerable diversity in research methods and theoretical frameworks in the study of global Pentecostal and Charismatic movements. GloPent provides various ways to introduce and discuss the different approaches in the research on Pentecostalism in theory and practical application.
- Pursuing Common Research Projects
- In addition to connecting already existing activities, GloPent also facilitates applications for the funding of common research projects. As internationality and interdisciplinarity are increasingly considered for project recognition and distribution of funding, common projects not only enhance the academic exchange between GloPent participants, but also enable them to access additional sources of financial support and give a larger momentum to research projects.
- Stimulating Academic Publications
- GloPent stimulates high-quality academic publications on global Pentecostalism and Charismatic Christianity. Venues for such publications are the network journal “PentecoStudies” and a book series on Pentecostal/Charismatic movements. Moveover, the GloPent workshops are designed to be book-producing workshops, leading to publications on current debates in a selection of essays committed to the highest standards of academic excellence.
The main activities of GloPent are the utilization of a common internet platform, conducting workshops, and common publications.
- Internet Platform
- The GloPent internet platform is a central place for connecting researchers by allowing participants to store content and exchange information. As the content is publically available, it also serves as the internet representation of the European Research Network on Global Pentecostalism and a valuable on-line resource to the study of Charismatic and Pentecostal churches and movements.
- GloPent regularly hosts workshops in order to facilitate common discussion and promote the network. All three founding institutions take turns in hosting the GloPent workshops. One workshop cycle (i.e. three workshops, one each at Birmingham, Amsterdam and Heidelberg) will be completed in 4-6 years and is under a common theme for all three workshops. The workshops will be open to all scholars interested in studies on global Pentecostalism and Charismatic Christianity.
- GloPent has two publication projects, the online journal PentecoStudies and publication of an edited collection of workshop papers.
All scholars affiliated with European institutions of higher learning or non-European universities may participate in the various activities of GloPent, provided that they are working on research projects on global Pentecostalism at the doctoral level or beyond. Participants are invited to take part in the internet platform, workshops and publications, subject to the selection, and editing of the GloPent steering group.
- GloPent is open for participation to all scholars affiliated with European institutions of higher learning or non-European universities, who are working on research projects on global Pentecostalism and/or Charismatic Christianity at the doctoral level or beyond. Participants are invited to join the internet platform, and take part in workshops and publications, subject to the selection, and editing of the GloPent steering group.
- Steering Group
- The founding institutions of GloPent formed a steering group, which is intended to keep the network focussed on its primary purpose. Each institution is represented by one vote and decisions should be taken by consensus. The members of the steering group share the responsibility and work load for all activities and services provided by GloPent, including the selection and editing of submitted content (on the internet platform, or in common publications), determining workshop dates and topics, hosting the workshops, and making decisions regarding the research network. The steering group is committed to meet at least once per year.