Moblization potential of Pentecostalism in modern Africa

The article aims to examine the mobilizational potential of Pentecostalism - one of the fastest growing and the largest branches of Christianity in Africa. The obtained results indicate a high mobilization potential of African Pentecostalism, yet it has some features and limitations. Its exploitation is connected with a duality that lies in the internal heterogeneity, the doctrinal peculiarities of the waves of Pentecostalism. This defines multiscale nature of the mobilizational potential of Pentecostalism. It can cover both certain settlements and entire states and pursue both global goals and the personal interests of individual leaders. The influence of Pentecostalism can spread to ethnic groups and nations, other Christian denominations and even Islam. By creating political parties, NGOs, youth and charitable organizations Pentecostals penetrate into political life of Africa. Additionally, there are evidences of radicalization of Pentecostalism, which occurs in multiconfessional countries such as Nigeria. Despite the growing involvement of Pentecostalism in the social and political life of African countries, at the moment it is quite localized. This may be due to the extremely intense competition between Pentecostal Churches. In the future, when the territorial expansion of Pentecostalism slows down, we can expect the unification and acceleration of such churches and their integration into the social and political life of Africa as a single force. This trend can already be traced in "umbrella structures" and "alliances" forming around large classical Pentecostal churches and megachurches in countries of the continent with large Pentecostal communities - Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, DR Congo, etc.