Chasing Religion in the Caribbean : Ethnographic Journeys From Antigua to Trinidad

Focusing on ten islands through the Caribbean, this ethnography examines how charismatic religious leaders develop creative transnational religious networking strategies that help spread the movement and increase its potential to become a greater force in shaping the future in the English-speaking Caribbean. The large and explosive global Charismatic movement spread in powerful ways in the small and tranquil English-speaking Caribbean. It is here in the deep Caribbean world of demonic possessions, spiritual demons, and supernatural healers where the Charismatic movement continues to shape a resilient culture. Placing the Charismatic movement in the realm of culture provides some highly surprising findings that reveal the potential of a religious movement and its ability for change in a late-modern social world. Dedication 6 Foreword 8 Acknowledgments 18 Notes 20 Contents 22 Chapter 1: Spiritual Rumblings in the Caribbean 25 Notes 42 Chapter 2: The Study of Charismatic Christianity in the English-Speaking Caribbean 44 The Hard Numbers: Charismatic Christians in the World Today 46 A Brief Pentecostal History 55 Azusa Street Today 56 Section: The Early Pentecostal Movement in the Caribbean 59 The Origins of Pentecostal Organization in the Caribbean 61 The Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies 63 PAWI’s Formal Organizational Structure69 64 The Emergence of PAWI in Caribbean Political and Economic Affairs 67 The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) 67 The Story of a Brooklyn Bishop with Caribbean Roots 68 Transnationalization and Religion: Charismatic Christianity Crosses Caribbean Borders 73 Map of the Book 75 Notes 78 Chapter 3: Charismatic Ethnography in the Charismatic Caribbean 85 The Soft Caribbean 87 Holy Ghost Science and the Ethnographic Study of Religion 88 The Genesis of Chasing Religion in the Caribbean 89 Gaining Entrée to the Private Lives of Religious Leaders and Pastors 91 Reaching the Ethnographic It: Soulful Ethnography in the Study of Religion 92 Conclusion 97 Notes 97 Chapter 4: Antigua 100 Introduction to Antigua 108 Religion and Culture in Antigua 109 The Large Institutional and Small Non-­Institutional Churches of the Caribbean 110 Apostle Stephen Andrews and the Large Pentecostal Church of PAWI 111 Apostle’s Networking Strategies 112 Pastor Matthew Noyce and the Small Pentecostal Church 114 The Road to Becoming a Pentecostal Pastor in the Caribbean 114 Pastor Matthew’s Networking Strategies 123 Charisma and Religious Networking in the Caribbean 125 Conclusion: Religious Networking in the Caribbean 128 Notes 133 Chapter 5: Trinidad 134 Introduction to Trinidad 138 Arriving to Trinidad 139 Go-Along Ethnography with Apostle Andrews and Bishop John 141 Bishop Andrew John and his Fourth New Church 142 Charismatic Informal Networks within the Iron Cage of Rationality 144 Networking in Trinidad: Religious Leaders of PAWI 151 Meet the Bureaucrasaurus and Charismaticrats 152 Why Does Charisma Choose to Remain in Check? 154 Religious Leaders and Politics in the Caribbean 157 The Big Three: CARICOM The New Role of Religion in the Caribbean 159 Mr. Bigs: The Political, Economic, and Religious Elite 161 Poverty Pimps 164 Notes 165 Chapter 6: St. Lucia, Barbados, and Dominica 167 St. Lucia 169 Traveling Preacher Larry Scott: The Success of a Preacher without a Pulpit 170 Scott’s Charismatic-Institutional Networking Strategies 170 Is She Saved? 173 Barbados 174 Pastor Michael Alleng of Arch Hall, Barbados 175 Swimming Downstream: Religion and Academics in Barbados 176 Access to Pentecostalism in Barbados 177 Dominica 179 Ethnographic Pitfalls and Recovery in Dominica 180 The Charismatic Pentecostal Movement in St. Lucia, Barbados, and Dominica 183 Challenges of Church Growth and Power 183 External Adversity and Internal Conflict 187 Structural Centralization and Decentralization 193 Conclusion 196 Notes 197 Chapter 7: St. Kitts and Montserrat 200 Introduction to St. Kitts 200 Gaining Access to Religious Leaders in St. Kitts 201 PAWI Church Assignments: New Pastors Taking Over Old Congregations 203 Other Challenges for Head Pastors within PAWI 207 Reverend Kenneth Francis 208 Healing and Paralysis: Francis and the Paralyzed 17-Year-Old in Sandy Point Village 209 Worldly versus Otherworldly Diseases: From Bipolar Disorder to Homosexuality 211 Introduction to Montserrat 213 Access to Religious Leaders in Montserrat 214 Sir Howard Fergus 215 PAWI and Gender Inequality 219 Charisma and Institutionalization in Montserrat 220 Lunchtime with Religious Leaders of Montserrat and Beyond 221 Conclusion 225 Notes 227 Chapter 8: Summary and Final Thoughts 228 Brief Comments on Major Themes and Findings 232 On the Concepts of Charismatic Christian Intolerance and Poverty Pimping 234 The Future of the Charismatic Church in the English-speaking Caribbean 236 Note 237 Chapter 9: Epilogue: Haiti 238 Saut d’Eau Pilgrimage 241 Notes 244 Appendix: Go-Along Ethnography in the English-Speaking Caribbean 245 Charismatic Ethnography in the Charismatic Caribbean 246 The Charismatic Ethnographer 247 Taking the Blood out of the Bull 249 Ethnographic Reflexivity in the Study of Charismatic Christianity in the Caribbean 250 Index 252 "Dedication"--"Foreword" -- "Acknowledgments" -- "Notes" -- "Contents" -- "Chapter 1: Spiritual Rumblings in the Caribbean" -- "Notes" -- "Chapter 2: The Study of Charismatic Christianity in the English-Speaking Caribbean" -- "The Hard Numbers: Charismatic Christians in the World Today" -- "A Brief Pentecostal History" -- "Azusa Street Today" -- "Section: The Early Pentecostal Movement in the Caribbean" -- "The Origins of Pentecostal Organization in the Caribbean" -- "The Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies" -- "PAWIâ#x80;#x99;s Formal Organizational Structure69" -- "The Emergence of PAWI in Caribbean Political and Economic Affairs" -- "The Caribbean Community (CARICOM)" -- "The Story of a Brooklyn Bishop with Caribbean Roots" -- "Transnationalization and Religion: Charismatic Christianity Crosses Caribbean Borders" -- "Map of the Book" -- "Notes" -- "Chapter 3: Charismatic Ethnography in the Charismatic Caribbean" -- "The Soft Caribbean" -- "Holy Ghost Science and the Ethnographic Study of Religion" -- "The Genesis of Chasing Religion in the Caribbean" -- "Gaining Entrée to the Private Lives of Religious Leaders and Pastors" -- "Reaching the Ethnographic It: Soulful Ethnography in the Study of Religion" -- "Conclusion" -- "Notes" -- "Chapter 4: Antigua" -- "Introduction to Antigua" -- "Religion and Culture in Antigua" -- "The Large Institutional and Small Non-ÂƯInstitutional Churches of the Caribbean" -- "Apostle Stephen Andrews and the Large Pentecostal Church of PAWI" -- "Apostleâ#x80;#x99;s Networking Strategies" -- "Pastor Matthew Noyce and the Small Pentecostal Church" -- "The Road to Becoming a Pentecostal Pastor in the Caribbean" -- "Pastor Matthewâ#x80;#x99;s Networking Strategies" -- "Charisma and Religious Networking in the Caribbean" -- "Conclusion: Religious Networking in the Caribbean." Front Matter....Pages i-xxiii Spiritual Rumblings in the Caribbean....Pages 1-19 The Study of Charismatic Christianity in the English-Speaking Caribbean....Pages 21-61 Charismatic Ethnography in the Charismatic Caribbean....Pages 63-77 Antigua....Pages 79-112 Trinidad....Pages 113-145 St. Lucia, Barbados, and Dominica....Pages 147-179 St. Kitts and Montserrat....Pages 181-208 Summary and Final Thoughts....Pages 209-218 Epilogue: Haiti....Pages 219-225 Back Matter....Pages 227-242