Roma Pentecostals Narrating Identity, Trauma, and Renewal in Croatia and Serbia

The life stories of Roma Pentecostals in Croatia and Serbia reveal both significant hardship and resilience, which notably impacts how they incorporate a Pentecostal identity and the ways in which they transform their daily lives in accordance with Pentecostal theology. Half Title -1 Series Information 2 Title Page 3 Copyright Page 4 Contents 7 Acknowledgements -1 List of Tables 12 Abbreviations 13 Chapter 1 First Encounters: Pentecostal Roma in Eastern Europe -1 1 Introduction -1 2 Roma Identity: Reflexive and Socio-political Lenses -1 3 Identity Negotiations in the Crossroads of Two Realities -1 3.1 Socio-economic and Political Realities -1 3.2 Growth of Roma Pentecostalism -1 3.3 A Provocative Question -1 4 Narrative Research as a Hermeneutical Conduit -1 4.1 Reflecting on Positionality -1 5 Concluding Thoughts -1 Chapter 2 Identity Complexities in Historical Context -1 1 Negotiating Identity in Relationship to the Other -1 2 Negotiating Nationality and Ethnicity in Twentieth Century Yugoslavia -1 2.1 The Socialist Federation of Yugoslavia (1944–1992) -1 2.2 The Wars in Former Yugoslavia: 1991–2001 -1 2.3 The Struggle for Citizenship in New Nations -1 3 Negotiating Religious Identity -1 3.1 Religious Context of Croatia and Serbia -1 3.2 Religion in Roma Communities -1 4 Concluding Thoughts -1 Chapter 3 Narratives of Rupture: Trauma and Renewal -1 1 Introduction -1 2 Life Narratives of Marija and Josip -1 2.1 Metanarratives of Poverty, Neglect, and Violence -1 2.2 First Plot Climax: ‘God Does Not Care’ -1 2.3 Second Plot Climax: ‘God Sees’ -1 2.4 Metanarratives of Poverty and Violence -1 2.5 Cycles of Violence ‘Ruptured’ by Conversion -1 2.6 Reinterpretation of Life Story -1 3 Metanarratives of Trauma and Resilience -1 3.1 Biological Effects of Trauma -1 3.2 Intergenerational, Structural, and Historical Trauma -1 3.3 Trauma Mediated through Socio-cultural Context -1 3.4 Capacity for Resilience -1 3.5 Integrated Faith Renewing Resilience -1 4 Marija and Josip: Resilience, Integration, Reinterpretation -1 4.1 Internalizing Christian Identity -1 4.2 Reinterpreting Life Story through the Christian Story -1 5 Concluding Thoughts -1 Chapter 4 ‘As for Me and My House, We Will Serve the Lord’: From Converts to Leaders -1 1 Ministry Beginnings -1 1.1 Interpreting Pentecostal Theology in Daily Life -1 2 The Church: 2012–2018 -1 2.1 Evolving Leadership -1 2.2 Pentecostalism Transmitting into Context -1 2.3 Negotiating New Christian Identity as Individuals and in Community -1 2.4 Incarnational Community Orientating to Pentecostal Theology and Praxis -1 3 Concluding Thoughts -1 Chapter 5 ‘I Somehow Endured’: Narratives of Torment and Resilience -1 1 Introduction -1 2 Narrative Analysis in Makronica -1 2.1 Complexities of Gendered Stigmatization -1 2.2 Immediate Context -1 2.3 Story Form and Plot -1 2.3.1 Iva: Interpreting Christian Identity in Suffering -1 2.3.2 Claimed Identity: ‘I Somehow Endure’ -1 2.3.3 Hana’s Negotiations of Identity -1 2.3.4 ‘Rupture’ Leading to a Reinterpretation -1 2.3.5 Claimed Identities: ‘I Was a Fighter’ and ‘I Am No Longer Aggressive’ -1 2.4 Retributive Justice: Interpretative Framework Linking Identity and Action -1 3 Metanarratives of Violence, Exclusion, and Anti-Gypsyism -1 3.1 Gendered Violence in Daily Lives -1 3.1.1 Negotiating Identity in Violent Narratives -1 3.1.2 Theological Interpretations of Violence -1 3.2 Exclusion and Anti-Gypsyism -1 3.2.1 Cultural Repertoires of Responses to Exclusion -1 3.2.2 Identity Negotiations in Response to Stereotypes -1 4 Theology as an Epistemological Lens -1 4.1 Pentecostal Approaches to Suffering: Christopraxis and the Pentecostal Present -1 4.2 Forming Christian Identity in Response to Social Context -1 4.3 Forming Christian Identity in Community: Forgiveness and Healing -1 5 Implications: Ruptures and Crisis Points -1 6 Concluding Thoughts -1 Chapter 6 ‘I Did Everything I Could, but ...’: Narratives of Betrayal and Forgiveness -1 1 Introduction -1 2 Life Narratives of Marko and Zora -1 2.1 Poverty and Neglect -1 2.2 Tragedy and Answer to Prayer Leads to God -1 2.3 Negotiating Christian Identity within Gendered Morality -1 2.4 Healing and Forgiveness -1 2.5 The Holy Spirit and Calling into Ministry -1 3 Narrative Analysis in Fadonica -1 4 Immediate Context -1 4.1 Story Form and Plot -1 4.1.1 Ljuba: Identity Negotiations in Marriage -1 4.1.2 Confronting Gendered Expectations -1 4.1.3 Claimed Identity: ‘I Did Everything I Could, but God Saved Me Many Times’ -1 4.1.4 Lazar: Re- interpretation of Life Narrative -1 4.1.5 Healing Leading to Conversion -1 4.1.6 Forming Christian Identity: Negotiations of Suffering and Forgiveness -1 5 Concluding Thoughts -1 Chapter 7 Seeking Healing, Finding God: Metanarratives of Poverty and Sickness -1 1 Poverty and Resilience -1 1.1 Poverty as Identity -1 1.2 Forming Christian Identity in Daily Chaos -1 1.3 Pentecostal Perspectives on Poverty -1 1.4 ‘Rupture’ as Social Transformation in Pentecostal Praxis -1 2 Gender and Pentecostalism -1 2.1 Gendered ‘Rupture’ in Roma Pentecostal Theology and Praxis -1 2.2 Pentecostalism Empowering Agency -1 2.3 Pentecostal Liberation as Self-Control -1 2.4 Pentecostal Liberation as Restored Dignity -1 3 Pentecostal Approaches to Local Cosmologies -1 3.1 Pentecostal Responses to Spiritual and Physical Sickness -1 3.2 The Pentecostal Present— Miracles and Divine Encounter -1 3.3 Healing Resulting in Conversion -1 3.4 Experiencing God as Key to Validating Christian Identity -1 4 Making Meaning of Suffering -1 5 Integration and Implications -1 5.1 Conceptions of ‘Rupture’ in Fadonica -1 5.2 Obstacles to Pentecostal ‘Rupture’ -1 5.3 Negotiations of Christian Identity in Daily Challenges -1 6 Concluding Thoughts -1 Chapter 8 The End of the Story? Implications and Concluding Thoughts -1 1 ‘Rupture’ as Trauma; ‘Rupture’ as Healing -1 1.1 Meaning-Making of Suffering and Trauma -1 1.2 Healing as ‘Being Seen’: Restoring Worth to Women -1 1.3 Healing in a Multi-ethnic Space -1 2 Divergent Negotiations in the Pentecostal Space -1 3 Conclusion -1 Afterword: Limitations and Future Directions -1 Appendices 221 Appendix 1 Comparison between Makronica and Fadonica -1 Appendix 2 Ethics -1 Bibliography 227 Primary Sources 227 Interviews in Makronica (Pseudonyms) 227 Conversations Noted in Field Notes (Pseudonyms) 227 Interviews in Fadonica (Pseudonyms) 228 Secondary Sources 228 Names and Subjects Index 258 "Stories of Pentecostal conversion and church growth in Roma communities are prolific across Europe but how does conversion impact daily lives in the context of economic hardship and social marginalization? In fact, Roma Pentecostal life stories from Croatia and Serbia reveal both resilience and suffering, and consequently reveal the struggle of lived faith amidst formidable challenges. In what ways, then, has a new Pentecostal identity shifted relationships, thinking, and behaviour? This ethnography explores the ways in which these Roma Pentecostals incorporate their faith in their daily lives through analysing their life stories in conjunction with their socio-cultural contexts and Pentecostal theology"-- Publisher, page 4 of cover "Stories of Pentecostal conversion and church growth in Roma communities are prolific across Europe but how does conversion impact daily lives in the context of economic hardship and social marginalization? In fact, Roma Pentecostal life stories from Croatia and Serbia reveal both resilience and suffering, and consequently reveal the struggle of lived faith amidst formidable challenges. In what ways, then, has a new Pentecostal identity shifted relationships, thinking, and behaviour? This ethnography explores the ways in which these Roma Pentecostals incorporate their faith in their daily lives through analysing their life stories in conjunction with their socio-cultural contexts and Pentecostal theology"-- Provided by publisher