West Africa Theological Seminary

(An Affiliate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka)

Student’s Name: Nwankwo, Ikechukwu

Course Code/Title: TH 503- Doing Theology in Modern Africa

Lecturer: Prof. Matthew Michael, PhD

Assignment Review: Clifton R. Clarke, “Jesus in the Theology and Experiences of African
Pentecostals,” Pentecostal Theology in Africa, ed. Clifton R. Clarke (Eugene, Oregon:
Pickwick Publication, 2014), 58-76.

Throughout the centuries, including during the New Testament era, Christians have sought to
understand and express the meaning of Christ in ways that resonate with their culture and
worldview. Clifton R. Clarke's work, titled Pentecostal Theology in Africa, highlights
Pentecostalism in Africa and offers insights into African Christianity. While there are
commonalities within the Pentecostal Christian community, each continent, including Africa,
has developed its own unique theologies. Chapter three of the book, “Jesus in the Theology
and Experiences of African Pentecostals,” examines how African Pentecostals perceive and
experience Jesus Christ within their theological and spiritual life. The purpose of this review
is to summarize the author's main argument in this chapter and to provide a critique of the
work.

In this chapter, “Jesus in the Theology and Experiences of African Pentecostals,” Clifton R.
Clarke explores how African Pentecostals understand and experience Jesus Christ within
their theology and spirituality. He argues that African Pentecostal Christology is mainly
influenced by three key forces: the African traditional worldview, missionary Christianity,
and the Bible as the authoritative Word of God. First, the traditional African universe is filled
with various spiritual forces, both good and harmful spirits, that are not limited to the spirit
world; they also manifest in the physical world by causing illness, poverty, and demonic
oppression. In this realm, spirits torment humans, and to escape such calamities, individuals
seek protection from guardian spirits through devotion and recognition. Often, when a person
breaks such a contract, protection is withdrawn, and misfortune strikes the individual or
community (Clarke 2014, 59). Consequently, Clarke contends that African Pentecostal
Christology is shaped more by these lived experiences and communal spirituality than by
formal theological doctrines. He observes that African Pentecostals tend to view Jesus as a
living, active, and victorious presence who intervenes in human affairs as a powerful Savior,
healer, and deliverer who addresses everyday struggles like illness, poverty, and demonic
oppression. They use the concept of “Osagyefo”, a Ghanaian honorific title meaning “one
who saves the battle,” to symbolize this role (Clarke 2014, 60). This Christology is contextual
and dynamic, reconceptualizing Christ's work of salvation within traditional roles that
continue to be meaningful in African society.

Secondly, Clarke contends that the African Pentecostal ideas of Christ are largely influenced
by the Western theological worldview. Emphasizing that the missionaries presented the
gospel of Christ to Africans in a way that appealed to reason and not intuition, and often
through literary means and not orality thereby promulgated a Christ who identified with the
western world and who was by and large a stranger to the African tradition and culture
(Clarke 2014, 64-65). The Christ of the missionaries did not address the fundamental needs of
the Africans. As a result of the Western missiological approach, the Christian faith was
received by Africans as the “white man's religion” and associated in the African mind with
the “white man’s power and prestige. The church was seen to spread Enlightenment ideology
as well as Western understanding of what constitutes a civilized society, through the message
of Christianity. Clarke stresses that Jesus’ identity in African Pentecostalism is relational
rather than conceptual; he is known more through encounter than through theological creeds.

Thirdly, Clarke also argues that African Pentecostals understand and think about who Jesus is
based on two main things: the Bible and African hermeneutics, that is, African ways of
interpreting the Bible through African cultural values and ways of understanding. He notes
that African Pentecostals deeply value the Bible and read it regularly. It is common to see
people reading the Bible everywhere because to Africans, the Bible is seen not just as a holy
book but also as a symbol of protection and hope. Bible verses are often displayed on
vehicles like taxis and buses, almost like charms, with messages such as “Jesus is Lord” and
“No Weapons” (Clarke 2014, 67). Thus, the Bible holds a powerful and everyday presence in
African Pentecostal life, both as a spiritual guide and a cultural symbol of protection and
identity. A key part of how African Pentecostals see Jesus is that He is powerful and
victorious. They focus on Jesus as the one who overcomes problems, evil, and suffering.
Unlike Western theological approaches that stress rigid doctrinal orthodoxy, African
Pentecostals interpret the Bible in a practical way that connects to everyday life (Clarke 2014,
68). They often take the Bible literally to make it real and useful for living out their faith, not
just to follow rules without thinking. This way, they connect with Jesus using their own
culture and way of thinking. This has helped them understand and follow Jesus in their own
unique way and has also given them a different way of interpreting the Bible (Clarke 2014,
70).

In addition, Clarke posits that African Pentecostalism is giving new ideas to the global
church, especially about healing. In African culture, healing is beyond just taking medicine.
He argues that African Pentecostals believe that sickness is often caused by evil spiritual
forces, and healing comes through the power of Jesus, freeing people from these forces. Thus,
the understanding of Jesus as a healer among African Pentecostals brings fresh views,
especially on health, sickness, witchcraft, and traditional healing practices. African
Pentecostals see healing not just as fixing the body, but as restoring harmony with God,
others, the world, and even within the African community. Africans believe we are meant to
live in peace with the world, not to control or abuse it. In this context, sin is anything that
breaks this harmony, whether in personal actions or society. Thus, Jesus, as the great healer,
is not just seen as someone who heals individuals from sin, but also as one who confronts
bigger problems like injustice, poverty, and the effects of colonialism by restoring the dignity
of African identity and renewing Africa as a whole.

Clarke’s work offers an important correction to dominant Western theological paradigms by

centring African Pentecostal experiences in the conversation about Christology. It gives
African Christians a strong voice in global theology. His contextual sensitivity is
commendable, by presenting African Pentecostalism as a legitimate and indigenous
expression of faith, shaped by Africa’s spiritual worldview and social conditions, not just
copying Western ideas. His emphasis on real-life experiences as a valid source of theology
challenges the idea that only scholars or elites can define theology and affirms that theology
is born from the lived realities of believers. Clarke demonstrates that African Pentecostal
Christology is deeply theological, even if it does not conform to Western systematic
frameworks.

However, the work is not without its weaknesses. One limitation is Clarke’s tendency toward
generalizations. While Clarke speaks of “African Pentecostals,” he tends to generalize across
diverse contexts as if they are all the same; there are different types of African
Pentecostalism, each with distinct theological emphases and ways of engaging with society.
The lack of differentiation may oversimplify the diversity and internal tensions within
African Pentecostalism. Also, Clarke does not adequately deal with the problem of mixing
Christian beliefs with traditional African religions (syncretism) in African Pentecostal
theology. While personal experience and spiritual dimensions in faith are central, this can
sometimes lead to accepting traditional religious practices into Christian practice without
careful thought. A deeper study of where to draw the line between cultural relevance and
staying true to Christian teaching would have made his work stronger and more balanced.
Despite these minor limitations, this chapter strongly encourages the global church to think
again about how it understands and shares Christ. Clarke shows that African Pentecostal
views of Jesus are a real and meaningful expression of faith, shaped by local life situations
and guided by the Holy Spirit.

In conclusion, this makes an important contribution to both African and global Pentecostal
theology. Clarke’s argument shows that African Pentecostals truly know Jesus through their
real-life experiences, not just through books or academic study. This kind of theology is
practical, meaningful, and helpful in everyday life. It reminds the wider church of a Jesus
who heals, saves, delivers, and stays close to His people, especially those who suffer.
Clarke’s work affirms that theology must speak to people’s realities, and in doing so, he gives
voice to an African Christology that is both authentic and transformative. I therefore
recommend that the inclusion of methodology would help readers to better assess the
analytical basis for the author's claims and distinguish between theological assertion and
descriptive observation. The insights could serve as a foundational resource for curriculum
development, theological training, and ecumenical dialogue within African institutions.

Reference

Clifton R. Clarke 2014, “Jesus in the Theology and Experiences of African Pentecostals,”
Pentecostal Theology in Africa, ed. Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick Publications.