Healing in the Pentecostal tradition: A Scandinavian perspective

Abstract

ABSTRACT Divine healing has been, and still is, a key feature of global Pentecostalism. Yet, scholarly studies on this important aspect of the Pentecostal movement have mostly been limited to a North American perspective on predominantly North American forms of Pentecostalism. This paper provides a revised perspective based on theological reflections, historical and empirical insights from a Scandinavian context. The study offers observations and reflections upon different streams in the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements of Norway and Sweden, including classic Pentecostalism, the Word of Faith Movement, and the so-called ‘third wave’ which is seen as an extension of the Charismatic Movement. The essay suggests a broader theological and historical re-envisioning of Pentecostal healing practices and prepares the ground for further systematic theological inquiry on a global scale.