This issue of the Journal of Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity concludes my tenure as editor on behalf of the European Pentecostal Theological Association (EPTA). It has been a rewarding, albeit challenging, time marked by the global pandemic and significant changes in the identity of the Journal and the state of Pentecostal scholarship. Known previously as the Journal of the European Pentecostal Theological Association, the new title signals an important redirection of interest that has been well-received as indicated by an increasing number of readers and contributors and measured by publication metrics. This change would not have been possible without the support of the EPTA membership, the editorial board, and a wide field of peer reviewers. The editorial board was significantly extended in 2020 to reflect the wider constituency of EPTA, yet there is still a significant absence of scholars from Eastern European nations. The shift to an online submission and peer-review system for manuscripts in 2021 has further enhanced the profile of the Journal. Designating one issue each year for special themes has directed the focused attention of Pentecostal scholarship to current issues and fresh opportunities for further research. And the invitation of guest editors has brought wider credibility to the work of EPTA while integrating European scholarship in the international scene of Pentecostal studies. A clear differentiation between publishing in print and online has allowed for immediate publication in digital format upon acceptance of manuscripts and for the inclusion of longer research texts not restricted by the size of the print format. The Journal is now listed in all major academic databases and abstracts, and articles are fully accessible online, in addition to the distribution of the print journal to all members of the Association and a generous package of free electronic access to 50 copies that can be distributed by each author. Following the hard work and dedication of my predecessors, I consider the Journal today a highly valued partner in Pentecostal scholarship amidst other long-time reputable print publications such as Pneuma (the journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies), PentecoStudies (the journal of the European Research Network on Global Pentecostalism), the Journal of Pentecostal Theology, and the Asian Journal of Pentecostal Studies. A major purpose of this Journal is unmistakably the advancement of the Pentecostal academy in collaboration with the world of Pentecostal and Charismatic scholarship.
The implementation of a rigorous blind peer review system has added scrutiny over the past four years with (only) 53 per cent of manuscripts accepted on average in 2023. However, the fact that almost half of the submitted manuscripts were rejected uncovers also a deeply problematic side of the peer-review approach: the conflict between the high expectations of the peer reviewers (and readers) and the actual quality of the work submitted by the authors. Although with few exceptions both our authors and reviewers generally identify as Pentecostals, the conflict is not exclusively internal to Pentecostal scholarship, yet it is particularly telling among these peers. To put it bluntly, there are higher expectations of what Pentecostal scholars should produce than they can fulfil. The reasons for this dilemma are not the much-quoted ‘anti-intellectualism’ or any factual intellectual weakness among Pentecostals. The causes are far more deeply rooted in the systemic pedagogical values and institutional policies prevalent in Pentecostal higher education, spear-headed by an exclusive emphasis on teaching and in turn an often-unmasked depreciation of academic research. The difficulty of escaping what might be called the Pentecostal scholar trap (to teach with no time for research) manifests itself initially with the prevalent attempt among Pentecostal scholars to broadcast their work primarily in internal Pentecostal publications. The consequence is that little of this work is known outside of the Pentecostal world. An awkward outcome of this model has been the appearance of a hard line between what some call pastoral writing or popular press, on the one hand, and the demands of academic rigour and research, on the other. Although this false contrast is misleading, it has contributed to the impression that Pentecostal scholarship is not competitive with the quality of research in the wider field. This impression is even more painful when we realize that many Pentecostal scholars work much longer, at night and on weekends, often at their own cost of reducing family time and risking well-being, to be able to produce research-based writing in their teaching-based academic institutions. Yet, many Pentecostal scholars are not published in the top-tiered peer-reviewed journals in religious and theological studies. In turn, references in research on Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity in those publications are often made to scholars at research institutions who are not themselves Pentecostal and who frequently perpetuate stereotypes and paradigms of the older literature. There are few opportunities for Pentecostal scholars to engage in both public worlds: for example, the 2023 programme of the European Academy of Religion contained not a single Pentecostal presenter, and considerably less Pentecostal scholars attended the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements consultation at the American Academy of Religion in 2022 than the flagship conference of the Society for Pentecostal Studies. The changes experienced by the Journal of Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity only accentuate the problem that, amidst wider concerns for the sustainability of Christian academic institutions and religious and theological studies, the young field of Pentecostal scholarship is facing a multifaceted crisis.
The resolution of this crisis begins with self-assessment. It has been my policy to accept manuscripts from the developing world, scholars from underprivileged educational backgrounds, or work from new scholars and more pastoral authors who otherwise struggle to succeed with the peer-review expectations. While some might consider this a risk to raising the profile and quality of the Journal, any attempt to publish only selectively the most outstanding manuscripts is far more problematic as it continues to mask the intellectual dilemma. Yet, unmasking the problem is only half the resolution, and giving a voice to those who might otherwise be excluded from publication carries only as far as the reach of the editorial influence. The crisis of Pentecostal scholarship is a crisis for many Pentecostal institutions who struggle between surviving in the world of higher education and surrendering their Pentecostal identity to a more competitive image of the liberal arts and sciences. In the prevalent business model that now characterizes the Pentecostal academy, tuition fees carry more weight than research income. This perspective is blind to the value of research with impact beyond the academy, the joy of learning by researching, the importance of research-based teaching, the experience of God’s call to research and writing, and the empowerment of Pentecostal scholars to be formed not by the curriculum but by a Spirit-led curiosity to understand and communicate knowledge about the very things that shape that curriculum. Pentecostal scholars need an honest self-assessment of their situation that includes also the denominational and institutional leadership and administration. In short, Pentecostal scholarship needs advocates and mentors at their own educational institutions for research support, training, and study leave, but also at international research gatherings and ecumenical scholarship venues, in funding organizations, at competitive research workshops, influential educational strategy environments, in the complex web of teaching and learning resources, and not least at publication venues beyond the Pentecostal reach. As you are reading these words, the appeal for self-assessment goes also to you. Only if together we contribute to the healing and empowerment of the Pentecostal academy will we realize the full promise of global Pentecostal scholarship. I hope that my tenure as editor has contributed to this purpose in some small way.