The Handbook of Pentecostal Christianity was created for two specific reasons:

[F]irst, to assist college, university, and seminary instructors who are faced with the task of introducing their students to Pentecostalism and, second, to serve as a compact companion for general readers who are interested in learning more about Pentecostalism. (5)

After reading the handbook’s fifty articles, I can wholeheartedly affirm that the mission is accomplished. The articles cover a broad range of themes including geographic expression (e.g., “African Pentecostalism,” “European Pentecostalism,” and “Latin American Pentecostalism”), theological issues (e.g., “Baptism of the Holy Spirit,” “Glossolalia,” and “Spiritual Gifts”), key figures (e.g., “Charles Harrison Manson”, “Charles Fox Parham,” and “William Joseph Seymour”), and various expression of pentecostalism (e.g., “Keswick Movement,” “Neo-Pentecostalism, and “Televangelism”). As a bonus, many of these articles were written by Canadians such as Roger J. Stronstad, Andrew K. Gabriel, Linda M. Ambrose, and Peter D. Neumann.

The diffuse global nature of the pentecostal movement is emphasized in this volume. Articles eschew the idea of a common origin at Azusa, exploring how the wind of the Spirit blew globally, fanning pentecostal expression to flame in many unique contexts.

At an average of three pages, the articles are long enough to survey the topic without bogging down the reader in an extended study. I can’t think of a better resource to place into the hands of someone looking to understand the theological perspective, history, and ethos of the pentecostal movement.

Stewart, Adam, ed. Handbook of Pentecostal Christianity. DeKalb: Northern Illinois UP, 2012.