2024 Volume 89 Issue 3 Pages 355-375
Pentecostal Christianity experienced a significant increase in congregations worldwide during the second half of the 20th century. Among the large numbers of converts were French "Gypsies," that is, Gitans, Manouches, Roms, and Voyageurs (Travellers), who had traditionally been Catholics. Established by the Gypsy Evangelical Mission (Life and Light), this religious movement has been stigmatized in an increasingly secularized French society as a sect that isolates itself. Anthropological and sociological studies have also revealed the ethnic populism and religious pan-Romanism of Pentecostal churches, which depicted "Gypsies" as the "chosen people." This study reconsiders the relationship between religious movements and nationalism. Drawing on insights from the "anthropology of Christianity," which challenges prevailing Western concepts such as individualism while focusing on the theological framework within which believers live, this study examines adherents' narratives that emphasize direct, unmediated communication with God. Moreover, it explores the individual and collective practices that foster a communality of prayer.
