Navigation – Plan du site

AccueilDocumentsCommuniqués de presse2012Spiritual Geographies: mobility o...

2012
58

Spiritual Geographies: mobility of Pentecostal ministers and migratory ‘miracles’ between Africa or Latin America and Europe

Press release

Notes de la rédaction

This is the press release related to the article from Maïté Maskens, published on March 26th 2012. Read the article.

Over the past thirty years or so, Pentecostal churches have made their appearance in Brussels. This form of charismatic Protestantism, which emerged in North America during the last decades of the 19th century, is now experiencing considerable expansion on the Belgian religious scene. This development is to a large extent carried along by migrant communities or communities resulting from migratory movements. The growing success of these congregations goes hand in hand with the diversification of migrations towards Brussels, in particular the increase in migrations from Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America – areas where this movement has been well-established since the beginning of the 20th century.

The author of the 58th issue of Brussels Studies, Maïté Maskens (ULB), doctor of anthropology, examines the links between migration and religion from an original angle: the autobiographical narratives of ministers. By means of a minutely detailed approach and a solid theoretical framework, she shows how the religious scene provides these speakers with an incomparable opportunity for a positive self-definition compared with the possibilities offered by the other scenes frequented by the same people (professional, citizen). In the narratives of these major figures in the Pentecostal community, migration to Belgium appears to be part of God’s ‘plan’ for them. In the same way, the religious message delivered during services prompts believers to see their presence in foreign lands as a miracle. This interpretation is also rooted in the migratory experience, given the cumbersomeness or absurdity of certain procedures for legal entry into the territory which makes their presence in Belgium something of a ‘miracle’.

The detailed analysis of migratory journeys and their divine justification also reveal slight differences in the profiles of ministers who work in Brussels. Among them there are missionary ‘expats’, whose arrival in Brussels was motivated by pastoral logic. But others became ministers after their arrival in Belgium, sometimes even following surprising (re)conversions.

With this study, Maïté Maskens makes an original and insightful contribution to a better understanding of the multicultural and multidenominational city of Brussels.

References
Maskens, Maïté “Spiritual Geographies: mobility of Pentecostal ministers and migratory ‘miracles’ between Africa or Latin America and Europe”, Brussels Studies [Online], General collection, No 58, March 26th 2012. URL: https://journals.openedition.org/brussels/1092
Contact
Benjamin Wayens, Senior Editor: bwayens[at]brusselsstudies.be

Rechercher dans OpenEdition Search

Vous allez être redirigé vers OpenEdition Search