Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts

by Craig S. Keener

See, e.g., Pocock, Van Rheenen, and McConnell, Face, 136–37; cf. Keener, “Spirit,” 170. For Pentecostal relevance to indigenous healing traditions as well as offering a connection to the Gospels and Acts, see also, e.g., Porterfield, Healing, 126; Yong, “Independent Pentecostalism,” 401. Cultural receptivity to spiritual realities does not necessarily lead to embracing the same spirits as before. Lehmann, Struggle, 145, compares Latin American Pentecostal healings with earlier possession cults, but underlines significant differences (the former demonizing the latter’s spirits, and Pentecostals having followers whereas possession cults have clients). Scholars argue that in Africa as well, Pentecostals have demonized the old spirits and have grown at the expense of the older “Spirit churches” that accommodated them (Dijk, “Technologies,” 221; for an example, see Kalu, “Mission,” 13–14); the fast-growing charismatic churches are often displacing both traditional mission churches and independent churches (Mwaura, “Integrity,” 198). Turaki, “Missiology,” 281, also notes that they are often evangelizing “nominal second generation Christians.” [33]. Yung, “Integrity,” 173. In Yung, Quest, 238–39, he cites indigenous