• Conference Theme

Jesus Christ is without doubt the beginning and end of Pentecostal theology and spirituality. Every experience of God that has come to define the history of Pentecostalism is at the core a witness to the presence and power of Jesus. And as the Pentecostal movement has grown and expanded, so has its witness to Christ. In its most well-known historical articulation, the so-called ‘full’ gospel proclaims that Jesus is savior, sanctifier, Spirit baptizer, divine healer, and soon-coming king. Far from complete, the four- or fivefold themes are only indicative of the richness of Pentecostal experiences and articulations of the manyfold splendor of Jesus. The 2027 annual meeting of the Society for Pentecostal Studies celebrates this diversity and invites scholars, pastors, academics and students to discover the character, complexity, and complementarity of the Pentecostal witness to Jesus Christ.

This conference seeks to explore and develop the manifold image of Jesus among Pentecostals through diverse and constructive conversations that emulate the Pentecostal witness to the many splendors of Christ. All keynote addresses feature multiple speakers, including leading multi-disciplinary voices from various Pentecostal backgrounds. To add to the chorus toward a Pentecostal Christology, the sessions will feature reflections and investigations on the nature and actions of Christ in the aesthetic, artistic, behavioral, biblical, ethical, ecumenical, historical, intercultural, missiological, pedagogical, philosophical, practical, religious, social, and theological dimensions of life. While theological discussions will emphasize an ontological and functional approach to Jesus’ identity and actions, pastoral and interactive discussions will offer a more comprehensive approach to the Pentecostal way of living as a witness to the way of Jesus Christ. Beyond the structured sessions, informal gatherings will allow for shared reflection and mutual encouragement among participants.

• Theology Interest Group

For our Theology IG, we welcome all proposals that directly engage the theme from various perspectives, including — but not limited to — the following topics:

• #1: Exploration of how Christ is understood and presented across cultures and generations, including the challenges posed by technology and AI.
• #2: Reflection on metaphors for Christ’s work (e.g., gemstone, diamond) and on the uniqueness of Pentecostal Christology.
• #3: Consideration of practical and missional challenges, such as evangelism in contexts where the name of Jesus is sensitive.
• #4: Theological reflection on the Fivefold Gospel, church, salvation, and the splendor of Christ.
• #5: Panel discussions on Pentecostal engagements with contextual Christology from diverse cultural backgrounds.
• #6: Other panel proposals.

For panel proposals, please arrange a moderator with 2 to 4 other panelists. Also include the topic (or book for a book panel), and key arguments from each panelist.

The Call for Papers is now open. Please click on this link to submit your proposals. In this link, you can also find presenter guidelines and writing guides, as well as information on registration. All Proposals are due no later than Wednesday 11:59 pm (CST) July 1, 2026.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via chengweifeng@fuller.edu.

Thanks,

Jacob Chengwei Feng, PhD

Leader of Theology IG, Society for Pentecostal Studies

Affiliate Assistant Professor, Fuller Theological Seminary