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    Social life and ritual practices in an Alaskan Pentecostal community (The First Assembly of God, Fairbanks)

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    Author
    Robarge, Nickole Kathren
    Chair
    Plattet, Patrick
    Committee
    Koester, David
    Schweitzer, Peter
    Metadata
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    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/11122/4522
    Abstract
    This MA thesis research project focuses on the First Assembly of God Church in Fairbanks, Alaska. It seeks to better understand the implementation of Pentecostal-Charismatic (PC) Christianity in 21st century urban Alaska. While social activism and outreach form a significant portion of the success of Pentecostalism in Alaska (as anywhere else), my research shows that it is also substantially due to the appeal of ritual to newcomers. In particular, I suggest that there are forms of spiritual possession and spirit embodiment that need to be examined in relation to the attractiveness of Pentecostalism in Fairbanks. There is a gap in academic literature pertaining to Pentecostal rituals. Recent anthropological studies have focused primarily on notions of conversion, rupture, empowerment, and modernization. My research complements these studies by shedding an unprecedented light on Pentecostal processes of ritualization. Participant observation and interviews were used to examine ritual activity and the nature of spiritual gifts within PC Christianity in Fairbanks.
    Description
    Thesis (M.A.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2013
    Table of Contents
    Chapter 1. Introduction -- Chapter 2. Theoretical framework -- 2.1. Spiritual possession: The divide between possession theorists -- 2.2. Ritual -- 2.3. Mobility (fluidity) -- Chapter 3. Background -- 3.1. Christianity in Alaska -- 3.2. Brief history of Pentecostalism -- 3.3. Assembly of God Church (AG) -- 3.3.1. First Assemblies in Alaska -- Chapter 4. The culture of Pentecostalism -- 4.1. Connection between churches -- 4.2. Membership -- 4.3. Mobility and church planting -- Chapter 5. An ethnographer in the assembly -- 5.1. Participant observation in a PC community -- 5.2. Interviews and conversations with faith practitioners -- Chapter 6. Rituals and ritualized social programs in the assembly -- 6.1. Wednesday night Bible study -- 6.2. Tuesday night Bible study (women's 'Bible study) -- 6.3. Retreats -- 6.3.1. Men's retreat -- 6.3.2. Women's retreat -- 6.4. Handprint -- 6.5. Quilting circle -- 6.6. Sunday service -- 6.6.1. Usual service -- 6.6.2. Special Sunday services -- Chapter 7. Discussion of key themes -- 7.1. Socio-political themes in the assembly -- 7.2. Language versus physicality in rituals -- 7.3. Reassessing the shamanism/possession divide -- Chapter 8. Conclusion -- References cited.
    Date
    2013-08
    Type
    Thesis
    Collections
    Anthropology

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