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dc.contributor.authorRobarge, Nickole Kathren
dc.date.accessioned2014-10-24T22:30:14Z
dc.date.available2014-10-24T22:30:14Z
dc.date.issued2013-08
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11122/4522
dc.descriptionThesis (M.A.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2013
dc.description.abstractThis 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.en_US
dc.description.tableofcontentsChapter 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.en_US
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.titleSocial life and ritual practices in an Alaskan Pentecostal community (The First Assembly of God, Fairbanks)en_US
dc.typeThesis
dc.type.degreema
dc.identifier.departmentDepartment of Anthropologyen_US
dc.contributor.chairPlattet, Patrick
dc.contributor.committeeKoester, David
dc.contributor.committeeSchweitzer, Peter
refterms.dateFOA2020-03-06T01:54:13Z


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