West Indian Pentecostals : Living Their Faith in New York and London

This is a significant in-depth study that explores the cultural context of the religious experience of West Indian immigrant communities. Whereas most studies to date have focussed on how immigrants settle in their new home contexts, Janice A. McLean-Farrell argues for a more comprehensive perspective that takes into account the importance of religion and the role of both 'home' and the 'host' contexts in shaping immigrant lives in the Diaspora.

West Indian Pentecostals: Living Their Faith in New York and London explores how these three elements (religion, the 'home' and 'host' contexts) influence the ethnic-religious identification processes of generations of West Indian immigrants. Using case studies from the cities of New York and London, the book offers a critical cross-national comparison into the complex and indirect ways the historical, socio-economic, and political realities in diaspora contribute to both the identification processes and the 'missional' practices of immigrants. Its focus on Pentecostalism also provides a unique opportunity to test existing theories and concepts on the interface of religion and immigration and makes important contributions to the study of Pentecostalism.

“This book’s thesis contributes to the wider literature on religion and migration in substantial ways … McLean-Farrell’s gift to readers is a fascinating glimpse into the intergenerational and cross-national religious and ethnic identities of a ‘new’ black diaspora population. Her work is a timely and valuable contribution to the growing literature on the religious lives of migrants and their descendants, and will be a resource to readers of global Pentecostalism, black spirituality, migration and mission, and the religious lives of the new second generation.” - Sociology of Religion: A Quarterly Review

"McLean-Farrell’s gift to readers is a fascinating glimpse into the intergenerational and cross-national religious and ethnic identities of a 'new' black diaspora population. Her work is a timely and valuable contribution to the growing literature on the religious lives of migrants and their descendants, and will be a resource to readers of global Pentecostalism, black spirituality, migration and mission, and the religious lives of the new second generation." - Sociology of Religion