SOUTH AFRICA PROJECT

The world has long recognized that a catastrophe is taking place on the African continent. Billions of dollars of international aid have gone into efforts to alleviate poverty, disease, corruption, and war with little long-term improvement. One very important, but poorly understood, development has been overlooked: the rise of Pentecostalism.

The Faith for Development in South Africa Project — a collaboration between the Institute, the Institute on Culture, Religion, and World Affairs at Boston University, and the Centre for Development and Enterprise in Johannesburg, South Africa — seeks to remedy this oversight.

The Pentecostal Movement has millions of members in Africa and is characterized by charismatic leadership, exuberant worship, and, frequently, a synthesis of Christianity and traditional African religions. Anecdotal evidence strongly suggests that the behavior it inspires corresponds to what social theorists have called “the Protestant ethic.” With its emphasis on marital fidelity, an ascetic lifestyle, disciplined work habits, and a positive attitude, this moral system is highly conducive to modern economic development in its formative phases. The economic and political implications are enormous.