This is the latest volume in the Studies in the History of Christian Mission series, of which R. E. Frykenberg and Brian Stanley are general editors. Bergunder identifies a model for conducting mission studies from an anthropological perspective. He correctly points out that one historical root of Pentecostalism has been somewhat neglected as a distinctive category, namely, the missionary movement. He also suggests that this missionary awareness provides clues as to why tongues-speaking became so important for the movement – i.e. xenoglossic or the ability to preach in the language of the listeners, which he suggests was taken by Charles F. Parham from the missionary movement. Ironically, the most famous claims to xenoglossolalia came from biographers of Francis Xavier, when they reported that he preached in the native language of Travancore (probably Malayalam), a miracle subsequently debunked by Protestant scholars who argued that no good thing, including xenoglossic preaching, could have come from the Catholic side. Bergunder successfully describes the struggles of Pentecostal groups in South India, often against each other, as they attempted to lead converts into the ‘real truth’– known in Pentecostal circles as the ‘Full Gospel.’ Among the many points of difficulty between Pentecostals and mainstream Christianity was ‘ornamentation’, the wearing of jewelry – especially the wedding band – by Christians who were ‘filled with the Spirit’.

This is a strong contribution to understanding of Pentecostalism in South India. Bergunder has lived among the people, learned their social mores, searched their source materials, conducted innumerable interviews and pulled all his research together into a well-reasoned whole. His work is remarkably free from errors, although one is particularly noticeable to this reviewer. On p. 270 he states that the former Assemblies of God missionary, Clarence T. Maloney, Jr, left India for good in 1961. In reality, Maloney still maintains a home on a hill in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu. This is a model study in Global Pentecostalism. Originally available only in German, it has now been translated in English. This work will be consulted for decades to come for its thoroughness of treatment and analysis.