Alex R. Mayfield’s Kaleidoscopic City offers a rich account of Pentecostal missions in Hong Kong from 1907 to 1942, portraying the encounter of cosmopolitan Hong Kong with the early twentieth-century Pentecostal movement as “a kaleidoscopic mix of people with competing ideas and practices” (p. 4). By situating his study within the broader field of global Pentecostalism, he interprets the development of Pentecostalism in Hong Kong as “a spatially specific form of transnational discourse” (p. 14). Methodologically, Mayfield draws from scholars such as Klaus Koschorke and Foucault, as well as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), to map out the global and local dimensions of the movement. His work highlights how Pentecostalism in Hong Kong functioned as a diverse yet interconnected network. Through publications, conferences, and interpersonal relationships, the book reveals how global and local elements of Pentecostalism intertwined, creating a unique transnational discourse that shaped both the city and the movement.

The book is organized into five thematic chapters rather than a chronological narrative, each addressing a distinct aspect of Pentecostalism in Hong Kong. As the “Gateway City,” Hong Kong experienced various struggles to become a central hub for Pentecostal missions targeting both mainland and overseas Chinese. In its role as the “Holy City,” Hong Kong served as a site for denominational history, where a loosely connected network of faith missions evolved into more structured denominational models with shifting missional aims and approaches. The “Soul-Saving” chapter highlights significant continuity between Pentecostal and evangelical missions, emphasizing education, colportage, and Sunday schools as effective evangelistic tools. The “Heathen City” chapter discusses the Pentecostals’ efforts to overcome heathen principalities through signs and wonders while striving to avoid becoming merely “ritual specialists” among existing spiritual options. The “Women’s City” chapter underscores the crucial role women played in founding Pentecostal churches, particularly local Chinese Bible women, in disseminating the Pentecostal message. Although this thematic approach can lead to overlapping and repetitive accounts of significant individuals and events, the chapters collectively provide a kaleidoscopic portrayal of Pentecostalism in Hong Kong.

Mayfield employs an innovative digital methodology to analyze the Pentecostal movement in Hong Kong, utilizing a database of over 1,000 periodical articles from various archives (pp. 235–240). Through qualitative coding in NVivo 12 and spatial analysis, the book reconstructs Pentecostal networks and examines their interactions with local and transnational dynamics. The strength of this approach lies in its combination of archival research with advanced digital tools, offering a detailed and nuanced understanding of how Pentecostals represented their mission and engaged with broader historical and geographic contexts. However, the geographical maps could benefit from higher resolution or larger sizes, especially if provided online as an appendix, rather than their current state in print (e.g., pp. 79–81). Additionally, a diagram illustrating the relationships between different individuals and institutions could enhance clarity regarding their interconnectedness.

Another contribution of Kaleidoscopic City is its extension of the historical focus within global Pentecostal studies, which typically emphasize the origins and early years of the movement. By extending the narrative to the 1940s, Mayfield broadens the portrayal of pioneer Western missionaries who founded revival centers and subsequently handed them over to indigenous leaders. His account seeks to depict Sino-foreign collaboration and the ongoing mutual impact between local and transnational actors, demonstrating that Pentecostal missionaries shared considerable similarities with their evangelical counterparts rather than being solely defined by spectacular miracles or ecstatic tongues (p. 114).

The book skillfully bridges historical gaps to provide a more balanced portrayal over an extended period, yet it could benefit from a more nuanced critique of existing Pentecostal historiography. For scholars of Chinese Christianity, such as Daniel Bays, the central thesis often revolves around the indigenization of Christianity – from mission work to a distinctly Chinese religion. In this context, their treatment of early twentieth-century Pentecostalism, though sometimes presented as eccentric with minimal institutionalization, serves not to give an “antagonistic portrayal of Pentecostals” but to explain their appeal to native Chinese movements (cf. pp. 10–11). This appeal, they argue, is exemplified by groups such as the True Jesus Church, the Jesus Family, and the Little Flock, which emerged in the 1920s and 1930s. Lian Xi, for example, further links the radical millenarianism embedded in Chinese religious traditions with Pentecostalism’s ecstatic tendencies, highlighting this as a key point of connection that helped popularize Christianity in China.

To more effectively narrate the story of global Pentecostalism beyond its early years, the book would benefit from incorporating additional indigenous sources. The current treatment of significant Chinese Pentecostal leaders, like Mok Lai Chi, is limited to his English writings from 1908 to 1913. Including Mok’s 1914 Chinese article on Pentecostal Truths (五旬節真理), which emphasizes the indigenized nature of the Pentecostal church in Hong Kong, may enhance the book’s findings. Similarly, referencing the Assemblies of God Monthly (神召會月刊), which mentions Mok in a 1927 article, could add further depth. Additionally, expanding the analysis to include other significant Chinese authors, such as Iap Sian-chin, would enrich the discussion of Pentecostalism within both Asian and global contexts. At present, the only Chinese-language scholarship seems to be Tai Kwon Ho’s MA thesis on Hong Kong Pentecostal missions.

Overall, Kaleidoscopic City provides valuable insights into a pivotal period of church history. Mayfield skillfully integrates seemingly disparate ideas, events, and individuals, offering a cohesive volume that enhances our understanding of Pentecostalism in Hong Kong and its role within the broader global Pentecostal movement.