Global migration and transformation among Canadian Pentecostals.

Abstract

Since the 1970s migration to Canada has changed from European to non European sources. What, then, are the implications of global migration for religion in Canada and specifically the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC)? Previous research on migrant groups has examined both pluralist and assimilationist tendencies. In this thesis incorporating both sociology of religion and ethnicity approaches, I supplement previous research by examining the transnational aspects of ethnic congregations in the PAOC. Roland Robertson (1992) argues that the current phase of globalization is characterized by uncertainty and has implications for religion. According to Robertson's theory, religion gets restructured in terms of both local and global dynamics. Thus, the effects of globalization include theological, cultural, and organization change for the PAOC. The research examined the views and practices of the members of eight different congregations (N = 430) from a variety of cultural backgrounds including, Spanish, Korean, Tamil, Eritrean and European. The results show that the PAOC and the congregations are reacting in flexible and varied ways to global migration precisely because experiential religion allows ethnicity as a strategy, networks as an organizational mode, and charisma as authority.