Jesus Christ is without doubt the beginning and end of Pentecostal theology and spirituality. Every experience of God that has come to define the history of Pentecostalism is at the core a witness to the presence and power of Jesus. And as the Pentecostal movement has grown and expanded, so has its witness to Christ. In its most wellknown historical articulation, the so-called ‘full’ gospel proclaims that Jesus is savior, sanctifier, Spirit baptizer, divine healer, and soon-coming king. Far from complete, the four- or fivefold themes are only indicative of the richness of Pentecostal experiences and articulations of the manyfold splendor of Jesus. The 2027 annual meeting of the Society for Pentecostal Studies celebrates this diversity and invites scholars, pastors, academics and students to discover the character, complexity, and complementarity of the Pentecostal witness to Jesus Christ.
This conference seeks to explore and develop the manifold image of Jesus among Pentecostals through diverse and constructive conversations that emulate the Pentecostal witness to the many splendors of Christ. All keynote addresses feature multiple speakers , including leading multi-disciplinary voices from various Pentecostal backgrounds. To add to the chorus toward a Pentecostal Christology, 78 the sessions will feature reflections and investigations on the nature and actions of Christ in the aesthetic, artistic, behavioral, biblical, ethical, ecumenical, historical, intercultural, missiological, pedagogical, philosophical, practical, religious, social, and theological dimensions of life. While theological discussions will emphasize an ontological and functional approach to Jesus’ identity and actions, pastoral and interactive discussions will offer a more comprehensive approach to the Pentecostal way of living as a witness to the way of Jesus Christ. Beyond the structured sessions, informal gatherings will allow for shared reflection and mutual encouragement among participants.
More than variations on a theme, the goal of these multi-layered conversations is to inspire the Christological imagination at the root of Pentecostal faith and practice and its potential to reinvigorate broader conversations among Pentecostals and with others. The conference theme challenges participants to consider what it means to be Christ-like as a Pentecostal, how the life of the Spirit witnesses to the life of Christ, how to talk about Jesus today, and what Pentecostal theology can contribute to a Christology of everyday life.
To submit a proposal to the Program Committee for consideration for the 2027 Annual Meeting, you must willing to become a member of the Society prior to November 1, 2025. If you are a current member, your membership must be renewed for 2027 prior to November 1, 2026. If you need to apply or renew your membership, you may do so here. Only membership after October 1 of a given year applies through to December 31 of the following year.
All participants in panels, seminars, workshops and paper sessions at the Annual Meeting are required to be SPS members in good standing. Organizers of panels, seminars, and workshops must verify participants’ membership status by November 1, 2026. The membership status of individuals who submit proposals for paper sessions is verified by the Executive Director before the abstract is placed in the program. If you are not sure whether you have paid your SPS dues for the current year, you may check the membership directory on the members-only page of our website.
A waiver of the membership requirement may be requested from the Program Committee by the Interest Group Leader at the time the session is submitted for review if the participant in question is a scholar in a field not ordinarily associated with Pentecostalism. A waiver of SPS membership for participation in the Annual Meeting will be granted only once for any given individual. Such waivers may not be granted to a scholar who is either submitting an individual proposal to the Program Committee or who is responding to papers within an organizer-refereed panel or affiliated group. Requests for waivers should be sent directly to the SPS Executive Director.
All participants in sessions on the program, including nonmembers who have received a waiver of the membership requirement, must register for the Annual Meeting and pay the applicable fees no later than November 1, 2026.
Our ideal situation is to have the best possible program and to involve as many people as possible. An increased number of participants will strengthen the Society by including people and increasing dialogue opportunities. However, presenters are limited to one paper presentation at each annual meeting. If multiple paper proposals are submitted, only one will ultimately be accepted. You may also serve on a panel (including book review panels or panels on a given topic) even if you are presenting an accepted paper. You may also serve on the program as a chair and/or a respondent even if you are giving a paper and/or serving on a panel.
If you have been selected to present a paper at the annual meeting of the Society, you will be required to follow some guidelines. Download this archive: Sample Paper, unzip it and use either file to guide the formatting of your paper. (The file may download after you click this link without any further notification.)