Allan Anderson (theologian)


Allan Anderson is a British theologian and the Professor of Mission and Pentecostal Studies at the University of Birmingham. He is frequently cited as one of the foremost scholars on Global Pentecostalism.

Early life and education

Anderson was born in London to Salvation Army officers Keith and Gwen Anderson, a Zimbabwean father and an English mother. His father was the son of a fourth generation London Missionary Society minister in Southern Africa, of Scottish and Cape Dutch descent, and his mother was born in Sheffield, England, the daughter of Salvation Army officers originally from South Yorkshire. Anderson was raised in Zimbabwe, and his secondary education was at Gilbert Rennie School in Lusaka, Prince Edward School in Harare and Milton High School, Bulawayo. He studied part-time at the University of South Africa from 1976, obtaining a BTh in 1983, Hons BTh in Missiology in 1985, MTh in 1990, and graduated DTh in September 1992. His master's thesis was entitled "Pneumatology from an African Perspective", and his doctoral dissertation was "African Pentecostalism in South Africa: A Missiological Evaluation."

Academic career

Anderson was founder and principal of Tshwane Theological College near Pretoria and part-time researcher at the University of South Africa before joining Selly Oak Colleges, Birmingham, as Director of the Centre for New Religious Movements in 1995. He also became an honorary lecturer and then, from 1999, a lecturer at the University of Birmingham. In 2005, Anderson was awarded a Chair in Mission and Pentecostal Studies at the University of Birmingham.

Ministry

Anderson was a full-time pentecostal minister, then a baptist and charismatic church minister in South Africa, when he took up a part-time research position at the University of South Africa.

Research and selected publications

Anderson's main interests are in the areas of the history, mission and theology of Pentecostalism, with particular interest in Africa and Asia. He is the editor of the peer-reviewed journal published at Equinox, PentecoStudies. He is also a founder-member of the European Research Network on Global Pentecostalism which conducts research in four European universities, and he also serves on the international editorial board of four additional academic journals. His principle works include:
Anderson has also written numerous articles for peer-reviewed journals.