Abstract

GONZALEZ, Philippe. Reclaiming the (Swiss) nation for God: the politics of Charismatic prophecy. Etnográfica [online]. 2008, vol.12, n.2, pp.425-451. ISSN 0873-6561.

Using an ethnographical approach, this paper examines the relationship between Charismatic prophecy found in Evangelical circles and a discourse that envisions the concept of “the (Swiss) nation” as the basis and horizon for understanding God’s activity within history. We will demonstrate the intricacy of various modes of participation, ranging from ecstatic involvement in church Sunday worship and Charismatic youth meetings to citizenship in the national community. In such settings, participants are urged to connect the religious and political realms in order to restore the nation through the (re)establishment of an ancestral purity which is seen to have its source in Christianity. “Spiritual warfare” is the framework assumed by the members to perceive the issues at stake, this framework is then extended to the public domain. The analysis will try to shed light on the nature of the communities envisioned, the diverse modes of participating in them and the role of the Holy Spirit as an empowering agent for reshaping those communities and society.

Keywords : category analysis; evangelicalism; dominion theology; Sociology; spiritual warfare; Switzerland.

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