“Ask and you shall be given”: Pentecostalism and the Economic Crisis in Cameroon

written by Robert Mbe Akoko

Since the 1980s, Cameroon has been facing an economic crisis that has resulted in widespread unemployment and poverty. In response, civil society organisations, including churches, have called for the introduction of democratic institutions, believing that bad governance is at the root of the country’s economic problems. At the same time, a growing number of Pentecostal churches, especially in Anglophone Cameroon, have begun offering a message of salvation to the suffering masses. This study examines how the new gospel of accumulation and prosperity preached by these churches relates to the material predicaments of Cameroonians. It investigates the proliferation of Pentecostalism and the ongoing defection of members of the mainline churches to the new Pentecostal groups that are propagating the gospel of prosperity as opposed to the ascetic doctrine of mainline groups. In contrast to mainline churches, which have been vocal in their fight against the crisis by issuing pastoral letters, organising conferences, and criticising the government, Pentecostal churches have been relatively silent. This study compares the reactions of the two churches and suggests that the Pentecostal churches have used the crisis as an opportunity to grow their membership.

Robert Mbe Akoko

Robert Mbe Akoko, a leading expert on Christianity in Cameroon, is an Associate Professor at the University of Buea. After earning his PhD from the University of Leiden in 2007, his research has explored diverse areas, from Pentecostalism to the cross-cultural study of human physical attractiveness.