I Introduction

Summary in English

Man, Society and God – Basic Features in Lewi Pethrus’ Conception of Christianity

From the beginning of this century and until his death in 1974, Lewi Pethrus personified the Swedish Pentecostal movement more than anyone else. It was as leader of Filadelfia Church in Stockholm between 1911 and 1958 that he formed and consolidated Swedish Pentecostalism in a variety of ways.

His view of Christianity will be here examined in three chapters relating to his ideas of man, society and God. In addition to these three chapters there is an introductory and a concluding section.

I Introduction

In this section, the aim of the thesis is stated fully and particular problems of method and material are discussed. The aim is, as previously indicated, to investigate LP’s conception of Christianity with particular reference to his ideas about man, society and God. Among problems involved here, the results of previous research into LP’s political activity play a major role. In these it is claimed that an apocalyptic conception of Christianity is abandoned for a politically-orientated one. I am critical of this interpretation and try instead to show that there is a continuity at the cognitive level, whilst a shift can be discovered at the practical level. The introduction also includes biographical information. Further, LP’s context within Pentecostalism is discussed, particularly his experience of »baptism in the Spirit«, about which his writings give differing information, as well as his view of the origins of Pentecostalism – i.e., whether at Topeka in 1901 or Los Angeles in 1906. In this connection, LP’s theological background is briefly outlined. Finally, since LP apparently rejects systematic theology in a programmatic fashion, the introduction concludes with a discussion of his relation to theology.