LEGITIMASI PNEUMATOLOGIS DAN POLITIK KEKUASAAN DALAM KEPEMIMPINAN GEREJA NEO-PENTAKOSTA DI INDONESIA
Abstract
Abstract. This article examines the formation of charismatic authority in Indonesian Neo-Pentecostal churches through a dialogue between Max Weber's theory of charismatic domination and Pentecostal pneumatology. Using a conceptual-analytical method, the article examines Weberian literature, Pentecostal theology, Indonesian Neo-Pentecostal studies, and relevant legal and ethnographic ecclesiastical cases. Its central argument is that charismatic authority in Neo-Pentecost is not only theological but also political, as claims of anointing, prophecy, spiritual gifts, and divine calling can serve to sacralize the leader's personal authority. The analysis identifies four key dynamics: the pneumatological legitimation of personal authority, the routinization of charisma into institutional control, the politics of succession and boundary maintenance, and the tension between the ecclesiology of the Holy Spirit and personal domination. The article's theoretical contribution lies in formulating the concept of the pneumatological legitimacy of power as an analytical tool for assessing the relationship between spirituality, leadership, and ecclesiastical accountability. This article proposes a critical pneumatological framework that distinguishes Spirit-led authority from coercive power structures that use charismatic language to close off communal spaces for correction.
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