God as a Servant of Magic? The Challenge of the Impersonalisation of God in Neo-Pentecostal Prophetic Responses to Human Agency and Transcendence in Africa

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Considering that this issue is not original - there are numerous works on the subject - it is necessary to make the state of the art, dialoguing with the works already published on the theme. In addition, it is pertinent to explain the main contribution (what is news on it) of the article to a better understanding of the subject in question.

Author Response

Response to Reviewer 1

As per the Reviewer’s comments, I have adjusted the focus of the article from the influence of African Traditional Religions on African neo-Pentecostal prophetism, to the prophets’ impersonalisation of God by projecting God as an impersonal servant of prophetic rituals in empowering poor people. I still point out the basis of this impersonalisation in ATR and then highlight its crippling effect on African human agency and transcendence. I now close the article by looking at how God’s trinitarian nature can assist African neo-Pentecostal prophets to shift from propagating a version of God as a servant of magic in addressing poor human agency and transcendence to viewing God as a relational personal being who empowers the poor by relating with them.

I have attached a copy of the article with the revisions so that the reviewer can see the extensive revisions I have made.  

Reviewer 2 Report

The author´s main goal was to offer "Christian theological evaluation of the influence of TAR notion of God as an impersonal power" in connection to the ANPP´s use of Christian theological concepts of God in everyday life of average African person/Christian. The author offers interesting analysis and comparison of TAR and ANPP understanding of human life and the use of objects or rituals to make human life more "happy" or meaningful. I would point out that this is the most valuable part of the article. 
The profound theological analysis is missing, though - the article does not offer in-depth-solid-theological explanation of the parts of dogmatics that should be offered in this respect - certainly cosmology, Christology, ecclesiology, etc. Even if the author´s ambition was to use serious Biblical teaching concerning the matter of personal God and God´s actions, the Bible texts are either not explained in depth and certainly not within their context, or are used arbitrarily. 
Therefore I suggest to the author either to change the title of the article or to add missing content. 
The author also needs to check the style of quotations - it certainly needs to be unified in the whole article. 

Author Response

Response to Reviewer 2

I have extensively revised the article to address the Reviewer’s concern that the article lacked in-depth-solid-theological explanation issues by adopting Trinitarian approach to God’s personhood. Furthermore, instead of focussing on the influence of African Traditional Religions on African neo-Pentecostal prophetism, I now critic the prophets’ impersonalisation of God, its basis in ATR and its crippling effect on African human agency and transcendence. I now close the article by looking at how God’ trinitarian nature can assist African neo-Pentecostal prophets to shift from propagating a notion of God as a servant of magic in addressing poor human agency and transcendence to viewing God as a relational personal being who empowers the poor by relating with them. 

The style of quotations has been unified although I have encountered difficulties in fitting the quotations into the Religions Template.

I have attached a copy of the article with the revisions so that the reviewer can see the extensive revisions I have made.  

Reviewer 3 Report

This is well-written, and I like its maturity in tackling the issues it addresses. The article evaluated the influence of the ATR impersonalized view of God in the responses of African neo-Pentecostal prophets to the problem of poor human agency and transcendence in Africa. I commend the authors' efforts, recommend a revision, and offer my suggestions to help the author improve the work. I hinge my recommendations on the following three planks (see the attached document for details):

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Response to Reviewer 3

I have extensively revised the article to address the Reviewer’s concern that the article lacked in-depth-solid-theological explanation issues by adopting Trinitarian approach to God’s personhood. Furthermore, instead of focussing on the influence of African Traditional Religions on African neo-Pentecostal prophetism, I now critic the prophets’ impersonalisation of God, its basis in ATR and its crippling effect on African human agency and transcendence. I now close the article by looking at how God’ trinitarian nature can assist African neo-Pentecostal prophets to shift from propagating a notion of God as a servant of magic in addressing poor human agency and transcendence to viewing God as a relational personal being who empowers the poor by relating with them. 

I have attached a copy of the article with the revisions so that the reviewer can see the extensive revisions I have made.  

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

I am glad you have implemented some of the changes I suggested. The question of personal God could still be argued much strongly from the theological point of view (Trinitarian theology, Christology - both could be much more elaborate), but since the title of the article is changed, I think it could be accepted in the present form. 

Reviewer 3 Report

I am glad you found some of my suggestions helpful in revising your paper. Based on your revision, I believe the manuscript has improved sufficiently to warrant publication in Religions.