METHODOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS IN THE RESEARCH OF PENTECOSTAL THEOLOGIANS IN THE NATIONAL PEDAGOGICAL DRAGOMANOV UNIVERSITY

Abstract

Within the framework of cooperation of the National Pedagogical Dragomanov University with Protestant seminaries and their associations, more than ten defenses of dissertations on Pentecostalism took place. These defenses prove that Pentecostal theologians were able to overcome the closed nature of their own tradition to the development of theology. The ideological leadership of Protestant theology in Ukraine, especially Pentecostal theology, became possible due to the assimilation and development of the best methodological achievements of Western theology of the beginning of the 21st century. Ukrainian Pentecostal theologians actively use the methodology of theological hermeneutics, taking into account the achievements of post-liberal and post-conservative Western theology, modern biblical studies, mission theology and eschatology. The central point for the entire methodology was the recognition of the narrative character of the religious ideology. The analysis of narratives is complemented by the research of key narrative concepts, the research of the interaction of narrative theology and other post-metaphysical methodologies. The vision of the history of Christianity and the history of theology as processes characterized by periodic paradigm shifts allows us to conceptualize narratives and then create new narratives about these stories and about the prospects of both Christianity and theology. A particularly great achievement is the systematic presentation of the history of the Pentecostal movement as the history of communities that have special narratives, cultivate special virtues, and use special narrative concepts.