The purpose of this article on Pentecostalism and some closely related evangelical/charismatic movements is to examine the implications that this religious trend may have for the future of Christianity and for the theory of secularization, namely for some of its standard components: rationalization, privatization, and social differentiation. I have some doubts about rationalization and privatization in general, and even more so in the case of Pentecostalism, since it is very rarely and ambiguously privatized, and it can also coexist with rationalization just like any other church in Dallas or Atlanta. But social differentiation is an important aspect in principle, and especially so for Pentecostalism. Social differentiation implies the emergence of a special religious sphere, separated from the state and no longer automatically participating in the formation of the sacred unity of the people, faith and place. The religious sphere may also be partially separated from other social spheres, such as education and social security, or play a smaller role in these latter, but the separation of religion from the state has many consequences, usually positive, as in the United States, but, of course, very different-according to the characteristics of specific political cultures. Pentecostalism is an excellent example of social differentiation and (like its main predecessor, Methodism) the most expressive case of a transnational voluntary religious group that competes with other groups in the context of a political culture that is positive about religion. Historically, Pentecostalism was an Anglo - American religious phenomenon, but today it is hardly correct to label it in this way, given the forms of its existence, page 165as well as its distribution areas and sources. The debate about whether or not global Pentecostalism is the result of American exports is misleading, precisely because Pentecostalism should be understood as a successful hybrid that can constantly adapt to ... Read more