Abstract

The origin and development of Pentecostal Christianity in the Middle East is associated with a number of factors: religious, social and political. The region due to its strong biblical connotations played an important role in the initial stage of the Pentecostal movement shaping the missionary attitudes. Jerusalem became a natural centre to start and develop the missionary activities. What is more, the changes taking place in the Middle Eastern societies, including intensifying migration to the United States at the turn of the 19th century, made the circulation of ideas and dissemination of Pentecostal practices possible in the vast areas between Egypt, Palestine and Iran. In fact, the first Pentecostal communities in the Middle East were created by the Christians living in this area, in Egypt - Copts, in Iran - Assyrians, who were familiar to the American Protestantism. In this sense, Pentecostalism in the Middle East might be seen, to some extent, as a continuation of the missionary work of Americans dating back to the early 19th century.