Professor Estrelda Alexander

I am a sociologist, political theologian and ordained Pentecostal clergy woman with 30 years of experience in church and academic leadership and engagement.

Qualifications

BA in Sociology	1971	Howard University
MA in Sociology	1973	Columbia University
MDiv	1995	Wesley Theological Seminary
PhD in Political Theology	2002	The Catholic University of America

Roles

Teaching	I have taught a variety of course at undergraduate and postgraduate level, at Trinity University (Washington DC) Seattle Pacific University, Virginia Union University, Pentecostal Theological Seminary
Church experience and background	As an ordained minister in the Church of God (Cleveland, Tenn.), I have served as a church planter, pastor, and pastoral staff member within that denomination and other Pentecostal bodies and has preached in pulpits of numerous denominations.
Roles and responsibilities in the wider church / academia	Associate Dean of Community Life, Wesley Theological Seminary Professor of Theology, Regent University School of Divinity General Board of Education, Church of God (Cleveland, TN Founding President, William Joseph Seymour Foundation
Other	President, Seymour Press Executive Editor, Journal of Pan-African Pentecostalism Executive Director, Pan-African Pentecostal Archives Society for Pentecostal Studies (former president) Editorial Board, Journal of Pentecostal Theology Steering Committee, Alliance of Black Pentecostal Scholars

Research Interests and Supervision

Research interests

Justice, Pentecostalism, Black and Women’s History

Supervision areas and level

Theses and Dissertations Directed M.A./M.Div. The Myth of Azusa Street as Foundation to Pentecostalism: Movements of the Spirit throughout Church History, Joseph Williams, Spring 2010. Black Liberation Theology in the Works of Robert C. Lawson and Smallwood E. Williams, Vanderlyn Hampton, Spring 2009. No Sex in the Soul: Proto-Feminist Theology in 17th Century British Quakerism –Toward Egalitarian Relationships Between Women and Men in MINISTRY, LaTonia Winston, Spring 2009. A Comparative Look at Darbyian Dispensationalism & The Views Held by the Early Church Concerning The Second Advent, Bashiri Durham, Spring, 2008. La teologia mujerista: A Study of the Mujerista Theology of Ada Maria Isasi-Diaz, Loy, Gary Edwin, M.A., 2004. Ph.D. A Critical Assessment Of The Theology Of William J. Seymour In Conversation With Liberation Theology, Renea Brathwaite, Projected Defense, Spring 2013. Human And Divine Hiddenness As A Cause For Human And Divine Suffering With Special Attention Given To The Book Of Hosea, Martha Williams, Fall 2012. A Critical Investigation of T. L. Osborn’s Work in India: Its Impact and Implications, Edith Prakash, Fall 2012. Onesimus, Slavery, and Exclusionary Koinonia: An African American Interpretation of Paul’s Letter to Philemon, Lewis Brogdon, Jr. Projected Defense: Spring 2010. William J. Seymour: A Critical Investigation of His Soteriology, PNEUMATOLOGY, and Ecclesiology, Charles Fox, Spring 2009. Thesis and Dissertation Committees Regent University School of Divinity D. Min. A Transformation Coaching Model that Builds Authentic Support Relationships between Senior Pastors and Associate Ministers in African-American Baptist Churches, Gloria Miller, 2013. Staff Resident School for Multicultural Leadership Development: A Model for Developing Emerging Leaders for Multicultural Ministry at an Urban Assembly of God Church in Hampton, Virginia, Willie C. Vines, 2007. Transformational Narrative as a Primary Methodology in Activating the Divine Calling of the Emerging Woman Leader: Curriculum Design and ASSESSMENT, Richard Coffelt, 2007. Leading a Suburban African-American Baptist Church, Robert Ashley Whitehead, Sr., 2006. PH.D. Sanctification and Power in the Lives of Phoebe Palmer and Asa Mahan and Their Impact on the Latter Nineteenth Century.Dianne Langston, 2016. Not By Bread Alone: An Ontology of Christian Proclamation in Theological Perspective, Christopher Emerick, 2011. Quichua Christianity: An Indigena History from the Cross and the Sword to Pentecost, Eloy H. Nolivos, 2011. Virginia Union University D.Min. Strategies for Addressing Clergy Burn-out in the AME Zion Church, Joy Carrington, D.Min., Virginia Union University, Spring, 2010. PhD. Life, Liberty, and the Practicality of Holiness: A Social Historical Examination of the Life and Work of Ida Bell Robinson. Dayton University, Spring, 2019

Publications

Books

• The Spirit of the Lord: Renewal Spirituality, Biblical Justice and the Prophetic Witness of the Church, Lanham, MD: Seymour Press, 2022.
• Black Fire: One Hundred Years of African American Pentecostalism, Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2011.
• Limited Liberty: The Legacy of Four Pentecostal Women Pioneers, Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim Press, 2007, Lanham, MD Seymour Press, 2020.
• The Other Pentecostalism: Alternative Themes in Contemporary Renewal Spirituality, Lanham, MD: Seymour Press, 2020.
• The Dictionary of Pan-African Pentecostalism, Volume One: North America, Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2018.
• The Will to Power: Confronting Ideologies that Dismantle Christian Community, Lanham, MD: Seymour Press, 2020.
• The Women of Azusa Street Lanham, MD: Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim Press, 2006; Lanham, MD Seymour Press, 2020.
• Black Fire Reader, Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2013.
• Philip's Daughters: Women in Pentecostal-Charismatic Leadership, Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, Fall, 2008 (With Amos Yong).
• The Letters to the Seven Churches: A Study in Revelation 1-3, Lanham, MD: Seymour Press, 2020.
• Afro-Pentecostalism: Black Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity in History and Culture, New York: New York University Press, 2011. (With Amos Yong)

Journal articles

• “In the Name of the Gospel:” Mutuality, 16:9, Fall 2009, 8-10.
• “Race Relations” and “Women in Pentecostalism” in Encyclopedia of Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity, Rutledge Publishing Group, 2005.
• Thomas P. O'Connor, Dean R. Hoge & Estrelda Alexander “The Relative Influence of Youth and Adult Experiences on Personal Spirituality and Church Involvement” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion: 414, Dec. 2002, 723-732
• “Serving the Word,” Homily Service, Monthly Resource of the Liturgical Conference, February, 1998.
• “Healing Word,” Homily Service, Monthly Resource of the Liturgical Conference, 31:11, February, 1999.
• “Serving the Word,” Homily Service, Monthly Resource of the Liturgical Conference, February, 1998.
• “Liturgy in non-liturgical Holiness-Pentecostalism,” Wesleyan Theological Journal, Fall, 1997.

Essays

• The New Lynching Tree: Social Justice Implications of Police Violence Against the African American Community” in Antipas L. Harris and Michael D Palmer, eds., The Holy Spirit and Social Justice Interdisciplinary Cultural Perspective: History, Race and Culture, Lanham, MD: Seymour Press, 2018.
• “When liberation becomes survival” in De Alminana, Margaret English and Lois E Olena, eds., Women in Pentecostal and Charismatic Ministry: Informing a Dialogue on Gender, Church, and Ministry. Boston: Brill, 2017.
• The Spirit of God: Christian renewal in African American Pentecostalism /in Jeffrey W Barbeau and Beth Felker Jones, eds.. Spirit of God : Christian renewal in the community of faith Downers Grove : InterVarsity Press, 2015
• “Beautiful Feet: Women Leaders and the Shaping of Global Pentecostalism” in Donald E. Miller, Kimon H. Sargeant and Richard Flory, eds., Spirit and Power: The Growth and Global Impact of Pentecostalism. New York: Oxford University Press, 2013.
• “African-American Pentecostalism” and “Role of Women” in Adam Stewart, ed., 50 Essential Terms for Understanding Pentecostalism, Urbana: Illinois University Press, 2011.
• “Recovering Black Theological Thought in the writings of early holiness-Pentecostal leaders: liberating motifs in early african-american Pentecostalism” in A Liberating Spirit: Pentecostals and Social Action in North America (Pentecostals, Peacemaking, and Social Justice), Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2011.
• The future of women in ministry” in Vinson Synan, ed., Spirit-Empowered Christianity in the Twenty-First Century. Lake Mary, FL: Charisma House, 2011.
• “Women as Leaders in Pentecostal and Charismatic Religions in Karen O’Connor, ed., Gender and Women's Leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2010.
• “Amanda Berry Smith in Hal Knight, ed., From Aldersgate to Azusa Street: Wesleyan, Holiness & Pentecostal Visions of the New Humanity, Nashville: Abingdon Publications, 2010.
• “Ida Robinson” in Hal Knight, ed., From Aldersgate to Azusa Street: Wesleyan, Holiness & Pentecostal Visions of the New Humanity, Nashville: Abingdon Publications, 2010.
• “Garfield Haywood” in Hal Knight, ed., From Aldersgate to Azusa Street: Wesleyan, Holiness & Pentecostal Visions of the New Humanity, Nashville: Abingdon Publications, 2010.
• “The role of women in the Azusa Street Revival” in Harold Hunter and Cecil M. Robeck, eds, The Azusa Street Revival and Its Legacy. Cleveland, TN: Pathway Press, 2006.
• Thomas P. O'Connor, Dean R. Hoge & Estrelda Alexander “The Relative Influence of Youth and ADULT EXPERIENCES on Personal Spirituality and Church Involvement,” in in Kerry J. Strand and Gregory L. Weiss, eds., Experiencing Social Research: A Reader. Boston, MA: Allen & Bacon, 2005.
• “Conversion and Sanctification in Nineteenth Century African American Wesleyan Women Leaders” in Kenneth J. Collins and John H. Tyson, eds., Conversion in the Wesleyan Methodist Tradition, Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2001.