Pentecostalized and Pillarized. Neo-Dhimmitude and the Religious Market in Kuwait

Abstract

This article uses a qualified religious market model to first describe and then analyze the context and shifts of significant Christian populations in Kuwait. It argues that due to neo-dhimmitude, the religious market is pillarized and maintains that the shift towards pentecostalized Christianity indicates a rise in demand for embodied spirituality and religious narratives that justify the sacrifices and burdens of transnational migration. It concludes that pentecostalized Christianity is a significant element within the pillarized religious market of Kuwait while demonstrating how the religious market model may be adapted for non-Western contexts.