Sitting at the crossroads of the encounter between charismatic experience and confessional heritage for African Lutherans, Sonessa's diasporic theology of mission integrates key Lutheran theological themes with the charismatism that animates so much of contemporary African religious experience. Foundational Lutheran theological tenets such as justification, faith and love, law and gospel, and two kingdoms theology need not sit at odds with charismatic experience. Rather, when we focus on the mission of God at work in the lives of global Christians, we can discern how these themes inform and strengthen the unique contributions of charismatic pneumatology. The result, Sonessa argues, is a pneumatological-theological hermeneutics that allows us to access a comprehensive understanding of the theology of the Holy Spirit at work in Christian lives. Integrating the best contributions of charismatic pneumatology with Lutheran theology will allow African Lutherans to retrieve the faith from the prosperity gospel, emotionalism, and empty sentimentality that can cause spiritual harm in diasporic communities.
Sonessa combines quantitative and qualitative research among Ethopian Lutherans living in the North American diaspora with careful theological analysis. The results provide a new vision for Lutheran Christians of African descent and others who seek to fully integrate the movement of the Spirit with commitment to the mission of God in their communities and beyond.
