Pax Pneuma

The Journal of Pentecostals & Charismatics For Peace & Justice

Mission Statement of PCPJ

To encourage, enable, and sustain peacemaking and justice-seeking as authentic and integral parts of Pentecostal-Charismatic Christianity. We witness to the conviction that Jesus Christ is relevant to all tensions, crises, and brokenness in the world and we seek to show that addressing injustice and making peace as Jesus and his followers did is theologically sound, biblically commanded, and realistically possible.

The Purpose of Pax Pneuma

Pax Pneuma furthers the mission of Pentecostals and Charismatics for Peace and Justice by publishing editorials, opinion pieces, articles, sermons, bible studies, testimonials, stories, reviews, and information about current events and resources that help enable Jesus shaped Spirit empowered peacemaking and justice seeking.  

Our Readers

Our readers are primarily from the Pentecostal Charismatic tradition. However, people of all denominational backgrounds read and participate in PCPJ. Our readers also come from all walks of life. There are scholars, teachers, pastors, laity, denominational leaders, activists, students, advocates, and missionaries. It is our goal to intentionally incorporate diverse perspectives within a global context.

Publication Schedule

The Pax Pneuma journal is published semi annually in spring and fall.

Editorial/Opinion Piece

Purpose: The editorial section seeks to establish a topic and set the tone for the journal by introducing a theme on justice and/or peacemaking from a Pentecostal-Charismatic perspective. This section sets out to serve as the focal point for action or simply introduce the theme for the journal.

Guidelines: This article should be something that the editor is passionate about and wishes to share with fellow Christians. Please not that the other eight sections of the journal do not necessarily have to be about the same theme/topic as the editorial section.

Format: The editorial piece should be between five hundred and one thousand words (one to two pages singled spaced). The editorial does not have to be footnoted or cross-referenced but it can be if desired if necessary. If desired please use footnotes, preferably Turabian style. The article needs to be 12 point font, Times New Roman, and single spaced. The article should be written at a high school reading level. Links, pictures, video clips, audio clips, and other multimedia content are welcome in the editorial.

Feature Articles 

Purpose: The main article section seeks to explore, explain, challenge, question, or defend some aspect of justice and peacemaking from a Pentecostal-Charismatic perspective.  

Guidelines: The main article can be written by either the editors and/or scholars, pastors, institutional/denominational leaders, activists, missionaries, professors, graduate students, or other qualified candidates.

Format: The article should be between three to four thousand words (six to eight pages single spaced). The article needs to be 12 point size using Times New Roman font. If referencing or citing other resources please use footnotes, preferably Turabian style. The article should be written at a high school reading level and can include footnotes, links, pictures, video clips, and audio clips. Include an introduction, main body, and concluding paragraph.

Student Articles 

Purpose: The student article section is primarily for high school, undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral students. The purpose of this section is to explore, explain, challenge, question, or defend some aspect of peacemaking and justice.

Guidelines: This section is to be written by a Pentecostal-Charismatic student who advocates peacemaking and social justice. The student article may include a research paper or position paper.  

Format: The article should be between three and four thousand words or shorter (six to eight pages single spaced). The article needs to be 12 point size using Times New Roman font. Please us footnotes, preferably Turabian style. The article should be written at a high school reading level and can include footnotes, links, pictures, video clips, and audio clips. Include an introduction, main body, and concluding paragraph.

Sermons 

Purpose: The sermon section seeks to encourage and challenge Pentecostal-Charismatic Christians towards social justice and peacemaking via pastoral messages.

Guidelines: You may make available your own sermons, those of your pastor, conferences, seminars, revivals you attend, or sermons you find online or hear regarding justice and/or peacemaking.

Format: You can simply submit to us a link to another website or we can upload the sermon in any format to our website. If possible, we request that you simply submit by email the sermon on a Word document to Brian Pipkin at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  

Bible Studies 

Purpose: The Bible study section seeks to inform and challenge believers from a distinctly biblical perspective towards justice and peacemaking. This will be accomplished by exploring interpretations, illustrations, and applications of biblical passages relating to justice and/or peace.

Guidelines: Please keep in mind that we wish to make available to our readers various Bible studies or curricula that is practical and can be used in Sunday Schools, Bible Colleges, Ministry Institutes, Youth Groups, Children’s Church, local PCPJ groups, or other informal settings where Christians can explore these topics from a distinctly biblical perspective.

Format: There is no required format for this section. You can simply submit to us your Bible studies via e-mail. The content of this material can be geared towards children, youth, or adults.  

Testimonies or Stories 

Purpose: The testimony section is about “your story” regarding how you as a Christ-follower became committed and passionately involved in working for peacemaking and social justice. This section is for any who believe, teach, or live peacemaking and social justice.

Guidelines: If submitting a story, please write about an experience you had that has a social or peace implication. This can include trips you went on or people you met. If writing a testimony, it might be helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

1. "How did I become committed and passionate about advocating for social justice and/or peacemaking?”

2. "What is God doing in my life with regards to justice and peace?"

3. "What challenges do I face as I seek to follow Jesus' example of justice and peace?"

4. "What has God taught me or done in my life that can encourage others to become a peacemaker and justice seeker?"

Format: The testimony or story should be between two and three thousand words or shorter if preferred, (three to four pages single spaced). The article needs to be 12 point size, using Times New Roman font. If you wish to cite an author or insert quotes from other published work, please use footnotes, preferably Turabian style. The article should be written at a high school reading level and can include footnotes, links, pictures, video clips, and audio clips. Include an introduction, main body, and concluding paragraph.

 Movie or Music Reviews 

Purpose: This section seeks to creatively raise awareness or draw out peace and justice implications/illustrations through a movie or music critique.

Guidelines: These reviews should seek to integrate a Pentecostal-Charismatic perspective regarding peace and social justice. Feel free to be creative in your writing style and seek to draw out practical implications.

Format: Please keep movie or music reviews to no more than five hundred words. Please give your review a title. The review must be about a current or recent move or song that pertains to justice and peace. Feel free to include links to trailers, pictures, or other reviews.

Book Reviews 

Purpose: This section seeks to raise awareness, draw attention to, and critique current books pertaining to social justice and peace for the purpose of establishing a Pentecostal-Charismatic justice witness.

Guidelines: The following are some guidelines in writing your book review:

1. In your introduction, be sure to catch the reader’s attention. Be creative in your approach! Remember your readers and write simply so everyone can understand.

2. Make sure to include the title and author of the book in the beginning of your review. The title of the book should serve as the title of your review.

3. The purpose of the review is to dialogue with the author and to provide practical implications for readers. The review is meant to be constructive and not an opportunity to negatively discredit an authors views on a given subject. Be fair and constructive in your assessment.

4. Avoid a chapter summary of the book. The most important facet about a book review is not the outline of the book, but about the argument or thesis being presented.

5. When concluding your book review summary ask yourself, “What is the ‘take-away’ value of this book for PCPF readers?”

Format:  Your book review can be anywhere from one thousand to two thousand words. Please try to avoid “wordy” sentences. The review needs to be in 12 point size, using Times New Roman. Please use footnotes if desired, preferably Turabian style. The review should be single spaced.

News & Events

Purpose: This section seeks to inform our readers of various conferences, seminars, trips, service opportunities that pertain to peace, justice, relief and development. We welcome current events around the world that warrant prayer, attention, action, or support, from Washington D.C. to Darfur to China.

Guidelines: Please refer to news and events that deal with one of the following:  

 1. Pentecostal-Charismatic Organizations: This list includes but is not limited to the Assemblies of God, Church of God in Christ, International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, Church of God (Cleveland), Vineyard, etc.  

2. Peace and Justice Fellowships: We invite news from groups like the Baptist Peace Fellowship; Mennonite Central Committee; American Friends Service Committee; Pax Christi; Every Church a Peace Church; Episcopal Peace Fellowship; Sojourners; Evangelicals for Social Action, and Christians for Biblical Equality.

3. Non-Government Organizations: We recognize the holistic work of NGOs like World Vision, Food for the Hungry, Bread for the World, and Compassion International. We welcome news and events that warrant prayer, attention or action.

Format: Note this section can include petitions, resolutions, and letters that members have written or signed. Please email the link, article, or information regarding conferences to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Interchurch Voices

Purpose: The Interchurch voices section seeks to acknowledge the perspectives of fellow Christians who do not necessarily consider themselves Pentecostal-Charismatic yet support personally and professionally a peacemaking and social justice theology and witness.

Guidelines: The article can be anything pertaining to peace and social justice from a non Pentecostal Charismatic perspective. Articles can be submitted from those affiliated with groups such as Mennonite, Baptist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Nazarene, Methodist, Quaker, or non-denominational traditions (this is not a comprehensive list).

Note the following guidelines:

1. The article can be written by scholars, pastors, institutional/ denominational leaders, activists, missionaries, professors, graduate students, or other qualified candidates.

2. The author should seek to explore, explain, challenge, question, or defend some aspect of justice and peacemaking from their personal or denominational perspective.

3. The author has the choice to write from any of the above sections 2-9 writing from a non Pentecostal-Charismatic perspective. This can include an article, student article, sermon, bible study, testimony, story or book review.

4. Please keep in mind the readers and mission of PCPJ. “PCPJ seeks to show that addressing injustice and making peace as Jesus did is theologically sound, biblically commanded, and realistically possible.”

Format: The article can be anywhere between one and two thousand words (three to five pages single spaced). The article needs to be 12 point size and written in Times New Roman. If referencing an author or book, please use footnotes, preferably Turabian style. The article should be written at a high school reading level and can include links, pictures, video clips, and audio clips. Include an introduction, main body, and concluding paragraph. Please be sure to title your article, story, or testimony.

Submission Guidelines

Please submit your articles in a Word document to the Assistant Editors,  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Include the title of your submission and which category you wish it to be published under (sections 2-10). Journal submission for the fall edition is due no later than August 15. The spring journal edition is due no later than January 15. However, you may submit an article at any time for consideration in upcoming issues. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us by email at the above email address. To view previous journal articles please visit www.pcpj.org.

Writer Guidelines

1. Please use 12 point size font.
2. Times New Roman.
3. Submit your article as a Word or rich text document.
4. Make sure your article is singled spaced.
5. Please use inclusive language (required). This is the use of generic terms with reference to both men and women. For instance, there are many substitutions that can be used instead of “men,” “man,” or “mankind.” Substitute these words with humanity, humankind, human beings, humans, persons, people, all, and everyone.
6. Please use footnotes if quoting or referencing another source. For assistance please visit: http://www.libs.uga.edu/ref/turabian.html or http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html.
7. Please give a title to your article(s).