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David Bundy provides a review of Paulo Neto Martins Branco’s *Pentecostes: Un desafio al mundo* (Cadiz, 1984), a significant contribution to the nascent field of Pentecostal historiography in Southern Europe. Branco, a distinguished graduate of the Instituto Bíblico de Portugal, serves as both a missionary and pastor in Spain. His prior scholarly engagements include editing prominent evangelical periodicals like *Fiel. Revista Evangélica* and *Nueva Vida*, as well as co-authoring *Panorama Pentecostal* (1981), a foundational text on the Assemblies of God in Portugal. This current volume stands out as one of the rare comprehensive studies of Pentecostalism in a region historically more inclined towards spirituality, biblical commentary, and systematic theology than historical analysis. Branco’s *Pentecostes* is notably ambitious, integrating elements of Pentecostal apologetics, historical survey, and theological reflection. The work commences by tracing core Pentecostal theological themes through the book of Acts, subsequently examining nineteenth-century movements perceived as precursors to the modern Pentecostal phenomenon—a methodology characterized by a traditional “history of heresies” approach. Beyond this foundational analysis, the volume proceeds to describe the early Pentecostal movement in the United States and extends its geographical scope to former Portuguese territories, including Mozambique, Angola, São Tomé e Príncipe, Guinea Bissau, and East Timor. The substantive core of Branco’s research is dedicated to chronicling the Pentecostal movement across various Portuguese-speaking nations, encompassing not only Portugal itself but also its former African and Asian territories. This extensive section is structured country-by-country, offering a synthesis of basic demographic and political data, a narrative account of the Pentecostal movement within each locale, and a corresponding bibliographic note. While reviewer Bundy acknowledges the presence of inaccuracies and the reliance on “educated guesses” for certain statistics, he commendably highlights Branco’s remarkable achievement in compiling this information from exceptionally difficult and elusive sources. Consequently, the work is recognized as a foundational effort that will require future correction and supplementation as more granular, country-specific studies emerge. Despite its acknowledged incompleteness—notably the omission of Oneness, Black, and immigrant churches—Branco’s volume offers a superior portrayal of Pentecostalism in the Portuguese-speaking world compared to most prior publications. Its distinct strength lies in effectively demonstrating the rich and diverse indigenous heritage of European Pentecostalism, underscoring its development largely independent of North American movements. While Walter Hollenweger’s *Handbuch der Pfingstbewegung* (1966) retains its twenty-year-old distinction for unparalleled comprehensiveness, Branco’s work stands as a crucial “touchstone” in European Pentecostal historiography. It provides an indispensable initial framework for understanding the movement’s unique trajectory and multifaceted presence in Southern Europe and its associated global communities.
