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СпутникиРНSpaceXРоскосмосNASAIn contemporary African Pentecostalism, prophetic ritual paraphernalia have become key elements in healing and deliverance ministry. Among others, anointing oil, holy water, handkerchiefs, wristbands, stickers, sand, and holy items are used for conveying the phenomenon of divine healing, divine protection, deliverance, and spiritual change. In the framework of the African Pentecostal paradigm, these artifacts are grasped as actual contact points between the spiritual and material worlds, which illustrate wider theological assumptions regarding divine mediation, sacred power and embodied religious experience. Followers of this phenomenon consider their actions to be prescribed by biblical texts, while their critics express concerns about the commodification of sacred power, becoming of prophetic authority, and subsequently abuses against believers of the sect. Despite appeals to religious and academic institutions, insufficient work has been done in analysing prophetic rituals. This scoping review seeks to map, synthesise and critically analyse existing literature on prophetic ritual paraphernalia and healing praxis in South African Pentecostal churches. In addition, it will examine the different types of objects used, the theological and biblical arguments that support their use, their intended purposes, the experiences and perceptions associated with them. By identifying leading themes, theoretical viewpoints, methodological trends, and knowledge gaps, the review aims to unpack academic discussions in Practical Theology, African Theology, and Pentecostal Studies while providing input for ecclesiastical reflection on healing practices in Africa today.
The rise of Pentecostalism on the African continent has sparked scholarly curiosity regarding contemporary prophetic ministries, divine healing, deliverance ministry, and the material basis of spirituality.1–3 Healing is construed not only as a spiritual process in numerous Pentecostal and Neo-Pentecostal religious communities but also as a physical affair involving customs, performances, and other material aspects of religious faith expression.4,5 Pentecostal churches have become significant sources of hope and support for people facing social, economic, health, and spiritual challenges.6,7 As a result, prophetic ministries have become increasingly influential within contemporary Pentecostalism, attracting large numbers of believers seeking divine intervention and guidance.8
One of the most notable developments within contemporary Pentecostal and Neo-Pentecostal churches is the use of prophetic ritual paraphernalia.9 These include anointing oil, holy water, wristbands, handkerchiefs, stickers, photographs, sand, powders, beverages, and other materials that are believed to mediate God’s healing power, protection, deliverance, and blessings.10,11 In many churches, such items are distributed by prophets and pastors and are often presented as points of contact through which believers can exercise faith and experience divine intervention.12,13 The use of prophetic ritual paraphernalia has become increasingly widespread across several African countries, particularly South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya, where these objects play a central role in contemporary Pentecostal and Neo-Pentecostal expressions of healing, deliverance, and spiritual protection.14,15
Contemporary research in the area of material religion indicates that religion is often materialised through the interaction between believers with the things that surround them.16–18 The importance of sacred objects in religious practices is shifting away from the idea that they are mere representations of something else towards the view that they are active agents in communicating the sense of religious experience.19–21 In African Pentecostalism, the use of prophetic ritual objects is now regarded as a manifestation of the materiality of religion through which people seek healing, protection, spiritual authority, and divine presence.5,22 This is often supported through biblical narratives in which physical objects were associated with healing and miraculous events. Examples commonly cited include the use of oil for healing in the early church, the healing of the sick through contact with cloths associated with the Apostle Paul, and various Old Testament accounts involving symbolic objects in God’s acts of deliverance and restoration.23,24 Consequently, many Pentecostal believers regard prophetic objects as legitimate instruments through which God continues to manifest divine power in contemporary society.25
Prophecies and healing artifacts have, in spite of their widespread acceptance, become among the most controversial components of modern-day Pentecostal ministry.26,27 Scholars have highlighted numerous negative implications of the use of prophetic paraphernalia, which is why they consider this trend’s impact on believers’ spirituality questionable.11,28 Banda notes that the increasing popularity of blessed objects raises important theological issues regarding the perception of the Holy Spirit and the process of divine mediation in Pentecostal Christianity.3 Biwul also observes that some practices involving the use of anointing oil could be distanced from their real meaning in the Bible and may borrow from traditional worldviews or practices.25 Such discussions have prompted many theological debates about the use of prophetic items in modern Pentecostal churches. Moreover, apart from the theological questions raised, scholars have pointed out ethical issues arising from the production and commercialisation of prophetic items.11,29,30 There are religious economies that function on the belief that some sacred items have healing powers.31 Ethical issues have been raised as a result of the commodification of religion, the power mismatch between the prophets and the congregation, and the potential for exploiting those seeking spiritual healings.32,33 Thinane34 also notes that views on holy water in some African Neo-Pentecostal churches may reflect a religious syncretism of merged Christian and indigenous beliefs regarding sacred authority. These developments point to significant debates about accountability, biblical interpretation, and responsible ministry in Pentecostal churches.35,36
Prophetic ministries continue to thrive in South Africa, with the use of prophetic and healing paraphernalia a common practice in many Pentecostal churches.37,38 In numerous South African settings, believers encounter the use of anointing oil, holy water, healing materials, and other prophetic artefacts during healing and deliverance rituals.11,34 Although some church members accept these techniques, others are sceptical about their biblical foundation and theological interpretation.39–41 There is also a lack of adequate scientific research that summarises the existing scholarship on the use of prophetic and healing paraphernalia in the Pentecostal church setting.42–44 Therefore, the proposed paper aims to conduct a scoping review of the literature on the use of prophetic and healing paraphernalia within the Pentecostal church. The aim of the paper is to assess previous studies on the topic, identify and summarise existing knowledge, and analyse the theological reasons for supporting or contesting these practices.
The aim of this study is to examine and evaluate existing literature on the use of prophetic ritual paraphernalia and healing practices in South African Pentecostal churches. This includes an exploration of scriptural justification, purposes, benefits, hindrances, and implications for further research in Practical Theology.
The study seeks to achieve the following objectives:
1. To identify forms of prophetic ritual paraphernalia reported within South African Pentecostal healing ministries.
2. To examine the biblical, theological and cosmological frameworks underpinning the use of prophetic ritual paraphernalia.
3. To explore the role of prophetic ritual paraphernalia within the South African healing praxis experience.
4. To critically examine the theological, ethical, and pastoral concerns associated with these practices.
How has existing literature conceptualised, interpreted and evaluated the role of prophetic ritual paraphernalia within healing praxis in South African Pentecostal?
1. What prophetic ritual paraphernalia and healing praxis are commonly employed in South African Pentecostal churches?
2. What biblical and theological foundations are used to justify the use of prophetic ritual paraphernalia and healing praxis in South African Pentecostalism?
3. How do prophetic ritual paraphernalia function within healing, deliverance, protection and prophetic practices?
4. What theological, ethical, and pastoral concerns have been raised regarding the use of prophetic and healing objects in Pentecostal churches?
• Population: Pentecostal church leaders, prophets, and congregants involved in or exposed to the use of prophetic ritual paraphernalia and healing praxis.
• Concept: The use of prophetic ritual paraphernalia and healing praxis, including anointing oil, holy water, wristbands, handkerchiefs, stickers, sand, powders, and other materials used in healing, deliverance, protection, and prophetic ministry.
• Context: Pentecostal and Neo-Pentecostal churches related to South African Pentecostal settings in existing literature.
Study Design
The proposed study will adopt a scoping review methodology to identify, map, and synthesise existing literature on the use of prophetic ritual paraphernalia and healing praxis in South African Pentecostal churches. The study will follow Arksey and O’Malley’s framework for scoping studies, with methodological refinements proposed by Levac et al., and will be reported in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines to ensure transparency and rigour.
Search Strategy
A literature search will be conducted using databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, ATLA Religion Database, and Google Scholar. The search will include both peer-reviewed and grey literature, such as dissertations, theses, and books. The search strategy will aim to identify scholarly works on the use of prophetic and healing objects in Pentecostal and Neo-Pentecostal churches, with a particular focus on South Africa. Various keywords will be combined using Boolean operators to develop an effective search strategy. Moreover, the search results will be screened, and duplicates will be removed before proceeding to the next steps of the research.
Key search terms will include:
• “African Pentecostalism”
• “Prophetic ritual”
• “Prophetic object”
• “Prophetic practices”
• “Healing praxis”
• “Divine healing”
• “Deliverance practices”
• “Deliverance ministry”
• “New prophetic movements”
• “Pentecostal healing”
• “South African Pentecostalism”
The selection of studies will be guided by relevance to prophetic and healing object practices within Pentecostal contexts, particularly those that engage theological, ethical, pastoral, or experiential dimensions.
All identified studies will be screened in stages: title and abstract screening, followed by full-text review. Inclusion criteria will focus on literature that directly addresses prophetic and healing objects in Pentecostal or Neo-Pentecostal settings. Studies outside the scope of South African Pentecostalism or that do not engage with prophetic/healing object practices will be excluded.
Relevant data will be systematically charted to extract key information, including the types of prophetic and healing objects, theological justifications, purposes of use, perceived benefits, and associated challenges or criticisms. The data will be analysed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns, concepts, and gaps within the literature.
As this study is a scoping review, it does not involve direct engagement with human participants. However, ethical academic practice will be maintained through accurate citation of all sources, avoidance of plagiarism, and responsible synthesis of published literature.
Inclusion Criteria
Studies will be considered for inclusion in this scoping review if they meet the following criteria:
1. Literature covering Pentecostal church leaders, prophets, church members, or scholars who discuss using prophetic and healing items in South African Pentecostal and Neo-Pentecostal churches.
2. Studies that focus on using prophetic and healing items like anointing oil, holy water, bangles, handkerchiefs, sand, powders, etc., in the Pentecostal healing and deliverance process, and the uses of these items will be incorporated.
3. Peer-reviewed journal articles, books, book chapters, theses, dissertations, conference proceedings, and grey literature like reports and theological interpretations.
4. All documents written in English.
5. All available literature between 2010 and 2026 will be included in mapping scholarship.
Exclusion Criteria
Studies will be excluded from this scoping review if they meet any of the following criteria:
1. Studies that focus broadly on Pentecostal spirituality or general religious practices without specific reference to the use of prophetic and healing objects.
2. Studies that do not address prophetic or healing objects such as anointing oil, holy water, wristbands, handkerchiefs, sand, powders, or related materials used in Pentecostal healing and deliverance practices.
3. Opinion pieces, editorials, sermons, or commentaries that do not present empirical data or systematic academic analysis.
4. Studies published in languages other than English due to translation limitations.
5. Studies that fall outside the scope of Pentecostal or Neo-Pentecostal contexts and do not contribute directly to understanding prophetic and healing object practices.
The identified records will be uploaded to a reference management software package, where duplicates will be removed. The screening process will involve two stages; first, titles and abstracts will be independently screened against the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The studies identified at this stage will undergo a full-text screening. In the second level of screening, the selected articles from the first screening will be included. Disagreements between the reviewers during screening will be resolved by consulting a third reviewer. A PRISMA-ScR flow diagram will be used to report the selection process of the records.
Data from all included studies will be extracted using a pre-designed data charting form developed specifically for this scoping review. The form will be used to ensure consistency and systematic extraction of relevant information across all selected studies.
The following key information will be extracted:
• Author(s) and year of publication
• Study type and research design
• Geographical and contextual setting
• Focus of the study in relation to prophetic ritual paraphernalia and healing praxis
• Types of prophetic ritual paraphernalia and healing objects discussed
• Theological or conceptual frameworks used
• Purposes and functions of prophetic and healing objects
• Reported benefits, challenges, and ethical concerns
• Key findings relevant to Pentecostal prophetic practices
To achieve reliability and consistency, the leading data extraction form will undergo pilot testing with a small sample of studies before implementing the complete data extraction process. The data will be extracted independently by two reviewers. In the event of disagreements, the third reviewer will be consulted to resolve them in a friendly manner.
The collected data will be analysed using descriptive and thematic synthesis methods, which will provide valuable insights regarding similarities and differences in the usage of prophetic and healing objects in the context of the Pentecostal church.
The scoping review will be completed over a period of six months.
During the first month, protocol development will begin by determining the research question and refining the PCC framework, followed by implementing the search strategy. Additionally, at this stage, the data extraction template will be developed as well as pilot-testing implemented, assuring uniformity, clarity and full collection of all necessary information from the participants. The second and third months of the study will be dedicated to information search in selected academic databases and grey literature. Consequently, during the first step of this process, relevant studies will be identified, duplicates removed, and the initial screening of titles and abstracts performed to select studies suitable for inclusion. At month four, the final screenings of studies meeting the selection criteria will be conducted. The assessment of relevant studies will be carried out in this phase. The fifth month of the study will see the beginning of the extraction of the data by means of the finalised data extraction template, as well as principles for using the data extraction template. Finally, in the last month, the data that has been gathered will be analysed for the potential gaps in the information in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR procedure.
The study is expected to generate a comprehensive mapping of existing literature on the use of prophetic and healing objects in Pentecostal churches. Specifically, the review is expected to:
1. Identify and categorise the range of prophetic and healing objects used within Pentecostal ministry, including anointing oil, holy water, sand, wristbands, handkerchiefs, and related materials.
2. Describe the theological and biblical frameworks used to justify the use of prophetic and healing objects in Pentecostal and Neo-Pentecostal contexts.
3. Outline the perceived purposes and benefits of prophetic and healing objects, particularly in relation to healing, deliverance, protection, and spiritual empowerment.
4. Identify key theological, ethical, and pastoral concerns associated with the use of prophetic and healing objects, including debates around legitimacy, misuse, and commercialisation.
5. Highlight gaps in the existing literature and provide direction for future research within Pentecostal studies and Practical Theology.
The findings are expected to contribute to a more balanced and evidence-informed understanding of prophetic and healing practices and will be useful for theological scholars, church leaders, students, and congregants engaging with Pentecostal ministry in South Africa and beyond.
This study will rely exclusively on publicly available literature; therefore, no primary data collection involving human participants will be conducted. As a result, formal ethical clearance is generally not required. However, ethical academic practice will be strictly observed throughout the study. All data extracted from selected studies will be handled responsibly and reported transparently in accordance with academic integrity standards.
The scoping review protocol reflects a systematic, transparent approach to mapping the available literature on prophetic and healing objects used in Pentecostal churches in Thohoyandou. The study employs established scoping review methodologies and PRISMA-SCR guidelines to extract the interdisciplinary information on the theological basis, the role, advantages, and criticism of the use of the referred objects in Pentecostal ministries.
The scoping review aims at achieving a more thorough and comprehensive understanding of prophetic and healing objects used in the Pentecostal context. The scoping review will help to fill the gaps in the literature and to lay a solid ground for further investigations in the field of Practical Theology, taking into account modern Pentecostalism in South Africa.
This scoping review protocol was conceptualised by the primary author, who is responsible for the initial version of the protocol; the co-author assisted in refining the title, structure, and methodology of the study. Both authors took part in the formulation of the design of the research; in the creation of the search strategy, and in the development of the data extraction framework.
The supplementary materials will include complete search strategies for each database, the data charting tool, any other tables used to summarise the included studies, the characteristics of the intervention, and the outcome data extracted from each study.
Data are available under the terms of the Creative Commons Zero ‘No rights reserved’ data waiver (CC0 1.0 Public domain dedication).