JRE 0.0:1–23. © 2022 Journal of Religious Ethics, Inc. THE FLUID MOVEMENT OF THE SPIRIT: (RE) CONCEPTUALIZING GENDER IN PENTECOSTALISM Joel D. Daniels ABSTRACT Claiming close to 800 million adherents, Pentecostalism is the fastest growing religious community in the world; nevertheless, the movement remains under- researched, encouraging more academic investment. This article takes on this task by exploring Pentecostalism regarding gender and sex. Why have Pentecostals ardently supported gender normativity? Why have Pentecostal denominations in the United States adamantly opposed the recent Equality Acts bill? This essay’s argument is that Pentecostal belief and practice, rooted in theology and pneumatology, actually denounce gender bifurcation, supporting instead fluid movement with the Holy Spirit into and out of gender performances. Judith Butler’s performance theory, Sarah Coakley’s Trinitarian theology, and Lisa Stephenson’s imago Spiritus frame the overall argument. As Paul declares, there is no longer male or female in Christ. KEYWORDS: Pentecostalism, gender, sexuality, Judith Butler, Sarah Coakley, Equality Act, fluidity 1. Introduction On February 25, 2021, the US House of Representatives passed the Equality Act bill that protects people from discrimination due to sexual orientation and gender identity. The response from many Pentecostal Christians was concern for what that might mean for their position on sexuality and marriage. 1 For example, the Assemblies of God (AG), the world’s largest Pentecostal denomination, posted a response on their website the day the bill passed, saying, “regrettably, the Equality Act as currently drafted undermines the equality of religious people, undercutting our ability to act consistently with our sincerely held beliefs, including beliefs re- garding the sanctity of life” (Clay 2021). The article added three ways for AG mem- bers to respond: (1) unconditionally accept God’s Word, (2) love people who are “trapped” in lifestyles that they “believe to be eternally destructive,” and (3) con- tact senators to oppose the bill. These concerns are not new; indeed, the AG posted a similar dissenting opinion when the previous Equality Act bill passed in 2019 (Clay and Wood 2019). The AG’s responses are representative of many 1 Other “conservative” Christian communities have also voiced disapproval. For example, see Strode 2021 and Wingfield 2021. Joel D. Daniels the Protestant Interfaith Chaplain at the Claremont Colleges, and a Research Fellow at Claremont Graduate University. His scholarship focuses on World Christianity, particularly Pentecostalism, and comparative religion, philosophy, and ethics. Joel D. Daniels, joel.daniels@claremont.edu