Thinking in Tongues / Science and the Spirit

Well, I got to see my first, real live copy of Thinking in Tongues: Pentecostal Contributions to Christian Philosophy this week–in the bookstore at here Regent College in Vancouver. (I’m out here teaching a two-week course, which has been delightful.) As usual, Eerdmans has done a great job of design–I think it’s really sharp. They’ve developed a nice logo for the “Pentecostal Manifestos” series which is quite distinctive.

I gave a public lecture on the book and was very encouraged by the response, especially from the large international population here in Vancouver and at Regent. I had wonderful conversations with folks from Korea, Brazil, Romania, New Zealand, and more. One of my real goals in trying to articulate the rather scandalous notion of a “pentecostal philosophy” is precisely in order to articulate the shape of a Christian philosophy that resonates with the charismatic Christianity that is “world Christianity.” So this first little outing for the book was some confirmation in this regard.

The 4th chapter in Thinking in Tongues, which is focused on issues in ontology in dialogue with the sciences, will be complemented by another book coming out in a couple of months. With Amos Yong, I’ve edited Science and the Spirit: A Pentecostal Engagement with the Sciences, forthcoming from Indiana University Press. This brings together scholars from across the disciplines (including theology, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, chemistry, biology, and technology studies) who engage the sciences from a pentecostal standpoint. It’s really the first of its kind and we hope it’s only the beginning of what will be a growing conversation in the next generation. Should be out in late August or early September.