The Philosophy of Speaking in Tongues as a Manifestation of The Holy Spirit: Revisiting the Phenomena of Glossolalia in The Book of Acts

Authors

  • C. N. Wogu Department of Religious Studies Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Nigeria

Keywords:

speaking in tongues, glossolalia, Holy Spirit

Abstract

The gift of speaking in tongues has been misunderstood philosophically. Using
exegetical and contextual hermeneutics, this study examined the three occurrences
of speaking in tongues in the book of Acts. The exegesis shows that speaking in
tongues was one of the signs to accompany the disciples when they received the
Holy Spirit. This gift was promised specifically in the context of evangelism. The
"act" does not mean vain blabbing but speaking clearly in a foreign language.
Its manifestations in Acts 10 and 19, is a symbol of acceptance of the Gentile
community. Moreover, those who received the Holy Spirit (Acts 19) did not only
speak in tongues but also prophesied. Therefore, the philosophy that assumes
speaking in tongues as the sign that one has received the Holy Spirit is baseless.
Additionally, glossolalia as claimed by Pentecostals today is contrary to what is
seen in the Acts.

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Published

2012-12-01

How to Cite

Wogu, C. N. (2012). The Philosophy of Speaking in Tongues as a Manifestation of The Holy Spirit: Revisiting the Phenomena of Glossolalia in The Book of Acts. Journal of Communication and Culture (JCC), 3(3), 12–17. Retrieved from http://icidr.org.ng/index.php/Jcc/article/view/1020

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 3

Section

Articles