Date of Award
2012
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelors
Department
Humanities
First Advisor
Vesperi, Maria D.
Keywords
Glossolalia, Embodiment, Holy Spirit, Pentecostalism, Performance, Anthropology of Religion, Phenomenology
Area of Concentration
Religion
Abstract
In this ethnography, I explore the relationship between forms of transcendental experience and the conceptual construction of reality within a Pentecostal congregation in Greene, Ohio. My research focuses on Baptism of the Holy Spirit, an embodied union with God's animate force (often accompanied by glossolalia, divine communication, and spiritual healing) as an intensely life-changing experience played out in public rituals, personal testimonies, and Pentecostal theology. I will attempt to describe these forms of transcendental experience, their emergence in practice and discourse, and how these functioned to maintain a unified spiritual orientation. I will trace the role of transcendental experiences in the creation and coherence of meaning within the congregation with special emphasis on how the perceived literal presence of the Holy Spirit situates individuals in relation to their social world.
Recommended Citation
Elrod, Jake, "Embodying the Holy Spirit A Phenomenology of Tongues" (2012). Theses & ETDs. 4581.
https://digitalcommons.ncf.edu/theses_etds/4581
Rights
This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.