The modern understanding and practical applications attributed to the spiritual gifts are diverse. Specifically, the gift of tongues can be a hotly debated topic. Like most people in the church today, I’ve often questioned whether I’ve really understood the whole of the Biblical teaching on this topic.
Below is a link to a working hypothesis. It does not try and follow any particular doctrinal statement or denominational stance. What follows is an attempt to approach the theology of language considering the entire Biblical narrative (both Old and New Testaments).
This project is incomplete in its current form. I’ve organized my thoughts into an outline of chapter headings.
- The Story of Babel
- The Language of Paradise Lost and Restored?
- The Shadow & Fulfillment of Pentecost
- General Overview of Tongues in the NT
- General Overview of Current Theologies of Tongues
- The Problem of Acts 2:13
- Is Acts 10, and Acts 19 the same thing as Acts 2?
- Is 1 Corinthians 14 talking about the same sign as Acts 2?
- The overall context of the 1 Corinthians letter?
- Is 1 Corinthians 12:31 mistranslated in most English Bibles?
- Should Paul’s conversion in Acts 9 factor into the discussion?
- Other possible verses that might play into the discussion.
I hope to fill in more detail as time allows.
As with any work in progress, I welcome feedback, comments, and questions.
The document can be accessed through the following link: