Ritual Water, Ritual Spirit: An Analysis of the Timing, Mechanism and Manifestation of Spirit-Reception in Luke-Acts (Paternoster Biblical Monographs)

This book analyses Spirit-reception in Luke-Acts with respect to timing, mechanism, and manifestation. It employs three primary tools: narrative progression/ sequential reading, presupposition pools/entity representations (ERs), and focalization. By beginning with Jesus’ baptism where Spirit experience is joined to the prayer aspect of the baptismal ceremony and observing Jesus’ Luke 11:13 teaching on prayer, one arrives at Acts 2:38-39 with an ER in which Spirit experience is not separated from baptism, but linked with the prayer element of the unitary baptismal ceremony. Acts 2 focalizes dissociative xenolalia and creates a programmatic expectation that all initiates will experience it. Acts 2 does not depict new converts receiving the Spirit and thereby leaves a narrative gap which the reader must fill with information from Jesus’ baptism. Acts 8 adds to this information by providing Luke’s first depiction of new converts receiving the Spirit and showing the facilitation mechanisms used, prayer and handlaying by gifted individuals. Saul’s conversion clarifies that non-apostles can be gifted to facilitate the Spirit. Cornelius’ house adds the concept of the Spirit being given during a gifted individual’s preaching ministry and shows early church leaders using Pentecost as a standard of comparison. The cumulative nature of presupposition pools/ERs means that the last Spirit-reception scene (Acts 19) must be viewed in the light of all the accumulated Spiritreception scenes, the total ER.

‘McCollough’s fresh and engaging contribution to Lukan studies interweaves careful study of Luke’s texts with insights from the latest in narratological research. So it reads Luke’s words in the order he presented them (‘sequential reading’); it listens carefully to how Luke unfolded things (‘entity representation’); and it concentrates on what Luke concentrates on (‘focalization’). McCollough uses all this to consider Luke’s understanding of the timing, mechanism, and manifestation of Spirit-reception. The result is a firstclass piece of research.’ William P. Atkinson, Senior Lecturer in Pentecostal and Charismatic Studies, The London School of Theology

‘David McCollough has produced a work of significant scholarship that highlights the important role speaking in tongues plays in Luke’s theological program. I warmly recommend this book to all who are interested in gaining a deeper understanding of Luke’s perspective on the work of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues.’ Robert P. Menzies, Adjunct Professor at Asia Pacific Theological Seminary

‘This study presents a fresh analysis of a key issue in New Testament studies, namely how to understand the Spirit-reception texts in Luke-Acts. Using tools from the fields of literary criticism and discourse analysis, Dr. McCollough expertly argues for new ways of reading these key texts. His approach provides a creative and insightful proposal that should be read by all students and scholars interested in pneumatology and especially the nature of Spirit-reception in the early Church.’ Mark J. Cartledge, Professor of Practical Theology and Director of the Center for Renewal Studies, Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA, USA