Wolfgang Vondey is Professor of Christian Theology and Pentecostal Studies at the University of Birmingham, UK.

The church has domesticated Pentecost! According to Vondey, modern-day Pentecostal Christianity has privatised and personalized Pentecost, comfortably establishing itself in the language of individualism, power and prosperity. The modern church prefers a theology of itself as symbolizing wholeness and unity. The scandal of Pentecost is that it was in its inconsistencies and struggles that the church emerged as a symbol of the brokenness and the transformation of humanity in all its dimensions. The modern church owns the Spirit. The forgotten scandal of Pentecost, according to Vondey, is that the church burst into public life. The scandal is that the Spirit was given to all flesh.The scandal of this important and finely argued book is that it challenges the church to be the scandal of Pentecost.

• IntroductionChapter 1The Church as Public SymbolChapter 2 The Scandal as Origin of the Public ChurchChapter 3 Drunkenness: The Aesthetics of the Public SpiritChapter 4 Tongues: The Languages of the Public WorldChapter 5 Flesh: The Incarnation of the Public ChurchChapter 6 Power: The Public Ritual of PentecostChapter 7 Witness: The Public Symbol of Humanity ConclusionBibliographyIndex

Wolfgang Vondey is Professor of Christian Theology and Pentecostal Studies at the University of Birmingham, UK.

The church has domesticated Pentecost! According to Vondey, modern-day Pentecostal Christianity has privatised and personalized Pentecost, comfortably establishing itself in the language of individualism, power and prosperity. The modern church prefers a theology of itself as symbolizing wholeness and unity. The scandal of Pentecost is that it was in its inconsistencies and struggles that the church emerged as a symbol of the brokenness and the transformation of humanity in all its dimensions. The modern church owns the Spirit. The forgotten scandal of Pentecost, according to Vondey, is that the church burst into public life. The scandal is that the Spirit was given to all flesh.The scandal of this important and finely argued book is that it challenges the church to be the scandal of Pentecost.

• IntroductionChapter 1The Church as Public SymbolChapter 2 The Scandal as Origin of the Public ChurchChapter 3 Drunkenness: The Aesthetics of the Public SpiritChapter 4 Tongues: The Languages of the Public WorldChapter 5 Flesh: The Incarnation of the Public ChurchChapter 6 Power: The Public Ritual of PentecostChapter 7 Witness: The Public Symbol of Humanity ConclusionBibliographyIndex

Wolfgang Vondey is Professor of Christian Theology and Pentecostal Studies at the University of Birmingham, UK.

The church has domesticated Pentecost! According to Vondey, modern-day Pentecostal Christianity has privatised and personalized Pentecost, comfortably establishing itself in the language of individualism, power and prosperity. The modern church prefers a theology of itself as symbolizing wholeness and unity. The scandal of Pentecost is that it was in its inconsistencies and struggles that the church emerged as a symbol of the brokenness and the transformation of humanity in all its dimensions. The modern church owns the Spirit. The forgotten scandal of Pentecost, according to Vondey, is that the church burst into public life. The scandal is that the Spirit was given to all flesh.The scandal of this important and finely argued book is that it challenges the church to be the scandal of Pentecost.

• IntroductionChapter 1The Church as Public SymbolChapter 2 The Scandal as Origin of the Public ChurchChapter 3 Drunkenness: The Aesthetics of the Public SpiritChapter 4 Tongues: The Languages of the Public WorldChapter 5 Flesh: The Incarnation of the Public ChurchChapter 6 Power: The Public Ritual of PentecostChapter 7 Witness: The Public Symbol of Humanity ConclusionBibliographyIndex