Ineffable Tongues: An Analysis of the Notion of Ineffability in Pentecostal Glossolalia

Abstract

In this text I will analyze the notion of ineffability present in one of the most common practices of Pentecostalism, which is known as glossolalia: speaking in strange or non-existent languages. I will begin by outlining several of the main conceptions of ineffability that have emerged in studies in philosophy of religion, which explain why this concept is essential in the consideration of various religious experiences and beliefs. Finally, I will show how in one of the most important religious movements of the last centuries a particular notion of ineffability gains strength. I will try to explain what this notion consists of and analyze the causes and implications it has in the understanding of Pentecostalism

Keywords

• Glossolalia
• Ineffability
• language
• Pentecostalism