Charisma and apophasis: A dialogue with sarah coakley's god, sexuality, and the self

This article continues the engagement of Sarah Coakley's God, Sexuality and the Self, here in reference to the themes of charisma and apophasis. As to the first, Coakley takes a nuanced approach to charismatic spirituality in the volume based on fieldwork done among particular churches in her hometown at the time. The fieldwork suggests to Coakley a source of both 'embarrassment' and 'riches'. Pentecostalism has experienced both in its own history, an observation which raises a host of questions that in turn leads to the second theme, apophasis. On this point, Pentecostals would do well to integrate more explicitly apophatic dimensions into what Coakley considers the charismatic prayer logic of Romans 8.

Duke Scholars

Author Daniel Castelo Divinity School