The Jewish Centaur [Hardcover]

In this spiritual memoir, Joshua Rice explores his Pentecostal history in search of a tangible theology to fall in love with. From the revivalist urges of the Deep South to mainline Protestant halls of learning, this quest for God leads to and through personal stories of encounter, of dissonance, of doubt, and of faith. Since the Azusa Street Revival launched the global Pentecostal movement a century ago, the chase has been on to figure out what God is up to. The Jewish Centaur follows the trail, seeking to discover. Expressing one's faith through storytelling has been as defining for Pentecostals and their century-old movement as speaking in tongues. Josh Rice is a bright young voice that now adds to this movement with his own memoirs filled with riveting, sometimes hilarious, and always profoundly probing memories of and reflections on his own Pentecostal odyssey. With the pen of a ready (and talented) writer, Rice tells a story that pays honor to an oft-misunderstood heritage while speaking freshly and poignantly for a new generation. Get ready for a good read and an enchanting ride! --Rickie D. Moore, Associate Dean of the School of Religion, Professor of Old Testament, Lee University Reminiscent of the sacred diarist Adrian Plass, Josh Rice's The Jewish Centaur is at one and the same time reverent and irreverent, comforting and troubling, humorous and sober, impulsive and reflective. In this vibrant set of narratives Rice offers a discerning look at how one young New Testament scholar and pastor makes sense and argues in favor of a distinctively Pentecostal approach to faith and ministry. Rice's work will no doubt serve as a model for others to reflect theologically about their own faith, whether Pentecostal or not. --John Christopher Thomas, Clarence J. Abbott Professor of Biblical Studies, Pentecostal Theological Seminary; Director, Centre for Pentecostal and Charismatic Studies, School of Philosophy and Religion, Bangor University Josh Rice haslãd