Speaking in Tongues and Heteroglossia with Professor Ekaputra Tupamahu

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I am delighted to welcome Dr. Ekaputra Tupamahu to the podcast. Dr. Tupamahu is an Associate Professor of New Testament and Chair of the Bible, History, and Theology program at Portland Seminary. He received his PhD from Vanderbilt University. And he was my professor of New Testament when I was in seminary. He is an awesome teacher. He exposed me to variety of biblical interpretation approaches and to great scholars like postcolonial scholar Fernando Segovia and womanist scholar Mitzi Smith. As a person who had studied traditional American and European biblical scholarship, it was refreshing and eye-opening to hear them. Today, we will discuss his great book "Contesting Languages: Heteroglossia and the Politics of Language in the Early Church." Coming from a charismatic Christian background, it is fascinating to hear his perspective on speaking in tongues, ecstatic expression, and language translation and interpretation in the New Testament.  

Welcome Dr. Tupamahu! 

Reference: "Contesting Languages: Heteroglossia and the Politics of Language in the Early Church" by Ekaputra Tupamahu, 2023

Teaser Questions:

Please tell us a bit about yourself. What brought you to biblical studies and Vanderbilt. Your Indonesian heritage plans a big role in your faith and approach to biblical studies. Tell us about this.

When your book "Contesting Languages" came out in 2023, it offered a unique perspective on glossia: the language of immigrants in an English dominated society and what speaking in various tongues really means. What is the main premise for your research and book? 

You mentioned your charismatic background several times. Ecstatic speech is fascinating. It has different meanings for different people. What are the various modes and uses of ecstatic speech? When is it worship? When is it an expression of the Holy Spirit? 

What are the theories about the speaking of tongues in Acts 2? What is difference between translation and speaking in other languages and ecstatic speech? Is there overlap? 

I remember asking you questions about the use of Greek and Latin in Corinth. Speaking in Greek as the lingua franca was a given, but you mentioned that Latin was the language of government and the courts. Was it likely, for example, that Phoebe as the carrier Paul's letter to the Romans spoke Latin? 

Heteroglossia was a major challenge in the spread of Christianity. You speak about 1 Corinthians 14 in an very interesting way, about Paul's use of language to exert control. It seems that the speaking of tongues that "no one understands" to "build up themselves" is different than the mutual intelligibility of Acts 2. How are they different? 

Mitzi Smith said, "Paul's efforts in First Corinthians 14 don't get a pass." What does this mean to you? 

As Reformed Christian, Presbyterian, my world is filled with people who crave biblical certainty, which leads to theological certainty. The more I study scripture in context, the more I realize this has more to do with the desires and the psychology of the readers than the text itself. What are your views on the drive to biblical inerrancy and historical criticism? 

What do you say to young seminarians who are so certain about their views when they start and how they change during their seminary experience? I have been sparring with a young seminarian who is a very popular YouTube influencer named The Redeemed Zoomer. Do you have suggestions for me to connect with them?