Books
Renewing Christian Worldview: A Holistic Approach for Spirit-filled Christians
This brief but comprehensive introduction to Christian worldview helps readers understand the Christian faith as the substance of Spirit-filled living and as a knowledge tradition stemming from the global Pentecostal movement.
"This book is an achievement on many different levels. It represents a ‘coming of age’ of renewal traditions in the authors’ ability to offer a form of sophisticated, world-regarding catechesis. It would have been a game-changer for me as a young person, when I had critical questions about life that neither my public school nor my church youth group was helping me answer. I felt lost so many times, openly wondering if my church tradition could keep up with the longings I had to make sense of the world and my place within it. This book could have helped me then, and I am convinced it will significantly help many people today. If read widely, this book could be part of a generational turning point.”
- Daniel Castelo, professor of theology and methodist studies at Duke Divinity School
“Steven Félix-Jäger and Yoon Shin are two of the brightest emerging philosophical minds in the Pentecostal world. In Renewing Christian Worldview, they guide and form their readers in the beautiful, the good, and the true. This is the book we have needed for some time, full of the riches of the Christian tradition. In itself, this text is a philosophical education with and for the nearly one-fifth of the world’s Christians in the charismatic-pentecostal tradition—and for many beyond.”
- L. William Oliverio, associate professor of public theology at Northwest University
“One of the greatest threats to the God-given fullness of human life is reductionism. When we attempt to make the unknowable known using reason and intellect alone, we unintentionally reduce the Infinite to the finite mind. Félix-Jäger and Shin have invited us to a renewed worldview through the integration of experience, emotion, and mind with beauty, goodness, and truth. This is a must-read for our time!”
- Tammy Dunahoo, executive dean at Portland Seminary
Spirit of the Arts: Towards a Pneumatological Aesthetics of Renewal
With God on Our Side: Towards a Transformational Theology of Rock and Roll
Pentecostal Aesthetics: Theological Reflections in a Pentecostal Philosophy of Art and Aesthetics
The Spirit and the Song: Pneumatological Reflections on Popular Music
Co-edited with Chris E.W. Green
Renewal Worship: A Theology of Pentecostal Doxology
This book offers a theology of renewal worship, including its biblical foundations, how its global nature is expressed in particular localities, and how charismatic worship distinctively shapes the community of faith.
"Steven Félix-Jäger is the right person to provide a Pentecostal perspective to this important Dynamics of Christian Worship series at this time. He masterfully brings the nascent scholarship in Pentecostal worship into dialogue with the main lines of worship studies and theologies of worship, while bridging these theoretical frames with contemporary praise culture and practices. This book is the perfect springboard not only for next steps in Pentecostal theologies of worship for the diversity of world Christian movements, but also for all who seek to worship God in spirit and in truth."
- Amos Yong, professor of theology and mission at Fuller Seminary
"Renewal Worship claims that worship is the measure of all things in the church. And renewal worship is the revolutionary power of Spirit-empowered Christianity. Félix-Jäger in this book crafts an innovative hermeneutics of worship that brilliantly theologizes both the abstract, universal dimension of worship and its concrete, particular nature as a contextualized social activity. The result is an original, incisive, and concise theology of worship constructed not only for Pentecostals but also for the whole body of Christ."
- Nimi Wariboko, author of The Pentecostal Hypothesis
"I've often advised my tribes with these words: 'Every great worship leader needs at least one Pentecostal friend.' Why? Because without the Pentecostal witness, the rest of us would flame out. Make no mistake, though. This is a work of liturgical theology―a discerning of biblical truth from (rather than merely onto) the worship experience. We were due for a fresh, accessible theology of worship, and here we have it―clear, humble, passionate, generous, informed, up to date, and yes, full of the Spirit."
- Zac Hicks, author of The Worship Pastor
Art Theory for a Global Pluralistic Age: The Glocal Artist
This book extends a theory of art that addresses the present era’s shift towards global pluralism. By focusing on extrinsic rather than intrinsic qualities of art, this book helps viewers evaluate art across cultural boundaries.
“This book explores the place of art in the globalized world that has succeeded the deconstruction of modernism's West-centrism, commitment to progress, and belief in eternal verities. Artists now must negotiate the competing demands of local identities and of global, supra-cultural perspectives, and do so against a background that recognizes the validity of multiple narratives and of changing, elusive values. This rewarding book maps this new artistic environment and the challenges it creates for art.”
- Stephen Davies, author of The Artful Species
“In Art Theory for a Global Pluralistic Age, Steven Felix-Jager reminds us that the world is not simply changing. Instead, change itself has changed. This is certainly the case in society at large, yes, but in this text Felix-Jager focuses on the ways in which the increasingly globalized, pluralistic context of late modernity has shifted our understanding of what art "is," how it is created, and what it means for individuals and communities to consume and make use of it. If we respond in the same old ways to this ever-emerging situation, then we are fundamentally misunderstanding not only art, but what it means to be a member of contemporary society, which is exactly why Felix-Jager's proposal is both compelling and timely. I highly recommend this book.”
- Kutter Callaway, Associate Professor of Theology and Culture, Fuller Seminary
“Globalization has radically transformed how art is consumed in the 21st century and Félix-Jäger suggests that narrative is the key aspect to properly engaging the arts. While we often dream of linear modern ideals or postmodern deconstruction of the past, Félix-Jäger instead offers a flexible theory that is able to contextualize and circle around artworks for our present pluralist era. An important read for artists, students, and scholars who are serious about their role in the globalized world.”
- G. James Daichendt, Dean of the Colleges and Vice-Provost at
Point Loma Nazarene University
A contribution to the field of theological aesthetics, this book explores the arts in and around the Pentecostal and charismatic renewal movements. It proposes a pneumatological model for creativity and the arts, and discusses different art forms from the perspective of that model.
“Steven Félix-Jäger's Spirit of the Arts is surprising in a number of ways. First, it's remarkable that the book exists at all, given that pentecostals and charismatics historically have given such little attention to aesthetics. Even when we have done so, we've failed to take seriously arts like dancing or architecture; music and orality have been much more our style. Thankfully, Félix-Jäger's thinking runs as broadly as it does deeply. Second, only the rarest theological/philosophical texts in any tradition actually have the power to move the conversation forward. But this work should prove to be an exception. Equal parts learned and creative, irenic and curious, it is a book Pentecostals and charismatics need to read. Who knows where the conversation might go?”
- Chris Green, author of The End is Music and All Things Beautiful
“Pentecostals have been comfortable to engage applied art but not engage the world of fine art. Now, a pathway has been forged. This volume provides for Pentecostals, and those located in contexts of charismatic renewal, a pneumatological model to engage the public artworld. But it doesn’t end with description, it envisions a creative future for the Pentecostal community. For those desiring to explore both a theological and phenomenological study of the arts in the renewal tradition, I heartily commend this book.”
- Jacqueline Grey, Associate Professor of Biblical Studies, Alphacrucis College
“Faithful to his tradition and imminently open to fresh discoveries, Félix-Jäger performs a great service for the broader conversation regarding theology and the arts with his creative proposal toward a ‘renewal aesthetics.’ In this remarkable project, he manages to balance the potentially disparate concerns of maintaining a distinct ecclesial tradition and demonstrating generous and generative engagement with a multiplicity of art forms. Few scholars have attempted such endeavors, and even fewer have demonstrated such astounding fidelity to both concerns. Félix-Jäger provides a theological model for understanding and stewarding the arts that will both encourage and inspire.”
- Taylor Worley, author of Memento Mori in Contemporary Art
At its best, rock acknowledges there is something wrong with the world, raises awareness of marginalized voices, and offers an alternative mode of existence within our present reality. By teasing out the theological issues found in rock music, this book synthesizes the findings to create a distinctive cultural theology that is sensitive to the plight of the marginalized in the West.
"Too many theology of culture authors pillage cultural artifacts for the purpose of using them as cardboard props for use in service of their book topic. In this book, Felix-Jager takes cultural artifacts seriously as complex items of deep meaning that not only avail themselves to the ideas we project onto them but also teach us things through the ideas they project onto us. And a book that has such creative insights makes this a pretty fun read."
- Brent Everett Dickinson, Associate Professor of Art at Azusa Pacific University
"Too often rock music is written off by the faithful as 'the devil's music,' dangerous unless transfigured by the formulaic approach of the Contemporary Christian Music industry. Yet as Felix-Jager shows, rock music is not one thing, but internally diverse, representing many sub-genres of music. Further, these sub-genres are religiously complex, engaging a wide range of basic human and even explicitly religious concerns. This unique and compelling book is cognizant of the diversity and religious complexity of rock, and rewards the reader with a rich and original 'transformational theology of rock' by way of response. Highly recommended."
- Christian Scharen, author of Broken Hallelujahs and Fieldwork in Theology
"There is a notable imbalance between the prominence of rock music in our culture at large, and its relative absence from theological discussions of art and culture. In this lucid study, Steven Felix-Jager performs a valuable service by inviting the church to follow his lead in bringing theologians like Barth, Hauerwas, and Gutierrez into conversation with artists like August Burns Red, Relient K, and Skillet."
- Steven R. Guthrie, author of Creator Spirit
This book reflects theologically on art and aesthetics from a global Pentecostal perspective, particularly through a pneumatic Pentecostal lens. It contends that a Pentecostal philosophy of art and aesthetics must comply with the global, experiential, and pneumatocentric nature of the Pentecostal movement.
"This book is striking and unusual, coming as it does from a practising artist, and one steeped in the Pentecostal/charismatic tradition. Félix-Jäger seeks nothing less than an 'ontologically grounded' global Pentecostal philosophy of art and aesthetics. The result is an engaging and readable work, offering an imaginative reorientation of the theology and arts field around the person and work of the Holy Spirit."
- Jeremy Begbie, Thomas A. Langford Research Professor of Theology at Duke University
"The linking of the Holy Spirit with artistic skill by Christian theologians goes back to St Clement of Alexandria in the 2nd century. Dr Félix-Jäger is, therefore part of a long tradition in discussing Pentecostalism and the arts, and he makes a valuable and fascinating contribution to his topic."
- Patrick Sherry, Professor Emeritus at Lancaster University
"Félix-Jäger's book on 'Pentecostal Aesthetics' is a very welcome addition to the conversation on theology and art. It represents a movement away from the generalized approaches to more specific interaction with theological traditions and the specific practices of these traditions. The book lays out a helpful framework for considering a Spirit based aesthetic and puts this in conversation with other voices. The book both invites and advances a broader conversation on religion and the arts.
- William Dyrness, author of Poetic Theology
This co-edited book explores pertinent pneumatological issues that arise in music. It offers three distinct contributions: first, it asks what, if anything, music tells listeners about God’s Spiritedness. Second, this book explores how the Spirit functions within, and even determines, culture through music. Third and finally, this book explores the contested status of music in Christian spiritual traditions. The contributors of this book ask how Christian convictions about and experiences of the Spirit might shape the way one thinks about music.
"Chris E. W. Green and Steven Félix-Jäger have struck a chord with me in publishing this edited volume on The Spirit and The Song. I warmly welcome this Pentecostal, socio-cultural, affective, and musicological composition into its unique place as an invaluable resource for integrative spirituality through song. Their creative and courageous affirmation of the personification of song, music as cultural gift, and the worship of the church, will no doubt challenge our perceptions about the songs we sing and the performative spirituality contained therein. Generations will benefit greatly from the scope and depth of their fully-orbed understanding of the nature of songs and their avant-garde experimentation. Sincerely, Thank you!"
- Jonathan Alvarado, Bishop, Grace Church International
"Like many who grew up in a singing Pentecostal community, I hope my children will sing but in different or newer, spirited ways. The commonality will be the God who makes (and remakes) our world even as we participate; it will not be simple transposing of culture, methods, chords or lyrics. The theologising in The Spirit and the Song, edited by Chris E. W. Green and Steven Félix-Jäger, has a way of holding on to the Spirit of Jesus as its authors examine the space between spirit and body, mourning and joy, past and present, sacred and secular. These stellar contributors weave a story capable of explaining music’s sacramentality and importance to Pentecostals themselves, as well as its observers. In this creative and, even at times, provocative volume, a hopeful vision is presented: sound, both sacred and secular, woven creatively together with emotion, wisdom, poetry, literature, history, science, and light."
- Tanya Riches, Eastern College Australia
The Spirit and the Screen: Pneumatological Reflections on Contemporary Cinema
Co-edited with Chris E.W. Green
This co-edited book explores pertinent pneumatological issues that arise in film, as well as literary devices that draw allusions to the Spirit. It engages contemporary films from the perspective of pneumatology to give theologies of culture fruitful new perspectives that begin with the Spirit rather than other common theological contact points (Christology, anthropology, theological ethics, creation, eschatology, etc.).
"Rather than once again exploring films which have a Christ-figure—e.g., Logan, One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest—The Spirit and the Screen focuses instead on the importance of the Spirit, believing that the Spirit of Life is in all things, both inspiring and advocating. The authors of this first-rate collection are a diverse group of younger and more mature scholars, male and female, Pentecostal and non-Pentecostal, white and persons of color. Together, their differing perspectives help readers understand the range and depth of film analysis from a pneumatological perspective. In the process, they break new and helpful ground in theology and film studies. Highly recommended!"
- Robert K. Johnson, author of Reel Spirituality and God’s Wider Presence
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