Supervisor
Prof Markus Bockmuehl
College
Keble College
Thesis Title
Conceptions of Tongues in Early Reception Histor
Biography
Before coming to Oxford, Josh trained in theology in the States for full-time ministry, not knowing that he would one day return to a question once asked by his late mother and others—one he believes still matters deeply for the global church: What is speaking in tongues? His doctoral research examines New Testament tongues through the lens of early reception history, combining close exegesis with historical theology. He is the recipient of the Catholic Biblical Association Emerging Scholars Fellowship (2026), the Keble New Testament Scholarship, and the Tsang’s Family Scholarship. His work on tongues has been published in Journal of Biblical Literature and is forthcoming in New Testament Studies and Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft.
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Josh’s native tongue is Cantonese—the most beautiful tongue on earth (a claim he is always happy to defend). He occasionally preaches in his ethnically Chinese church, where he relies on the faithful gift of an interpreter—from Cantonese into Mandarin, or else, as he jokes, “no one” would understand. He continues to pray for the gift of “other/new tongues” such as English, Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, and Latin, although he suspects the Spirit prefers to keep him humble by delaying the answer.
Beyond his work on tongues, Josh is interested in the broader function of spiritual gifts in the early church, including prophecy and healing. He is particularly interested in how these phenomena were understood, practiced, and debated in early Christian communities in contrast to modern conceptions
Educational Background
M.Phil. in New Testament, University of Oxford
Th.M., Dallas Theological Seminary
M.A. in Apologetics, Biola University
B.Sc. in Chemistry, University of Hong Kong
Research Interests
New Testament (Luke–Acts; First Corinthians; Mark; Revelation)
Old Testament backgrounds and Second Temple Judaism
Apostolic Fathers and Patristic exegesis
Charismatic theology and spiritual gifts
Reception history and historiography
Literary analysis (parables, parallelisms, wordplay
Recent Publications
Articles:
“The Ethnolinguistic Significance of Tongues in Acts: From Xenolalia to Naturally Acquired Languages.” Journal of Biblical Literature 145, no.1 (2026): 133-55. https://doi.org/10.15699/jbl.1451.2026.7
“Deciphering Semantic Ambiguity in 1 Cor 14:10: Analyzing the Interrelationship Between γλῶσσα and φωνή.” New Testament Studies (accepted, forthcoming).
“The Unintelligible Intelligibility of Tongues: The Early Reception of Glossolalia as Human Languages in 1 Corinthians 14,2.14.” Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft (accepted, forthcoming).
“Millennialism, Literalism, and Early Reception History in Revelation 20:1–6” in Biblicism Reconsidered: Can the Bible Be Read Devoutly and Straightforwardly? Edited by Mark J. Boone and Jonathan W. Johnson (accepted, forthcoming; Wipf and Stock)
“The Significance of the Saying “I Am the Alpha and the Omega” in the Early Reception History of Revelation.” Journal of Early Christian History 15, no.2 (2025):1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/2222582X.2025.2563720
“Translating ‘Kinds of Tongues’ in 1 Corinthians 12:10 and 28 as an Attributed Genitive.” Bibliotheca Sacra 182 (January-March 2025): 92-103.
Book Reviews:
Review of Teresa Lee McCaskill, Gifts and Ritual: The Charismata of Romans 12:6-8 in the Context of Roman Religion. Pneuma: The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies 48, no.1 (2026): 186-87. https://doi.org/10.1163/15700747-04801001
Review of Laura Salah Nasrallah, Ancient Christians and the Power of Curses: Magic, Aesthetics, and Justice. The Journal of Theological Studies 76, no.2 (2025): 602-4. https://doi.org/10.1093/jts/flaf050
Review of Maurice E. Vellacott, The Earliest View of New Testament Tongues: Understood as Non-Supernatural, Learned Earthly Languages. Pneuma: The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies 47, no.2 (2025): 307-309. https://doi.org/10.1163/15700747-04702001
Review of Ekaputra Tupamahu, Contesting Languages: Heteroglossia and the Politics of Language in the Early Church. The Journal of Theological Studies 75, no.2 (2024): 500-502. https://doi.org/10.1093/jts/flae024
Review of Yuliya Minets, The Slow Fall of Babel: Languages and Identities in Late Antique Christianity. The Journal of Theological Studies 75, no.2 (2024): 503-504. https://doi.org/10.1093/jts/flae052
Review of Philip Blosser and Charles Sullivan, Speaking in Tongues: A Critical Historical Examination, Volume 2: Tongues through Church History. Pneuma: The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies 46, nos.3-4 (2024): 516-518. https://doi.org/10.1163/15700747-04603002
Review of Samuel L. Boyd, Babel: Political Rhetoric of a Confused Legacy. Pneuma: The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies 46, nos.3-4 (2024): 519-521. https://doi.org/10.1163/15700747-04603003
