The study looks at the enigmatic religious linguistic phenomenon "glossolalia" - more commonly known as "speaking in tongues".

While acknowledging the value of empirical research, I advocate a rethinking of the scientific "fundamentalism" that characterises much of academia today and which has led to minimal study of glossolalia. The text advances an "epistemologically synthetic" approach, reconciling "religious" or speculative and "secular" or empirical views.

Among other sources, the study draws on field-work by two linguists: Maureen Gibbs-De Peza, a Caribbean linguist and practicing glossolalist with the Spiritual Baptist Movement of Trinidad and Tobago; and Michael Motley of the USA, who approaches glossolalia from a purely "secular" position.

The work and views of Canadian linguist William J Samarin, probably the best known pioneer in glossolalia research, is also featured prominently.

Treating a largely neglected and misrepresented feature of linguistic behavior, the text offers an innovative introduction for the international community of linguists. Also, coming on the heels of the recent appointment of a new Pontif with a reputation for strictness, the book - which is in some ways iconoclastic - could generate a lot of interest among independent thinking religious readers and the more conventionally devout.