Growing Up Pentecostal

In this memoir of spiritual autobiography, Phil Matarese tells his story of growing up in an unusual religious environment, where angels and demons were real as Hell. At the church of his childhood anyone who was “spiritual” had encounters with supernatural beings—it was the expectation. This church even experienced a miraculous event involving angels, where there were exorcisms, healings, and people being slain in the Spirit. Matarese later came to doubt much of what he experienced as a child and went on his own religious quest in college to find himself spiritually. Needless to say, he had a lot to deconstruct.

Of course, this is also a coming-of-age story as an awkward, quiet kid just wanted to be cool, to have friends, skateboard, and listen to punk rock. Yet, that doesn’t fit very well in an environment focused on holiness, which caused clashes with parents and church leaders.

This narrative is an easy-to-read story; however, Phil Matarese draws on theology, philosophy, psychology, and pop culture. He examines such theological concepts as speaking in tongues and the rapture. Humor often lightens the tone in otherwise very serious subject matter.