Getting the Holy Ghost: Urban Ethnography in a Brooklyn Pentecostal

In this review of Getting the Holy Ghost, Peter Marina offers a close, humanizing study of a small Brooklyn African-American Pentecostal congregation based on four years of ethnographic notes. The book is for readers interested in religious practice, urban anthropology, and the lived experience of Pentecostal piety; its single biggest reason to buy is the vivid, participant-centered depiction of conversion and communal embodiment that moves beyond sensationalist portrayals of speaking in tongues. The reviewer found the voice measured and attentive, useful for both classroom discussion and personal study of faith in urban life.

Key Features

• Ethnographic approach: Four years of field notes produce a detailed, immersive account that helps the reader observe worship and community life from the inside.
• Focus on embodiment: The narrative emphasizes bodily experience and religious conversion, clarifying how piety is enacted rather than simply proclaimed.
• Portrait of community: The book shows compassion, caring, and social bonds within the congregation, offering context for spiritual practices.
• Challenge to spectacle: By situating dramatic displays within everyday social aspiration and spiritual struggle, the text reframes what outsiders often label as spectacle.
• Urban setting: Grounded in Brooklyn life, the study connects religious practice to neighborhood dynamics and cultural identity.

Who It's For

This book will appeal to students and teachers of anthropology, sociology of religion, and African-American studies who need a nuanced ethnography that treats Pentecostal practice with respect and analytic depth. It is also suitable for clergy, religious studies readers, and general nonfiction readers curious about faith lived in urban communities.

Readers seeking a how-to guide to theology or a broad history of Pentecostalism should look elsewhere; this is a focused, participant-observer study of one congregation rather than a comprehensive doctrinal survey or encyclopedic history.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Provides a rich, long-term ethnographic perspective that captures daily practices and conversion experiences.
• Reframes dramatic worship as embodied social practice, deepening understanding beyond sensational accounts.
• Conveys warmth and ethical attention to congregants, making the church community feel present and real.

Cons

• The focus on a single Brooklyn congregation means the findings are intensive rather than broadly generalizable.

Specifications

Title	Getting the Holy Ghost: Urban Ethnography in a Brooklyn Pentecostal Church
Author	Peter Marina
Subject	Ethnography of a Pentecostal congregation
Setting	Brooklyn, New York
Focus	Embodiment, conversion, community life
Research duration	Four years of field notes

Our Verdict

Getting the Holy Ghost is a thoughtful, well-observed ethnography that rewards readers who want an intimate view of Pentecostal life in an urban African-American congregation. Its emphasis on embodiment and communal care makes it valuable for classroom use and for anyone seeking a corrective to sensationalist portrayals, offering good value as a focused qualitative study.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this book academic or accessible to general readers?
The book is written in an ethnographic academic style but remains accessible to general readers interested in religion and urban life due to its narrative, participant-focused approach.

What is the geographic focus of the study?
The ethnography is based in a small Pentecostal church in Brooklyn, New York, and ties religious practice to that urban context.

Does the book cover Pentecostal doctrine broadly?
No; it centers on practice, embodiment, and community in one congregation rather than offering a comprehensive doctrinal history.