In this powerful episode, Pastor Johnny Ova sits down with Prof. Steven Mann, chair of the seminary at Azusa Pacific University and a leading expert in speech act theory, Old Testament theology, and biblical narrative. Together, they explore how God’s words throughout Scripture are not just spoken statements but active forces that create, command, bless, warn, and transform.

Prof. Mann explains how the lens of speech act theory helps us understand the Bible on a deeper level. From Genesis 1 to Jonah, from covenant to correction, from prophecy to poetry, this conversation unpacks how divine speech functions across the Old Testament. You will never read “And God said…” the same way again.

We also explore how this theme connects to the New Testament and the identity of Jesus as the Word made flesh, offering a full-picture view of how God's speech is both consistent and redemptive across the entire biblical arc.

📚 Resources by Prof. Steven Mann

• Words Creating Worlds: Old Testament Narratives and Speech Act Theory (Lexington Books, 2025)
• Run, David, Run! (Eisenbrauns, 2013)
• “Let There Be Cain: A Clash of Imaginations in Genesis 4” – JSOT 46.1 (2021): 79–95
• “Ask and You Shall Intercede” – Bulletin for Biblical Research 29.2 (2019): 208–224
• “Performative Prayers of a Prophet” – Catholic Biblical Quarterly 79 (2017): 20–40
• “You're Fired: An Application of Speech Act Theory to 2 Samuel 15.23–16.14” – JSOT 33.3 (2009): 315–334Steve_Mann_Publications…

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