"The Holy Spirit Is The Lover Of My Soul": An Interview With Dr Daniela C Augustine

Dr Daniela C Augustine, a respected theologian and author, delivered a keynote presentation on "Pentecost as the Future of Creation" at the Europe Asia Pentecostal Summit (EAPS) held at City Harvest Church in Singapore in May 2025. Though unable to travel due to ongoing health treatment, Augustine presented via Zoom, moving attendees with her insights on the Holy Spirit's transformative power. Born in communist Bulgaria to an Eastern Orthodox dissident family, Augustine experienced a miraculous healing of a childhood friend after their baptism in 1989, which ignited her theological calling. She later received the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues, eventually studying theology at Lee University in Tennessee after the fall of communism. Augustine emphasizes humanity's role as worshiping creatures (homo adorans) rather than conquerors, advocating for communal healing and forgiveness as essential for social transformation. Her books 'Pentecost, Hospitality, and Transfiguration' (2012) and 'The Spirit and the Common Good' (2019, winner of Pneuma's Book of the Year 2020) reflect her Spirit-led vision for society.