PTM WEEKLY UPDATE -- JUNE 29, 2009

Speaking in tongues

Q. I have a friend who belongs to an independent church that teaches the practice of speaking in tongues. While talking with her it became clear that they have a balanced approach to the use of tongues in services and to do not look at it as a proof that one has the Holy Spirit in their life. However, they do teach that every one should have a tongues experience in their personal prayer life. I had never heard of this before and it seems that a person would lose conscious understanding of what they are praying. My friend also seemed to need this experience to "feel better," almost like an addiction. What do you think?

A. Speaking in tongues (originally, in the book of Acts, a miraculous sign of the Holy Spirit) is common to charismatics (who can be part of many denominations) as well as the charismatic Pentecostal denominations. I am not aware of what percentage of charismatics speak in tongues, but the percentage is higher among older, traditional members who see speaking in tongues as a unique and special gift that elevates them above other Christians, and among the more exuberant, lively, charismatic and "spirit-filled" (a code word often used) denominations and congregations.

The practice of speaking in tongues ranges from "mild" (those who "use it" only as a prayer language -- that is, they only speak in tongues while praying privately), to those who speak in tongues occasionally, those who speak in tongues occasionally in public (during worship services), to the more extreme -- that is, those who have other manifestations that accompany speaking in tongues (including being "slain in the spirit" -- falling over backwards -- as well as "holy" barking -- like a dog -- and "holy," uncontrollable laughter.

Most charismatics realize, and at least publicly will say, that speaking in tongues is a gift that makes them no better or worse than other Christians -- though there is almost always pressure to speak in tongues, if one attends a fellowship that encourages speaking in tongues. There are some Pentecostals, however, who believe and publicly proclaim that speaking in tongues is a "second infilling" -- ie. evidence of a deeper state of conversion -- and that everyone should strive for, pray for, hope for such an experience.

On the irreligious side, there is scientific evidence and many studies suggesting that such emotional utterances can occur somewhat like a self-fulfilling prophecy. That is, if one desires such an experience (also called an altered state of consciousness, somewhat like hypnosis) then such an experience may well occur, for one gives oneself over to it. When one believes that speaking in tongues is an evidence that they are more deeply converted and closer to God, then of course such a desire will be present.

Other studies have found that: 1) Tongues-speaking (or glossolalia) is a learned behavior, and that distinctive patterns of speech present in a tongues-speaking leader continue to show up in a tongues-speaking group. 2) Forms of glossolalia are found in non-Christian religions, such as Hinduism, shamanism and Voodoo; linguists have analyzed these speech patterns and concluded that there is no difference between these forms of glossolalia and that practiced in charismatic Christianity. 3) Linguists have further concluded that the sounds of glossolalia are not structured as a language, nor do they resemble the systematic structure of any language. During glossolalia, activity in the language centers of the brain actually decreases, while activity in emotional centers increases. 4) While cases of people claiming to "translate" tongues-speakers are documented, yet there seem to be no documented cases of more than one translator arriving at the same interpretation of a given tongues-speaker. This would suggest that modern tongues-speaking is not the same as that described in the New Testament, where interpretation was required (1 Corinthians 14:27) and where the tongues being spoken were recognizable, extant languages (Acts 2:6-11).

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