Tongue firmly in cheek...

The Gift of Tongues is a commonly misinterpreted and often misrepresented phenomenon in modern film, literature, debate, discussion, scriptural exegesis, and largely in several Protestant groups such as many divisions among Pentecostals and Baptists. Frequently, the misinterpretation is rooted in the inability to clearly draw the distinctions that St. Paul implies, the lack of attention paid to the Church Fathers, the interpretation of "uninterpretable" material, and the abandonment of more advanced theological distinctions (i.e.gratia gratis datae vs. gratia gratum faciens). These issues are discussed in greater detail on other pages linked to the homepage. For now, we will take a brief look at some of the applications of the concept of the Gift of Tongues that seem to indicate an inaccurate understanding of this extraordinary gift.

Secular Take on a Pentecostal Interpretation

This is a fascinating secular report on a Pentecostal take on the Gift of Tongues. There is a lot of valuable footage, and a somewhat interesting scientific conclusion. It seems that the frontal lobe of the brain which is active when a person is using a language is actually less active when he engages in this form of "tongues." Interestingly enough, the same scientist tested Franciscan Nuns and Buddhist monks who exhibited the exact opposite phenomena when praying. Many Pentecostals take this as an affirmation that the Holy Spirit is simply taking over and guiding their mouths while critics say that the decreased brain activity is indicative that those who speak this way are not speaking a language at all. In the end, the scientific discovery in combination with a theological understanding could lead to either conclusion, but it is interesting nonetheless. We, as Catholics, believe that the human person consists in more than his material makeup, but that there is an activity of the soul. The neural scientific findings, in that sense, do not necessarily preclude the defense of the Pentecostals. In the end, these findings are inconsequential.

The "Heavenly" Art?

This is a somewhat facetious presentation of some clips of Pentecostal worship, and some personal takes on speaking in tongues. While the video was designed to demonstrate absurdity, it does offer some strong images about some of the Protestant "traditions" of speaking in tongues. We ought not reduce our opponents to straw men, or uncharitably represent what they teach, but the images offered here obviously compel us to make some important philosophical and theological distinctions.

Message in Tongues: The Testimony of Jesus

This video is an example of a Pentecostal pastor dictating a sermon in tongues and then translating it on the spot for the purposes of recording. The "language" that he is speaking is not intelligible. He would believe that this language is unintelligible to anyone who does not have the gift of interpretation. See the discussion on Glossolalia for more information. More videos of a similar caliber can be found at this blog.