“He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself” (1 Corinthians 14:4). Dr. Carl Peterson, M.D. conducted a study at ORU in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Being a brain specialist, he was doing research on the relationship between the brain and praying or speaking in tongues. He found that as we pray in the Spirit or worship in the Spirit (our heavenly language), the brain releases 2 chemical secretions that are directed into our immune systems giving a 35 to 40 percent boost to the immune system. This promotes healing within our bodies. Amazingly, this secretion is triggered from a part of the brain that has no other apparent activity in humans and is only activated by our Spirit-led prayer and worship!
Glossolalia influences on stress response among Apostolic Pentecostals: The data in this study suggest that glossolalia (speaking in tongues) is associated with a reduction in stress in response to normal stressors and significantly associated with positive mood and calmness. Obviously the reduction of stress is extremely helpful to one’s immune system and entire health. Stress damages the body. Peace heals it.
One study involved nearly 1,000 clergy members of a British evangelical group. The researchers found that the 80 percent who practiced glossolalia had greater emotional stability and less neuroticism. (Study by: L. Francis and M. Robbins. 2003. Personality and glossolalia: A study among male evangelical clergy. Pastoral Psychology 51:5.)
Speaking in Tongues Medical Study Proves Holy Spirit Praying: Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania took brain images of five women while they spoke in tongues and found that their frontal lobes — the thinking, willful part of the brain through which people control what they do — were relatively quiet, as were the language centers.
When speaking in tongues, there was a decrease of activity in the frontal lobes and an increased activity in the thalamus (ie, the "third brain", where it is believed by some that we have spiritual experiences). Language areas are in the frontal lobes. The language that emerged during the state of glossolalia was highly structured, filled with clearly articulated phrases. This is a very unusual finding, for it suggests that the language was being generated in a different way, or possibly from someplace other than the normal processing centers of speech. For believers, this experience could be taken as proof that another “entity” had actually spoken through them. (These ideas were condensed from pages 200 and 201 of Born to Believe by Andrew Newberg, MD).
The regions involved in maintaining self-consciousness were active. “The amazing thing was how the images supported people’s interpretation of what was happening,” said Dr. Andrew B. Newberg, leader of the study team, which included Donna Morgan, Nancy Wintering and Mark Waldman. “The way they describe it, and what they believe, is that God is talking through them,” he said.
Click here to watch a free video interview with Dr. Newburg concerning his research on speaking in tongues.
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I Want to Speak in Tongues Fluently - blog with some pointers
Check out the classic book They Speak with Other Tongues Kindle Edition by John Serrill. It provides fun, enjoyable, story-formatted reading. Highly recommended!
Books by Dr. Andrew Newberg, University of Pennsylvania
- How Enlightenment Changes Your Brain
- How God Changes Your Brain: Breakthrough Findings from a Leading Neuroscientist
- Why We Believe What We Believe: Uncovering Our Biological Need for Meaning, Spirituality, and Truth
- Why God Won't Go Away: Brain Science and the Biology of Belief
- Born to Believe: God, Science, and the Origin of Ordinary and Extraordinary Beliefs
- Words Can Change Your Brain: 12 Conversation Strategies to Build Trust, Resolve Conflict, and Increase Intimacy
- Principles of Neurotheology (Ashgate Science and Religion Series)
- The Metaphysical Mind: Probing the Biology of Philosophical Thought
Go Deeper - Get Healthy!
Check out this entire blog series on Vibrant Health! - Miracles PLUS Gifts of Healings. Working through this series on health is ideal for both individuals and groups. The more we take responsibility for ourselves - spirit, soul and body - the healthier we become! Won't you join me in living to at least 100 in vibrant health?
The Treasure Chest – Spirit-Led Prayer Organizer: Devotionals to Meet Your Specific Needs
Related Blogs:
Gifts of Healings
Comments
Scientific study of speaking in tongues
by Anonymous
Quick comment: I speak in tongues. I am also an economist and a NT/practical theology professor. My wife is a biology professor.
Language correction - science can never "prove" or "disprove" anything. Scientific findings can support conclusions, they can draw conclusions, they can be described as making something more or less probable. But "science proves" is always a false statement.
Really Good Point!!!
by Mark Virkler
I totally agree with your comment so I have changed the word proves to "affirms."
It is also noteworthy that it is estimated that 95% of all scientific studies are flawed. So our confidence does not rest on scientific studies, but on the Bible and Holy Spirit revelation. Thank you.
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