speaking in tongues

[emom]

My Protestant friend asked me if we believe in speaking in tongues? What is the Churches stand on this? and Why?

 

[mercygate]

emom:

My Protestant friend asked me if we believe in speaking in tongues? What is the Churches stand on this? and Why?

There is a searchable library on the Catholic Answers homepage. Start here to get a summary on speaking in tongues.

 

[johnshelby]

the Holy Spirit gave the apostles the gift of tongues…

but, i’ve never understood one aspect of that ‘gift of tongues’
some of the modern day churches profess…

the gift as given by the Holy Spirit, was so that the
apostles could be understood by everyone listening…
each heard in ‘his own tongue’… they didn’t begin to
speak in some unknown language that had to be
translated…

i was raised baptist and heard of ‘speaking in tongues’
all my life… but never really witnessed it… but even as
a kid, the seeming contradiction bothered me… lol

 

[Rebecca_New]

I know how you feel, it is a very confusing area for me because there is so much room for misinterpretation.

 

[hurst]

emom:

My Protestant friend asked me if we believe in speaking in tongues? What is the Churches stand on this? and Why?

I can’t answer this directly, but here is a neat story about St. Dominic’s gift of tongues:

HIS GIFT OF TONGUES

WHILE travelling from Toulouse to Paris in company with Brother Bertrand de Garrigue, (10) who was the first Provincial of Provence, our holy father spent the night in watching and prayer in the church of our Lady at Roc-Amadour.(11) Next day they came up with a band of pilgrims from Germany, who, hearing them reciting the Psalms and Litanies, joined company with them, and on coming to the next town hospitably entertained them during three days. One morning St Dominic addressed Brother Bertrand after this fashion: ‘Good brother, I am much troubled in conscience seeing that we are reaping the material good things of these pilgrims without sowing spiritual ones in return, so, if it please you, let us kneel down and ask God to enable us to understand their tongue, that we may preach Jesus Christ to them.’ This they did, and to the bewilderment of the pilgrims they began to speak fluently in German, and as they trudged along together during the next four days, they continued conversing about our Lord Jesus Christ until they came to Orleans. There the Germans, who were on their way to Chartres, parted company with them on the road which led to Paris, after humbly commending themselves to their prayers. Some time after this our holy father said to Brother Bertrand: ‘Brother, we are now going to enter Paris, and if our brethren here only knew of that miracle which God wrought in us they would repute us to be saints, whereas we are but sinners, and if it got rumoured abroad we should be liable to vanity: wherefore, in virtue of holy obedience I forbid you to mention it to a soul until after my death.’ Nor was it divulged to our brethren until after his death.

op.org/domcentral/trad/brethren/breth02.htm#0210

hurst

 

[Todd_Easton]

The Catholic Church recognizes that there is an extraordinary charism of the Holy Spirit called the gift of tongues. It is mentioned in passing in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
2003. Grace is first and foremost the gift of the Spirit who justifies and sanctifies us. But grace also includes the gifts that the Spirit grants us to associate us with his work, to enable us to collaborate in the salvation of others and in the growth of the Body of Christ, the Church. There are sacramental graces, gifts proper to the different sacraments. There are furthermore special graces, also called charisms after the Greek term used by St. Paul and meaning “favor,” “gratuitous gift,” “benefit.” Whatever their character - sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of tongues - charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church. They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church.

 

[kp1]

Here is my insight to speaking “in tongues”. There are a few gifts given to us by God for some purpose that stand out amoung us, one being the ability to speak in tongues others would be the discernment of spirits, gift of healing, stigmatas, etc. If you do not have any of these gifts it does not make you a bad person, with certain gifts comes much responsibilty. I say this because I have heard others make comments to not being at the same religious level as so and so because they have not cultivated one of these blessings. I then let them know they are blessings bestowed on us from God for a deeper purpose but not to show off their level of religiosity! They are blessings for the benifit of others not ourselves.

So as I understand it, when people are so moved by the Holy Spirit they begin to speak in a language that may seem foreign to those nearby. Supposidly a true speaker of tongues could have someone translate, but I also feel caution must be exercised in this. I am also concerned when people try to give or attend classes to learn to talk in tongues. THis seems evil to me in the way that you would be demanding something from God that he has blessed upon someone else. This would put you on thin ice so to speak and make you more in line with the evil one who challenges God. Then you would have to question yourself on why you desire this gift and for what purpose. God does not waste and he gives us what we need when we need it!

So yes, I do believe these gifts do exsist. I maybe wrong, but I think the true Kabbala (not the hollywood/Madonna version) also emphizes the gift of tongues.

 

[kp1]

Romans 12:3-8

“,6 We have gifts that differ according to the favor bestowed on each of us. One’s gift may be prophecy; its use should be in proportion to his faith…”

I only put the main focus, but read the expanded passage!

 

[gusano]

kp1:

Here is my insight to speaking “in tongues”. There are a few gifts given to us by God for some purpose that stand out amoung us, one being the ability to speak in tongues others would be the discernment of spirits, gift of healing, stigmatas, etc. If you do not have any of these gifts it does not make you a bad person, with certain gifts comes much responsibilty. I say this because I have heard others make comments to not being at the same religious level as so and so because they have not cultivated one of these blessings. I then let them know they are blessings bestowed on us from God for a deeper purpose but not to show off their level of religiosity! They are blessings for the benifit of others not ourselves.

So as I understand it, when people are so moved by the Holy Spirit they begin to speak in a language that may seem foreign to those nearby. Supposidly a true speaker of tongues could have someone translate, but I also feel caution must be exercised in this. I am also concerned when people try to give or attend classes to learn to talk in tongues. THis seems evil to me in the way that you would be demanding something from God that he has blessed upon someone else. This would put you on thin ice so to speak and make you more in line with the evil one who challenges God. Then you would have to question yourself on why you desire this gift and for what purpose. God does not waste and he gives us what we need when we need it!

So yes, I do believe these gifts do exsist. I maybe wrong, but I think the true Kabbala (not the hollywood/Madonna version) also emphizes the gift of tongues.

So, The Holy Spirit offers one The Gift of Tongues for a good purpose,
and at the same time,
The evil one offers one an imitation for an evil purpose…
Doesn’t that dilemma require that we follow 1 John 4: 1-6
Put the spirits to a test to see if they belong to God, …
Thus we distinguish the spirit of truth from the spirit of disception.""

By" testing the spirits " and arriving at the truth we have advanced in (2) ways;
(1) we know more truth.
(2) we have experienced The Gift of Discernment.
(3) we have now access to the True Gift of tongues from God. (which baffles Beelzebub)
(4) we have discovered a way to overcome the spirit of anti-christ.

If we do not have the courage to “test the spirits” by doing nothing,
The evil one has succeded in keeping us away from God’s gift because “it may be an evil trick”
and that leaves one unfit for battle because we cannot recognize the weapons of our warefare, nor the Armor of God which He has available for us.

The only weapon the evil one has to paralize us with is …fear.

God Bless,

gusano

 

[kp1]

gusano:

So, The Holy Spirit offers one The Gift of Tongues for a good purpose,
and at the same time,
The evil one offers one an imitation for an evil purpose…
Doesn’t that dilemma require that we follow 1 John 4: 1-6
Put the spirits to a test to see if they belong to God, …
Thus we distinguish the spirit of truth from the spirit of disception.""

By" testing the spirits " and arriving at the truth we have advanced in (2) ways;
(1) we know more truth.
(2) we have experienced The Gift of Discernment.
(3) we have now access to the True Gift of tongues from God. (which baffles Beelzebub)
(4) we have discovered a way to overcome the spirit of anti-christ.

If we do not have the courage to “test the spirits” by doing nothing,
The evil one has succeded in keeping us away from God’s gift because “it may be an evil trick”
and that leaves one unfit for battle because we cannot recognize the weapons of our warefare, nor the Armor of God which He has available for us.

The only weapon the evil one has to paralize us with is …fear./QUOTE]

I would be careful about how and when you test spirits. Remember, Spirits (Angels) have a superior intelligence to us and can easily confus someone who is not aware of the situation or how to handle it. I would not advise people to go looking for trouble, but if confronted with it then deal with it. For if God has allowed you to be confronted, then he will “give you your armour”. Satan and his legion are very clever and tricky; they know every angle to whisper into your ears to keep you from discrediting something or someone. This is why God has enabled others to lead us through the chaos of our minds and society. This is why it is so hard for people to “let go and let God”, the world tells us we must rationalize this but God says be not afraid.

The greatest defense to satan is the rosary and scapular. Meditating on the mysteries of the rosary, scripture passages about the lives of Jesus and Mary, will bring us closer to God and less subjectable to evil influences.

“For Idle hands are the devils workshop” as the saying goes. If you focus on Christ, keeps your idles time busy with prayer, then the devil has little time to catch you off guard.

The gifts I mentioned before are very real but because of evil always being one step behind God, you must be wary. This is why things like the recent statue of Mary with blod tears is being varified. It is to discern wheither it is a sign from God or a trick from satan. It could be either, so we wait for the church who knows far more about these things to give us the answers we seek.

If you really want to know the truth, ask God and he will reveal it to you when you are ready. I could explain my experiences on this as a warm secure feeling inside on the topic and later a deeper understanding being revealed within my thinking or being drawn to a particular passage or book with the answers I was seeking.

 

[Church_Militant]

Having at one time, been a deacon in an Assembly of God church, perhaps I can speak to this issue.

Biblically there are 3 chapters of the New Testament that are critically relevent to any discussion of the gift of tongues (The official term for which is “glossolalia” ). they are 1st Corinthians 12, 13 and (most especially) 14.
Please read all 3 chapters for context, but I am going to simply post the most relevent verses that concern the practice of this Charism in the church and some real dangers that I sincerely pray that we don’t borrow into our Charismatic Catholics from their non-Catholic cousins.

All from chapter 14:

2 For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to human beings but to God, for no one listens; he utters mysteries in spirit.

4 Whoever speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but whoever prophesies builds up the church.

5 Now I should like all of you to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. One who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be built up.

6 Now, brothers, if I should come to you speaking in tongues, what good will I do you if I do not speak to you by way of revelation, or knowledge, or prophecy, or instruction?

7 Likewise, if inanimate things that produce sound, such as flute or harp, do not give out the tones distinctly, how will what is being played on flute or harp be recognized?

8 And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle?

9 Similarly, if you, because of speaking in tongues, do not utter intelligible speech, how will anyone know what is being said? For you will be talking to the air.

13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray to be able to interpret.

14 (For) if I pray in a tongue, my spirit 6 is at prayer but my mind is unproductive.

18 I give thanks to God that I speak in tongues more than any of you,

19 but in the church I would rather speak five words with my mind, so as to instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

23 So if the whole church meets in one place and everyone speaks in tongues, and then uninstructed people or unbelievers should come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds?

24 But if everyone is prophesying, and an unbeliever or uninstructed person should come in, he will be convinced by everyone and judged by everyone,

25 and the secrets of his heart will be disclosed, and so he will fall down and worship God, declaring, “God is really in your midst.”

27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let it be two or at most three, and each in turn, and one should interpret.

28 But if there is no interpreter, the person should keep silent in the church and speak to himself and to God.

31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged.

32 Indeed, the spirits of prophets are under the prophets’ control,

33 since he is not the God of disorder but of peace. As in all the churches of the holy ones,

39 So, (my) brothers, strive eagerly to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues,

40 but everything must be done properly and in order.

One of the biggest problems with this gift is that many people act like this passage does not apply to them and so you enter a Charismatic or Pentecostal service and may well find some serious violations of these passages in progress. I know I did almost every time we went to church and it never ceased to trouble me greatly, but no one would ever really address this with the congregation. They just seemed to ignore this passage and let things rip, which is plainly not right according to the New Testament.

Here is the only place where the CCC deals with this topic:
2003 Grace is first and foremost the gift of the Spirit who justifies and sanctifies us. But grace also includes the gifts that the Spirit grants us to associate us with his work, to enable us to collaborate in the salvation of others and in the growth of the Body of Christ, the Church. There are sacramental graces, gifts proper to the different sacraments. There are furthermore special graces, also called charisms after the Greek term used by St. Paul and meaning “favor,” “gratuitous gift,” “benefit.” Whatever their character - sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of tongues - charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church. They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church.
Pax vobiscum,

 

[SPOKENWORD]

2003 Grace is first and foremost the gift of the Spirit who justifies and sanctifies us. But grace also includes the gifts that the Spirit grants us to associate us with his work, to enable us to collaborate in the salvation of others and in the growth of the Body of Christ, the Church. There are sacramental graces, gifts proper to the different sacraments. There are furthermore special graces, also called charisms after the Greek term used by St. Paul and meaning “favor,” “gratuitous gift,” “benefit.” Whatever their character - sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of tongues - charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church. They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church.

Pax vobiscum, Do you accept those Charismatics in the CC to have the authentic gift of tongues? God Bless

 

[MrS]

SPOKENWORD:

Do you accept those Charismatics in the CC to have the authentic gift of tongues? God Bless

Don’t know… who would I ask to authenticate someone’s gift?

 

[SPOKENWORD]

MrS:

Don’t know… who would I ask to authenticate someone’s gift?

I mean accepted use of the gift .God Bless

 

[Church_Militant]

SPOKENWORD:

Do you accept those Charismatics in the CC to have the authentic gift of tongues? God Bless

I have no idea, since I do not attend their services and therefore do not share their interest. It is an insignificant issue to me…but the lack of the clearly Biblical discipline among those non-Catholic churches that I have been in for many years, does IMO tell me that the confusion in the services is not of God.

Why would you care SW?

 

[gusano]

I would be careful about how and when you test spirits.

I would too.
1 Thess. 5: 21 says "Test everything; retain what is good."

The greatest defense to satan is the rosary and scapular.

I pray the Rosary.
I have also discovered something more ancient and powerful as protection against evil and activating The Armor of God…;

and that is the **Premeditated offering of my body to God at the Altar ** according to Romans 12: 1.
"And now, brothers (and sisters), I beg you through the mercy of God to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God, your spiritual worship."

This OFFERING is done voluntarily at The Altar as The Priest invites us to "Lift up our hearts…"
and we respond; “We Lift them up to the Lord !”

gusano

 

[BlestOne]

As for charismatic masses or speaking in tongues… The Bible gives this in 1 Corrinthians:
14:22. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to believers but to unbelievers: but prophecies, not to unbelievers but to believers.

14:23. If therefore the whole church come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in unlearned persons or infidels, will they not say that you are mad?

14:24. But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not or an unlearned person, he is convinced of all: he is judged of all.

14:25. The secrets of his heart are made manifest. And so, falling down on his face, he will adore God, affirming that God is among you indeed.

It designates that there are 2 forms of speaking in tongues:

1. for the unbeliever as a sign to “witness” that there is something greater that can in effect give a person the ability to pray in a foreign tongue
2. To prophesi, and this must not be done without interpretation. This is the greater of the two forms, bascially because it is to teach us something, that we may hear the word of God.

 

[Imprimartin]

I’m very loyal to the church and an apologist. I’m also a techie and an intellectual. I would be the last person you’d expect to to have spoken in tongues. And yet I did it twice. It was in interesting experience. If you want to hear about it, let me know and I’ll draft something.

Martin

 

[gusano]

Imprimartin:

I’m very loyal to the church and an apologist. I’m also a techie and an intellectual. I would be the last person you’d expect to to have spoken in tongues. And yet I did it twice. It was in interesting experience. If you want to hear about it, let me know and I’ll draft something.

Martin

Hi Martin,
I don’t know who you intended that for, but I would like to hear about it

"They defeated him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony." Rev. 12: 11

gusano

 

[Church_Militant]

BlestOne:

As for charismatic masses or speaking in tongues… The Bible gives this in 1 Corrinthians:
14:22. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to believers but to unbelievers: but prophecies, not to unbelievers but to believers.

14:23. If therefore the whole church come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in unlearned persons or infidels, will they not say that you are mad?

14:24. But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not or an unlearned person, he is convinced of all: he is judged of all.

14:25. The secrets of his heart are made manifest. And so, falling down on his face, he will adore God, affirming that God is among you indeed.

It designates that there are 2 forms of speaking in tongues:

1. for the unbeliever as a sign to “witness” that there is something greater that can in effect give a person the ability to pray in a foreign tongue
2. To prophesi, and this must not be done without interpretation. This is the greater of the two forms, bascially because it is to teach us something, that we may hear the word of God.

I’m sorry, but there is a BIG difference between the gift of prophecy and the gift of tongues and the way you are choosing to interpret that passage is more characteristic of modern pentecostals than the early church and the New Testament itself.

An objective reading of those passages I cited earlier will make it pretty plain that St. Paul saw them as 2 different things. Even in Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost it was Prophesy that the people HEARD in their own tongues…but modern charismatics imply that it is prophecy and worse still if they give way to the very disorders that St. Paul deals with in his letter then one has to use some discernment as to if it is from God. Prayer in tongues should not be spoken aloud in a congregation. It’s as simple as that, and prophecy is a different matter.

I think it’s critically important for us not to pick up non-Catholic errors just because of some shared experiences, and so I urge extreme caution. As I said before…I’ve been there.
Pax vobiscum,