Introduction

Holy Cross Lutheran Church offers individuals the chance to ask questions about the Church, faith, theology, and the Bible by putting their queries into a Question Box. A question and answer appears in each month’s newsletter. This is the August 2010 installment.

Question

What is speaking in tongues? Do people still do it nowadays? Who understands the speaker? Is it right or wrong for someone to speak in tongues? How can we tell if someone is really speaking in tongues or just faking it?

Answer

Speaking in tongues is a gift of the Holy Spirit, sometimes referred to by its formal name of glossolalia. It is speech that does not make sense to those who overhear it. In 1 Corinthians 14, St. Paul shares a detailed treatment of this gift in the life of God’s Church. He says that those with the gift “do not speak to other people but to God,” (v. 2) and that they “should pray for the power interpret” (v. 13). In fact, he compares speaking in tongues without interpretation with playing tuneless sounds on an instrument: “If a bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle?” (v. 8)

Based on Paul’s writing, we know the Church in Corinth contained people, some with the gift of speaking in tongues, and perhaps, some with the gift to interpret that speaking. Some people practice glossolalia today, mostly in Pentecostal and charismatic congregations. Paul encourages good order, saying, “Let all things be done for building up” (v. 26c). If no one has the gift to interpret, then “…let them be silent in church and speak to themselves and to God” (v. 28) This helps us to decide whether it is right or wrong to speak in tongues. If someone has received the spiritual gift of interpretation, so that a clear message can build up the Church, then glossolalia is alright. But if not, then it is better to keep silent.

St. Paul compares prophecy and speaking in tongues. He writes, “…those who prophesy speak to other people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. Those who speak in a tongue build up themselves, but those who prophesy build up the church” (vv.3–4). In either case, we ought to turn to the guidance of St. John, who writes, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; … every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God” (1 John 4:1,2b–3a) This test determines whether the speaker’s words are true.