Speaking in tongues
Speaking in tongues, or glossolalia, is a gift described and explained in Acts 2:1-47 with respect to early Christians. It has reappeared in many revivalistic Christian churches in the 19th and 20th centuries, especially in the Charismatic movement. This phenomenon will enable a person to speak in a language that he normally cannot speak.
In Mark 16:17 Christ states that it will be one of the signs marking those who believe in Him. Additional Scriptural references can be found in Acts 19:6 and Acts 10:46. In 1 Cor 12:10 Saint Paul also mentions the experience as one of the gifts of the Spirit.
Some Christians believe that the gift of tongues was given only to the early church, although there is no direct Biblical evidence for that view.
Further reading
- Horton, Wade H. Glossolalia Phenomenon (Cleveland, Tenn.: Pathway Press, 1996)
- McGee, Gary B. Initial Evidence: Historical and Biblical Perspectives on the Pentecostal Doctrine of Spirit Baptism (Peabody, Mass.: Henrickson, 1991)
- Martin, 3rd, Ira Jay. "Glossolalia in the Apostolic Church," Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 63, No. 2 (Jun., 1944), pp. 123-130 in JSTOR
- Mills, Watson E. Glossolalia: A Bibliography (New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 1985)
- Sherrill, John. They Speak with Other Tongues (Old Tappan, N.J.: Chosen Books, 2004)
- Speaking in Tongues: A Guide to Research on Glossolalia (Eerdmans, 1986).
- scholarly articles in JSTOR
