FRENCH WORD-A-DAY

For Christians, "speaking in tongues" corresponds to "speaking in different languages", a phenomenon described in the Acts of the Apostles.

Thanks for the translation, Marie-Louise!

GREAT post Kristin! For me speaking in tongues is the evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2 vs 38 it says to repent and be baptised in the name of Jesus and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, a promise for all. In Mark 16 it says that those who believe and are baptised will be saved and these signs shall accompany those who believe, drive out demons, speak with new tongues, lay hands on the sick and they will be healed.
Thank you for this post!

Bravo, Kristin, for holding your own and for mentioning the Original "unfathomable" occurrence: Creation. I love these discussions in our home because not a soul among us knows the answers - but we choose to believe and hope, hope, hope.

So... would most of France attend church services on these holidays? Those beautiful churches dotting the countryside always seem void of life whenever I've explored them.

Thank you for the positive feedback. After writing a post like this, I usually run and hide under the covers -- never sure if the topic was a good -- or very, very bad! -- idea. (I once lost a longtime reader over a similar post.) Such posts are rare, but this being a personal journal, natural.

Karen: I do not know if the French are in church, but suspect so. The churches are indeed emptier and emptier, so much so that church services sometimes rotate, from one town to another (so that three towns will share one church, the other two building remaining empty).

I enjoyed your writing here very much.
Blessings to you from Jerusalem, home of the Cenacle/Upper Room where it all happened.

For those of you espoused in marriage to determined atheists, I recommend the book 'There IS a God' by Anthony Flew, a world-renowned fundamentalist atheist philosopher, who came to believe in God after 50 years of campaigning against Him!
Anthony Flew is now examining the claims of Christianity-- hope he lives long enough to finish his thinking!!!!

First I thought glossolalie was a strange big bird, and was telling myself, wow. : )
I agree that in Europe, parts at least, people are more familiar with the church holidays. My sister who lives in Holland called and in conversation came up Pentecote and how they had the day off! Yes, Pentecote! Nearly 100% of people would have a fit if we had the day off here in the great US. Ha ha!
Anyhow, loved the post and the picture, and I will search for the best alpha-omega article that I once read and send it to you.
Meanwhile, I too like CSLewis, and I think virgin birth is now scientifically proven! One case appeared in a scientific journal last year or the year before. Vous avez raison! Many things that were magic are now explained in light of science but still not sure about real tongues dropping out of the sky. Negative I say.

Have a lovely week, and enjoy Pentecote holiday.

XO

Bon! important discussion

Perhaps, this Pentecost, the Holy Spirit breathed softly down upon us to refresh his Holy Flame, since my family, too, had a very similar conversation just last evening. We must not fear the questions; we must embrace the quest. I feel it is time that I put aside my biography on Heloise and Abelard and pick up my biography on Pascal.

May I add my 'Amen' to these comments? God's miracles are all around us - we just don't always recognise them. Merci, Kristin for including us all in this special conversation.

Chere Kristi, thank you from the depths of my heart for your caring birthday wish and complimentary words. Be assured that there are times when I fail to please others but do just the unintended opposite.

Thanks to Douglas, also for the surprising, welcomed wish. Do you live in Newfoundland?

My wife, Nancy, and I spent 2 days in New York City celebrating the occasion with 2 friends. The following day while we four spiced a delicious dinner at a classy Indian restaurant discussing whose birth to celebrate next, our dorlotant serveur somehow deduced that it was now Inga's birthday (May 30). He surprised us with a special dessert with a lit candle along with 3 other waiters who quickly sang "Happy Birthday" to Ed"s wife while four bewildered listeners wondered whether to laugh and possibly embarrass Inga or proffer profuse apologies and an explanation. All ended well as the serveurs swiftly skedaddled, Inga remained stoic, and only one wanted the extra, glowing dessert -- you guessed it, moi.

After lunch chez ED & Inga, a taxi and train transported us back to Rhode Island. It was a wonderful way to begin one's 83rd year!

Thank you, Kristin, that was wonderful, and thought provoking. I would rather spend my whole life believing in God, and in the end, find out that I was wrong, than the other way around. Imagine if He were to say, "I do not believe in you, therefore you do not exist." Merci, Kristin! C'etait formidable!

One more response on a different topic:

I lived 2 years in a theological seminary during my undergraduate college days and one year post-grad was spent as a seminarian at a different location. After one year of questioning and having my 2 sermons written from my heart ripped with criticism and judged as inappropriate, it was no surprise that the dean of the seminary and I both agreed that I should take time away with the option of returning after one year. That was in 1947 -- I often joke that the year isn't up yet.

Seriously, Kristi, after a lifetime of struggling with spiritual concepts like God, heaven & hell, etc. with clergy and followers of many beliefs I agree that you represented your faith very, very well! -yes, better than most of those with whom I have sparred over faith and reason and much better than the clergy encountered in seminary.

You are not alone as life outside of the seminary has allowed a faith reduced to just short of "Why bother to take another breath?" to begin to continually grow in a unique way. Love and blessings to you and yours!

Tongues, Speaking in
Definition: A special ability given through the holy spirit to some disciples in the early Christian congregation that enabled them to preach or otherwise glorify God in a language other than their own.
Does the Bible say that all who would have God’s spirit would “speak in tongues”?
1 Cor. 12:13, 30: “Truly by one spirit we were all baptized into one body . . . Not all have gifts of healings, do they? Not all speak in tongues, do they?” (Also 1 Corinthians 14:26)
1 Cor. 14:5: “Now I would like for all of you to speak in tongues, but I prefer that you prophesy. Indeed, he that prophesies is greater than he that speaks in tongues, unless, in fact, he translates, that the congregation may receive upbuilding.”
Does ecstatic speech in a language that a person never learned prove that he has holy spirit?
Can the ability to “speak in tongues” come from a source other than the true God?
1 John 4:1: “Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression [“every spirit,” KJ, RS], but test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God.” (See also Matthew 7:21-23; 2 Corinthians 11:14, 15.)
Among those ‘speaking in tongues’ today are Pentecostals and Baptists, also Roman Catholics, Episcopalians, Methodists, Lutherans, and Presbyterians. Jesus said that the holy spirit would ‘guide his disciples into all the truth.’ (John 16:13) Do the members of each of these religions believe that the others who also “speak in tongues” have been guided into “all the truth”? How could that be, since they are not all in agreement? What spirit is making it possible for them to “speak in tongues”?
A joint statement by the Fountain Trust and the Church of England Evangelical Council admitted: “We are also aware that a similar phenomenon can occur under occult/demonic influence.” (Gospel and Spirit, April 1977, published by the Fountain Trust and the Church of England Evangelical Council, p. 12) The book Religious Movements in Contemporary America (edited by Irving I. Zaretsky and Mark P. Leone, quoting L. P. Gerlach) reports that in Haiti ‘speaking in tongues’ is characteristic of both Pentecostal and Voodoo religions.—(Princeton, N.J.; 1974), p. 693; see also 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10.
Is the ‘speaking in tongues’ that is done today the same as that done by first-century Christians?
In the first century, the miraculous gifts of the spirit, including the ability to “speak in tongues,” verified that God’s favor had shifted from the Jewish system of worship to the newly established Christian congregation. (Heb. 2:2-4) Since that objective was accomplished in the first century, is it necessary to prove the same thing again and again in our day?
In the first century, the ability to “speak in tongues” gave impetus to the international work of witnessing that Jesus had commissioned his followers to do. (Acts 1:8; 2:1-11; Matt. 28:19) Is that how those who “speak in tongues” use that ability today?
In the first century, when Christians ‘spoke in tongues,’ what they said had meaning to people who knew those languages. (Acts 2:4, 8) Today, is it not true that ‘speaking in tongues’ usually involves an ecstatic outburst of unintelligible sounds?
In the first century, the Bible shows, congregations were to limit the ‘speaking in tongues’ to two or three persons who might do that at any given meeting; they were to do it “each in turn,” and if there was no interpreter present they were to keep silent. (1 Cor. 14:27, 28, RS) Is that what is being done today?
See also pages 381, 382, under the heading “Spirit.”
Might the holy spirit be directing charismatics into practices that reach beyond what is found in the Scriptures?
2 Tim. 3:16, 17: “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.” (If someone claims to have an inspired message that conflicts with revelations made by God’s spirit through Jesus and his apostles, could it possibly be from the same source?)
Gal. 1:8: “Even if we or an angel out of heaven were to declare to you as good news something beyond [“at variance with,” NE] what we declared to you as good news, let him be accursed.”
Does the way of life of members of organizations that look with favor on ‘speaking in tongues’ give evidence that they have God’s spirit?
As a group do they outstandingly manifest such fruits of the spirit as mildness and self-control? Are these qualities readily evident to persons who attend their meetings for worship?—Gal. 5:22, 23.
Are they truly “no part of the world”? Because of this do they give full devotion to the Kingdom of God or are they involved in the world’s political affairs? Have they remained clean of bloodguilt during wartime? As a group do they have a fine reputation because of avoiding the world’s immoral conduct?—John 17:16; Isa. 2:4; 1 Thess. 4:3-8.
Are true Christians today identified by the ability to “speak in tongues”?
John 13:35: “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.”
1 Cor. 13:1, 8: “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but do not have love, I have become a sounding piece of brass or a clashing cymbal. Love never fails. But whether there are gifts of prophesying, they will be done away with; whether there are tongues, they will cease.”
Jesus said that holy spirit would come upon his followers and that they would be witnesses of him to the most distant part of the earth. (Acts 1:8) He instructed them to “make disciples of people of all the nations.” (Matt. 28:19) He also foretold that ‘this good news of the kingdom would be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all nations.’ (Matt. 24:14) Who today, both as a group and individually, are doing this work? In harmony with what Jesus said, should we not look for this as an evidence that a group has holy spirit?
Is ‘speaking in tongues’ to continue until that which is “perfect” comes?
At 1 Corinthians 13:8 reference is made to several miraculous gifts—prophecy, tongues, and knowledge. Verse 9 again refers to two of these gifts—knowledge and prophecy—saying: “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.” (KJ) Or, as RS reads: “For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect.” Then verse 10 states: “But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.” (KJ) The word “perfect” is translated from the Greek te′lei·on, which conveys the thought of being full grown, complete, or perfect. Ro, By, and NW here render it “complete.” Notice that it is not the gift of tongues that is said to be “imperfect,” “in part,” or partial. That is said of “prophecy” and “knowledge.” In other words, even with those miraculous gifts, the early Christians had only an imperfect or partial understanding of God’s purpose. But when the prophecies would come to fulfillment, when God’s purpose would be accomplished, then “that which is perfect,” or complete, would come. So, this is obviously not discussing how long the ‘gift of tongues’ would continue.
However, the Bible does indicate how long the ‘gift of tongues’ would be a part of Christian experience. According to the record, this gift and the other gifts of the spirit were always conveyed to persons by the laying on of hands of the apostles of Jesus Christ or in their presence. (Acts 2:4, 14, 17; 10:44-46; 19:6; see also Acts 8:14-18.) Thus, after their death and when the individuals who in that way had received the gifts died, the miraculous gifts resulting from the operation of God’s spirit must have come to their end. Such a view agrees with the purpose of those gifts as stated at Hebrews 2:2-4.
Does not Mark 16:17, 18 (KJ) show that the ability to “speak with new tongues” would be a sign identifying believers?
It should be noted that these verses refer not only to ‘speaking with new tongues’ but also to handling serpents and drinking deadly poison. Are all who “speak in tongues” also encouraging these practices?
For comments on the reasons why these verses are not accepted by all Bible scholars, see pages 158, 159, under the heading “Healing.”

Some of the best stories in the Bible are the ones I was taught to understand metaphorically: Creation, Jonah in the Whale, Job, etc. It's a wonderful book of faith, but I caution people to remember that it was never meant as a book of science. I'm grateful for my evangelical upbringing and my Catholic conversion for making me a well-rounded arm-chair theologian. I love reading others' thoughts on these sorts of issues.

What a great response and fun reading to enjoy all of these different opinions on such a sensitive topic. History, the Bible and all that follows. Thanks so much for all the links and comments... "Intuit's" posting added so much to the discussion. Bottom line is " what gets you thru the tough times, and adds to the joy of the good ones is what counts!!

Speaking in tongues is the ability to speak in another language... Jesus could not send the disciples forth to spread the gospel if they could not speak to the people. If someone from a different country speaks to you... what good is it if we don’t understand what is being said? When people ask, after Pentecost how was the gospel preached? The answer is “with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven.” 1 Peter 1:12. The Holy Spirit does not bring confusion... therefore we find today what some call speaking in tongues is not always correct. We must search the Bible line upon line and precept upon precept to find our answers.
Individuals who are interested in learning more on this topic there is a video series on speaking in tongues featured on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/amazingfacts

The virgin birth still remains a mystery according to the scriptures. One thing we are able to understand is that Jesus is the Son of God and that He did come to this world as both man and God. This is the reason He states that He is the truth, the light and the way to heaven. He is the only one who can take hold of the Father and also take hold of humanity at the same time. He therefore is the only link that re-unites us with God the Father. It is God’s love that has made provision that we might be re-united with Him and find forgiveness for our sins. If we have not accepted Christ as our Savior we have no way of being re-united with God for we cannot atone for our own sins. God Bless.

My father was my Sunday school communion class teacher in the English Lutheran church, so I had to learn the Bible stories (histoire/story) so as not to embarass him! But to me it not only reads like a fascinating history rather than the word of a god, I see it as an oral history passed on through generations and finally written down with some stories chosen to go into a book - the Bible. Most of this was done not by Christians but by Jews. Like the game 'telephone', stories changed through those many tellings and multiple translations. Many believe the words 'virgin Mary' which are in the New Testament, the Christian addition to the Jewish Bible, reflect a former useage of the term 'virgin' meaning Jesus was Mary's first-born child, not that the conception was without a man's assistance. That the misconception may have been incorporated into church ritual rather than changed or corrected is very like the fictitious ending in Dan Brown's popular book and movie "Angels and Demons".

Christianity is an important part of France, whether you are Christian or not, just as Hindu, an animist religion of many gods [hope I have said this right and not offended anyone] is an important part of Nepal and India, for example. Their stories were arrived at the same way, yet they are so different in the details and seemingly in practice too.

But they both, and other religions too, provide strongly sought qualities such as identity and security, binding people together in supportive groups. This is an acheivement that needs to be carefully appreciated so that it not be used to turn one religion against the other, but rather to open our eyes to the oneness of human nature, our common needs, religious or not.

Enjoy your special holiday!
Susy in Paris

The immaculate conception was about the birth of Mary, not Jesus. The term "Virgin" refers to a young girl. "Walked on the water" was mis-translated/changed from the original, "walked by the water".

I look forward to French word-A-Day each day

By tying your faith in Christianity to such phenomena,as the Virgin birth and walking on water you`re building your faith on sand,leaving it open to ridicule and scorn.Science can easily repudiate such nonsense and en tu cas,the gospel stands without needing to resort to supposed 'miracles'.Jesus said-"go thy way,thy faith hath made thee WHOLE".Christ called us to live a consecrated life as the recipients of a new commandment-THE COMMANDMENT OF LOVE.It`s LOVE that makes WHOLE our broken humanity.And the FAITH we have is the FAITH that only LOVE can do that.To the extent we love we are loved.For where love is,there be JESUS also.Amen

Great post (first time reader!) The tongues discussion at my church is always a good one...; Pentecost is a reversal of the tower of babel (as my former pastor taught) where the people were attempting to make themselves great so God divided them with languages, bringing confusion. At Pentecost, the truth about Christ was spoken through the dissolving of the language barrier, and His greatness was lifted up instead of man's.
love your website! Wish I could live in France.
Mary