Abstract
Before one can adequately deal with a biblical and neurobiological examination of spiritual experiences, one would need to define what they are. Here, one could offer that a spiritual experience could be an encounter with something or someone that is other than a material experience. It is a supernatural experience that transcends the natural, yet impacts the natural, by affecting our mental and physical senses and how we practise our spirituality. It is an experience that leaves us with a new and perhaps intense sense of otherness. One could further propose that as spiritual experiences are by nature ‘experiences’, they are inherently subjective, and can therefore be classified as personal encounters. In other words, we have unique spiritual experiences in our encounters with God. This article offers several such examples and shows the significance of looking inwardly to answer the important question of why we are (or not) transforming spiritually and mentally.Contribution: The article’s challenge is to not only show that science and theology are not in conflict, but also how the intersection and emerging field of neurobiology (natural science) and theology can help better understand how spiritual experiences manifest, and that naturally we are seemingly wired for these experiences.
Highlights
The purpose of this article is to explore briefly what research is currently available on the role of neurobiological correlates in God-generated spiritual experiences and practices
The motivation here is to challenge this and show that one cannot approach a study of spiritual experiences without recognising that the mind, brain and nervous system are central to their manifestation; they are interdependent
Throughout this article, it was revealed that neurobiological correlates are involved in various spiritual experiences and practices such as prayer, meditation, worship, glossolalia [ecstatic tongues] and prophecy, despite many of the criticisms about them
Summary
The purpose of this article is to explore briefly what research is currently available on the role of neurobiological correlates in God-generated spiritual experiences and practices. They do have their critics, research shows how neurobiological correlates are involved in various spiritual experiences and practices, such as prayer, meditation, worship, glossolalia [ecstatic tongues] and prophecy. Scholars such as Evans (2004), Jeeves and Brown (2009) and Clarke (2015), have shown through their various empirical studies how important it is to understand that neurological mechanisms are relevant in causing thoughts and feelings to rise, and in spiritual experiences. The brain’s reward circuits are activated, which help to rewire the brain (neuroplasticity) and cause spiritual transformation
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