Josh Brahinsky is a psychological anthropologist, known for a neurophenomenological approach to states of consciousness. He is affiliated with Stanford University and McGill University in Canada. He is author of Tongues of Fire: How Charismatic Prayer Changes Evangelical Brains and Inspires Spirit-Filled Activism.
Josh explores the neurophenomenology of speaking in tongues among Pentecostals and charismatics, showing how this form of wordless, surrendered prayer produces powerful emotional release and altered states. Drawing on EEG and MRI studies with dozens of practitioners, he demonstrates that the key mechanism is not the tongues themselves but the degree of surrender, which loosens predictive brain maps, increases neural complexity, and expands creative, divergent thinking — especially when people feel connected to God or to one another. Brahinsky also traces the practice’s historical links to social activism (from the 1906 Azusa Street Revival onward) and reflects on the wider implications of deliberately loosening the mind.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:05:30 Background on Pentecostals and charismatics
00:11:00 Nature of speaking in tongues
00:16:30 Historical roots and comparisons
00:22:00 Surrender, emotion, and activism
00:28:00 Brain measures of prayer
00:34:00 Creativity, alliance, and dropping in
00:40:00 Silent prayer, MRI challenges, and findings
00:46:00 Training, inspiration, and broader implications
00:49:20 Conclusion
(Recorded on Friday, September 25, 2026)
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Published on October 19, 2026
