Neurotheology and Nuns

Blog Published: August 30, 2006
By Sister Julie

The UK newspaper Telegraph published an article today called “Nuns prove God is not figment of the mind” (08/30/06).

Scientists have been in the pursuit of the brain processes underlying the Unio Mystica – the Christian notion of mystical union with God – and this endeavour is now part of a newly-emerging field called “neurotheology”.

The article discusses a scientific study of a group of Carmelite nuns. The nuns were asked to relive a religious experience with God while undergoing a brain scan.

… the study demonstrated that a dozen different regions of the brain are activated during a mystical experience.

In other words, mystical experiences are mediated by several brain regions and systems normally implicated in functions such as self-consciousness, emotion and body representation.

Although I am not qualified to comment on the scientific merit of this study, I do find the results of this study quite interesting from a theological point of view. Whereas some scientists have speculated that there is a “God spot” or “God module” — basically a spiritual center of the brain — this study suggests that multiple parts of the brain are at work during a religious experience. This corresponds well with Catholic theology which has long taught that it is the whole person — body, soul, and mind — who encounters the Living God, not just some isolated part of our being. God meets us as we are — in our feelings, in the cells of our muscles, in the remote recesses of our brains, in our relationships — basically wherever we are, God is. So I am not at all surprised by these findings because it “fits” with our faith. Cool, eh?

Archived Comments

Larry August 30, 2006 at 9:11 pm

Yes sister – the study of consciousness is a new area for science (physics, psychology, etc.) Science is finally confirming what we’ve taught for many years – our whole being is involved – cells, feelings, etc. If you can, see a movie called “What the Bleep do we Know? – rent it. It is one of the best expanations of physics (I never took physics in school) that helps explain some phenomena in Catholicism as possible, at least for me. The discussion about religion is uninformed at best so don’t pay attention to what non religous people have to say about religion.

The ultimate observer is what they talk about that needs to exist to observe so things can be – how our neurons act and can change and be influenced – how time and space don’t follow our common sense ideas of experiences of the world (1 particle can exist in 2 separate places at the same time, the same particle – I thought of Padre Pio) For me, God works in tandem with the laws of the universe he created so miracles are often just realizations of what is possible in the universe with God’s life and grace energizing it. I’ve come to think of our contact with God as contact with his energy (grace) – we feel the energy of heat, wind, materials, love, presence of another, absence of another, spiritual presences, etc. Material is energy E=MC2 – in a more stable form. (another good movie is “Mindwalk”

I think science is catching up with our faith and religion. That’s great! Blessing on you sister. Keep the faith!

Lisa August 31, 2006 at 7:21 am

Hi, Julie! Welcome to the Blogosphere! Please feel free to drop my blog From Where I Write or also SisterBloggers.

Sister Julie August 31, 2006 at 6:49 pm

Thanks, Larry, for the movie suggestions. I will definitely check them out. Though science is not my field, I have always been fascinated by the how and why of things. I like what you said … “God works in tandem with the laws of the universe he created so miracles are often just realizations of what is possible in the universe with God’s life and grace energizing it” … I think that is so true. Too often God gets compartmentalized out of human experience. We think a miracle has to be something opposed to the laws of science or something that is unreal or supernatural. But God communicates to us in our language and in our contexts .. otherwise how’d we know? Anywho, thanks for reading and I always enjoy learning about new (at least new to me) movies and ponderings the workings of the universe.

Sister Julie August 31, 2006 at 7:05 pm

Hi Lisa … I’ve visited your blog and a few of your fellow Sisterbloggers … I enjoy the variety of experiences that women have of being a nun or of being in discernment.

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