Wired For God?: The biology of spiritual experience

by Charles Foster

Human religious experiences are remarkably uniform; many can be pharmacologically induced. Recent research into the neurology of religious experience has shown that, when worshipping or praying, a certain part of the brain, apparently dormant during other activities, becomes active. What does all this mean for those of faith and those with none? In this fascinating book barrister Charles Foster takes a survey of the evidence -- from shamans to medieval mystics, to out-of-body experiences and epilepsy, via Jerusalem and middle-class Christianity -- and assesses its significance. Written in short, accessible chapters, this is a fascinating tour of religious and mystical experiences and their relation to human physiology.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Science, Philosophy, Spirituality, Religion

352 pages, Paperback

First published April 15, 2010

About the author

Charles Foster is a Fellow of Green Templeton College at the University of Oxford. He is a qualified veterinarian, teaches medical law and ethics, and is a practicing barrister. Much of his life has been spent on expeditions: he has run a 150-mile race in the Sahara, skied to the North Pole, and suffered injuries in many desolate and beautiful landscapes. He has written on travel, evolutionary biology, natural history, anthropology, and philosophy.

Reviews

[Steve Irby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished "Wired for God: The Biology of Spiritual Experience," by Charled Foster.

This is a bit of easy reading...I think, based on the neurological science of what happens during--roughly--a "Spiritual Experience." He opens and has a chapter dealing with the neurological language. He writes in an inviting rather than stuffy academic way.

This is the tension that we keep: is speaking about how experience can't shoehorn God out [of the sphere of the hemispheres of the brain] they can't shoehorn Him in either. One comes to theology for answers and stays for the tension.

Practitioners of meditation (Buddhist or Roman Nun) have a thalamus that is over grown just as biceps regularly worked in the gym would be. Foster says what if the Nun and Buddhist are the norm and we are atypical? Also, Spiritual Experience is predetermined by what the individual brings to the table.

While covering epilepsy and Spiritual Experience he makes it sound like a neuro-compromisd walk through the park named Mystical. I don't know what kind of seizures he is familiar with but I'd rather not have another and my scared tongue agrees. Though to know it's known as the sacred disease is comforting. I'm sure that will come to me when I'm laying inaudible, covered in crusty blood just before I have to surrender my driver's license once more to the man.

His comparison of prayer and hypnotism was interesting. This was not a cut and personally I believe it holds water especially after worship. I think God made us in a way that corresponds to how He wants to interact with us so the comparison doesn't diminish God's activity among His creatures.

Just as a taste, the chapter on drug use and out of body/near death experiences were very good. Drugs ended up appearing to have more clout for spiritual experience than I had thought (peyote etc) and near death experiences less so because ketamine replicates NDEs, though I'll keep them on the table.

High spot:
He wrote of an experiment conducted on Pentecostal tongue speakers while having MRI scans. The finding was that when they conversed or spoke English the language centers of their brain were firing but when they spoke in tongues they weren't. The reaction was like language had to getbout of the way for something greater.

#WiredForGod #SpiritualExperience #CharlesFoster

[Ardy Pangihutan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typical pop psyche books, kinda boring in the mid part but thanks to witty jokes and some relatable references (for me personallt) it makes the book fun to read

[James Rhodes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well balanced and meticulously researched reflection on the causes of religious experience and the numerous possible elements behind spiritual ecstasy ranging from schizophrenia and narcotic use to the biological structure of the human mind, the need for art and the effect of music. Along the way there are many interesting asides into anthropology and alternative theories of Christian scripture (my favourite being that Christ was a slang name for the amanita mushroom and only the first apostles were in on the gag). Foster is very often on the mark with his humour, although some of his swipes at Dawkins are a touch distracting and overall this book provides a great source of both fascinating material and entertaining prose.

[Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating, entertaining, and accessible tour of religious experiences. An excellent introduction to the scientific analyzation of the biological processes happening during the many ways people claim to have experienced the divine.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating read that mostly concludes there's a lot we don't know! Easy and engaging to read and author has a real sense of humour. Spiritual experience is indeed a mystery.