Neurotheology – Part 1

In the past, the study of parapsychology has looked at the reality or otherwise of so called supernatural phenomenon. With advances in medical imaging and neurology it is now possible to look, not at the reality of the supernatural, but at the brain activity associated with supernatural and religious activity.

The study of religious activity from a neurological view has been dubbed Neurotheology. In reality it is still neurology, but the name is attractive and will no doubt grow in use. This is still at the early stages of development as a field of study, but it shows that we should not assume things cannot be studied scientifically just because it has not been possible in the past.

Some patterns are already starting to emerge in the area of Neurotheology. Two areas of brain activity have been studied. The temporal lobe and the parietal lobes. It has been found that people with temporal lobe epilepsy can have, as a side effect of the epilepsy, religious visions. When electromagnetic fields are applied to this area of the brain, there are individual differences, but a common experience is the feeling of a presence. This offers the possibility of testing areas known for ghost activity, to check whether specific spaces have certain characteristics which affect the brain and give the sense of a presence. There is also anecdotal evidence that higher than normal levels of electromagnetic activity in the atmosphere causes increased ghost sightings.

Ghost sightings and religious visions are culturally specific. A Christian will have a christian vision, a Muslim will have a muslim vision. An Atheist will betray his upbringing by the nature of his visions, regardless of whether he believes them to be genuine or not.