Some Down to Earth Thoughts on Levitation

This is weird. A friend told me of a report concerning a claim by a Scottish Charismatic that he has levitated. Certainly not a claim we come across every week.

The report, like Chinese whispers, may have grown in the telling and become somewhat exaggerated in the process of transmission from individual to individual. Perhaps the leader in question may have innocently said, after a particularly fine prayer meeting, “I feel quite high…” This in turn became “I floated quite high.” Who knows!

Anyway, let us assume that the transmission was more or less accurate and that there was an actual claim to levitation. Can Presbyterians levitate? Is this of the esse of being Presbyterian, or merely of the bene esse?

There are three possibilities:

·        He did not levitate.

·        He did levitate.

·        He seriously believed that he had levitated.

The first possibility suggests that it did not really happen, but, for whatever reason, was simply made up. Although I doubt the wisdom of Presbyterian Charismatics (they are charismatic), I would not necessarily assume that they are frauds and liars (they are presbyterian). Personally I do not believe in levitation, whether Catholic, Charismatic, Hindu or Buddhist.  There are certain scientific conditions under which levitation can occur, involving electo-magnetic repulsion. I know of no solid, controlled scientific experiments confirming levitation through prayer or meditation.  We will, however, assume that this particular report is not based on a deliberate lie.

The second possibility is that it did happen. I for one would take some convincing – scientific verification under controlled conditions. But let us assume for the moment that it did happen; what is the evidential value of such an event? Miracles, (events contrary to the normal rules of nature), do not of themselves necessarily carry evidential power. If God can perform miracles, so can the Devil. “Lying wonders” are a possibility – “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false…” (2 Thess 5:9)  Therefore if a charismatic levitates and a Hindu yogi levitates, whose truth system triumphs?

The third possibility is self-deception, or even Satanic deception. It did not happen but the individual genuinely believes it did.

I have often levitated. Unfortunately, (or fortunately), this has only been in my dreams! I once had a minor surgical procedure that involved anaesthesia and this produced what I might call body-mind disassociation.  I also understand that certain hallucinogenic drugs can produce a similar effect. Hyperventilation may also produce light-headedness and feelings of “floating”. Altered states of consciousness, as sought by mystics and gurus , may also disassociate the mind from the body and produce feelings akin to levitation.

But let us return to the second possibility and assume again that this did happen – that this individual physically rose from the ground and floated. Let us assume, as claimed by some charismatics, that this experience is a demonstration of a spiritual gift, directly empowered by the Holy Spirit. What purpose would there be in this “gift”?

As one of my fellow elders rightly pointed out, spiritual gifts are given for the building up of the church and the sanctifying of the saints, given “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ" (Eph 4)  How does it help the grieving widow, the parent with a terminally ill child, the young person struggling with sexual temptation, for the minister to announce, "Take heart; I have the gift of levitation." Does his levitation build up the body of Christ? 

This self-indulgent quest for spectacular gifts has nothing to do with ministering to the needs of the flock of Christ.  “Look at me – I can levitate!” is the opposite of “Look to Christ, he can lift you up out of the miry pit.” The quest for illegitimate religious experience is contrary to biblical faith and Reformed piety.

The good news is that I can say with a measure of confidence that the Free Church of Scotland has no levitating ministers or whirling Calvinistic dervishes. We prefer the quiet, powerful, expository preaching of the Word of God, which can truly minister to the saints in need. 

Next week – how to turn amalgam fillings into gold fillings; compatible with the Westminster Confession of Faith?