What a beautiful name it is: A theological & practical comparison of glossolalia and the Jesus Prayer

This paper critically compares the Jesus Prayer as it is practised in Eastern Orthodoxy with devotional glossolalia as it is practised in the Pentecostal/charismatic movement. It is argued that, while there are clear differences between them, the two forms of prayer nevertheless display extensive commonality. This overlap is explicable on the basis that glossolalia is a form of apophatic prayer as it is understood by Orthodox theologians, and of which the Jesus Prayer is a paradigmatic example. Finally, the missional implications of this argument are explored with a focus on pastoral leadership and pastoral care in the Pentecostal/Charismatic tradition. Particular attention is given to the development of the practice of praying in tongues and the pastoral care of non-glossolalics and introverts.