Debate on Pentecostalism

The following is a perspective on use of the Spiritual gifts worked out together with students in Ethiopia, and represents as such a learning from Ethiopia of a person from Denmark:

THE USE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Question and thesis 1
Question 1: How do we get authority to use spiritual gifts?

Thesis 1: The primary work of the HOLY SPIRIT is to infuse the true love of God into the hearth.
Consequences of thesis 1:

a.Either: HOLY SPIRIT gives the hearth a new direction so that good works are done out of free will and not because of fear of judgement;

b.Or: the infusion of love in the hearth leads a person to an understanding of sin and right-eousness.

Ad. 1a Infusion of love in the hearth is according to St. Augustine the source of the new life, and as such it is also in this infusion that is found the source of experiences with the HOLY SPIRIT, and the very transformation from old to new that the HOLY SPIRIT brings about.

§Problematic turn
The teaching of Augustine is often taken to mean that the HOLY SPIRIT creates love to God in man and thus generates an inherent spiritual authority in man. Man gets authority by the work of the HOLY SPIRIT.

First this position of man having spiritual authority in him/her-self looks much like a traditional spiritual worldview, where some specially gifted persons have received powers from the ’other’ world, the world of spirits. It is a position of power in rela-tion to the other members of the society.

Second this position is reflected in some NT-writings, most clearly expressed in the letters of John. Here John and the community he is writing to is confronted with some super-charismatic persons, that seems to have received secret messages about Christ and about sin:
-About Christ: the spiritual person claims to know that the true nature of Christ is spiritual. Against this St. John state: Christ is divine and the evidence is that we can become children of God.
-About sin: the super-charismatic person in the Johannine community claims that it is possible to quit the sinful life. To this claim St. John first agrees: The HOLY SPIRIT is not only leading towards a future new life: it is this new life itself (1.Jh.5:11-12a). But if sin is not found to be a matter of interest any more, be-cause the new spiritual life has made it a matter of the bodily existence, then John states: you lie! You are deceived, 1.Jh.1:8.

The Teaching of St. Augustine
The positive aspects of the position of St. Augustine:
-that experiences with the HOLY SPIRIT is necessary;
-that growth in the new life is possible;
-spiritual authority is not a position of power, where a person has power over the HOLY SPIRIT or over sin, but spiritual authority has to do with experiences with the new life;
-experience with the new life and growth in faith  do not exclude sin but fight against it.

Ad.1bThe other consequence of the infusion of love in the hearth was described as an emphasis on the consciousness of sin and righteousness.
In this understanding the HOLY SPIRIT is still seen as the sphere of life, as we have learned from the first letter of John, but instead of emphasizing experience and growth of life, this po-sition emphasizes that the newness of the life in the HOLY SPIRIT has to do with a new view of human nature. An emblematic example is provided by St Peter: ’Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man’, Lk.5:8.
If the first position was attributed to St. Augustine this second may be said to be the position of Martin Luther.

§Problematic turn
While the position of St. Augustine entailed the danger of ’perfectionism’/ theory about sinlessness, the position of Luther face the problem of ’I miserable sinful man – Christianity’. The problem with this kind of Christianity is that the new life with Christ becomes empty.

The Teaching of M. Luther
The core-text is Rom.8:26 that makes it evident that the experience of sin is relevant, although it does not exclude experience of the new life. Primarily this means that even in our deepest consciousness of sin – put to trial by the presence of the HOLY SPIRIT – it is not I myself that seeks refuge in Christ, but it is the HOLY SPIRIT that ’groans’. The ’I’ cannot even ‘ex-press’ this ’groaning’, and even less control it. Secondarily it should be observed that the very first sign of the new life is the Spirit groaning.
Assessment of question and thesis 1

When we ask about authority to use the spiritual gifts there are two dimensions, one of experi-ence and one of groaning.
1.Experience: It is possible and necessary to have experience with the new life and it gives a certain spiritual authority to have these experiences.
2.Groaning: Two things must be kept in mind when we talk about spiritual authority in rela-tion to experience:
a. that the primary experience is a groaning and not a victory, and
b. that the experience cannot be controlled and recalled on demand. The Spirit is
working freely ’when’ and ’in whom’ he wills.

Question and thesis 2
Question 2:How do we evaluate the use of spiritual gifts?
Thesis 2: The HOLY SPIRIT is always oriented toward Christ and is bound to specific means.

In the Holy Scripture a number of tools are offered for evaluations of spiritual gifts. How do we use them today?
1.Note if the use of the spiritual gifts are centered around Christ.
2.The spiritual powers are exerted through weakness. The overall orientation of the HOLY SPIRIT towards Christ has the consequence that the new life in the Spirit and the use of the spiritual gifts share the characteristics of Christ’s own life: death and resurrection; weakness and power.
3.Finally the tradition of the church has been concerned with the means of the HOLY SPIRIT and that is important too in the evaluation of the spiritual gifts. The means is the Word and the Sacraments.
NB. the  relation between Spirit and Word implies that a message from God or a use of the spiritual gift should cohere with Scripture.

Conclusion
The authority we are looking for in the use of the spiritual gifts is an authority derived from the HOLY SPIRIT and the Scripture. Gal.1:8
The use of the spiritual gifts is closely connected to the use of the Scripture, and just as much as the use of the use of the Scripture demands discernment, discernment is needed with regard to spiritual gifts.

The main article for the special issue of Ny Mission on Pentecostalism is written by an expert on the topic, a Pentecostal theologian and missiologist, Allan Anderson, from the University of Birmingham.

Allan Anderson concludes his article in the following way:

“But by and large, Pentecostals throughout the world proclaim a pragmatic gospel and seek to address practical needs like sickness, poverty, unemployment, loneliness, evil spirits and sorcery. In varying degrees, Pentecostals in their many and varied forms, and precisely because of their inherent flexibility, attain a contextual character which enables them to offer answers to some of the fundamental questions asked by people. A sympathetic approach to local life and culture and the retention of certain indigenous religious practices are undoubtedly major reasons for their attraction, especially for those overwhelmed by urbanization with its transition from a personal rural society to an impersonal urban one.

At the same time, these Pentecostals confront old views by declaring what they are convinced is a more powerful protection against sorcery and a more effective healing from sickness than either the existing churches or the traditional rituals had offered. Healing, guidance, protection from evil, and success and prosperity are some of the practical benefits offered to faithful members of Pentecostal and Charismatic churches. All this does not say that Pentecostals provide all the right answers, a pattern to be emulated in all respects, nor to say that they have nothing to learn from other Christians. But the enormous and unparalleled contribution made by Pentecostals independently has altered the face of world Christianity irrevocably and has enriched the universal church in its ongoing task of proclaiming the gospel of Christ by proclamation and demonstration.”

To read all the article, click here.

Please, go back and write your commets here below!

In July 2008 the Lutheran World Federation organised a seminary in Soweto, South Africa under the title  “Critical Lutheran Beliefs and Practices in Relation to Neo-Pentecostalism”. Most of the participants were theologians and pastors from Africa, a few from Europ and South and North America. The main contributions from the seminar have been published in a book edited by Karen L. Bloomquist, ed., ”Lutherans Respond to Pentecostalism.” (On behalf of the Lutheran World Federation – A Communion of Churches. Minneapolis, Minnesota; Lutheran University Press. 2008.)

The last chapter of the the book, “Responding as Lutheran Churches to Pentecostal Influences Today” , summaries the conclusions of the seminar. Some of the the conclusions are critical towards Pentecostalism, others are selfcritical towards the Lutheran tradition in light of Pentecostalism.

Here Lutherans recognise that Lutherans have something to learn form Pentecostal churches, at the same time as the same Lutherans raise critical questions to aspects of Pentecostal teachings and practices. Below we reprint the 22 points that summariese the perspectives of the seminar on Pentecostalism.

The readers of this blog are hereby invited to participate in a debat on Pentecostalism, its theology and practice, its strong points and weak points.

Write your comments on these 22 points and to the other articles and contributions that will be published on this blog. Write on your experiences and reflections.

Mogens S. Mogensen

Editor of ”Ny Mssion”
and webmastor of this blog

SOME THEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS

We appreciate and can learn from the vitality and some of the practices of the Pentecostal churches. At the same time, we must raise some theological questions about what is being taught and practiced by some of these churches, and what this implies for us as Lutherans. For example:

1. In Pentecostal churches, is there an overemphasis on personal, immediate spiritual experience to the neglect of critical theological reflection, that is, faith seeking understanding? While theology is important for communicating the faith meaningfully to people today, have Lutherans sometimes overly emphasized theology and undervalued spiritual experiences?

2. Is there too much focus on ecstatic “spiritual highs” to the neglect of the many less dramatic ways in which the Spirit is continually enlivening, sustaining and empowering human beings, communities and the rest of creation?

3. How active the Spirit is in a church is sometimes measured by a dramatic increase in membership, but is the Spirit necessarily less active when this is not the case? The Spirit is also active in forming structures that can sustain churches over the long term.

4. We receive God’s Spirit through the Word and sacraments. Have the life transforming and healing powers of baptism and Holy Communion been overlooked?

5. Is the Holy Spirit emphasized to the neglect of the other ways in which the Triune God is active in our lives and in the rest of creation? Do Pentecostals have a sufficiently triune understanding of who God is and the different ways in which God acts in the world?

6. The heart of the gospel, God’s undeserved gift of grace, is, for example, compromised by implying that blessings of prosperity or healing will come to people because of their faith, prayers or works.

8. Does concentrating on whether individuals are saved or blessed limit the scope of how God is involved in our lives and world? Where is the prophetic critique and call to transform social, economic, political and environmental injustices?

9. While the Bible is the privileged witness to God’s Word, it must not itself be deified. We must question tendencies to read the Bible in literalistic ways, or apart from its wider context, or in ways that deny rather than affirm life for all today. A Christological hermeneutic is central for Lutherans. The Spirit is present as we read and interpret the Bible in community with one another, thereby counterbalancing our own subjective readings.

10. Central for Lutherans is the cross, transforming our present experiences of suffering and death. In some Pentecostal churches, a theology of glory seems to overshadow a theology of the cross; Easter is emphasized to the neglect of Good Friday. Some Lutherans, on the other hand, may overly emphasize the cross instead of the new life and joyful exuberance of the resurrection.

11. Some Pentecostals seem to focus primarily on life after death, whereas others focus too much on material prosperity and success in this world. How can material well-being and eschatological hope be kept in tension with each other, such as through the Lutheran paradox of being both “in but not of this world”?

12. Is there sufficient appreciation of how both the sacred/holy and the secular/profane are arenas in which God is active, or does the sacred tend to “take over” all that is secular? How can a Lutheran “two governances” framework help?

13. What audience do neo-Pentecostals appeal to—the poor or the upwardly mobile—and what are they being offered? What does emphasizing that God provides material blessings say to those who continue struggling for their basic survival? On the other hand, what does a focus on the spiritual to the neglect of material needs imply about the scope of God’s concern?

14. Prosperity has to do with how resources are rightly distributed among all. If we do not prosper together there is no prosperity. Giving or sacrificing to God should not be done in order to prosper.

15. Being blessed by God should not be measured by what people “have.” A person’s health and wealth should not be seen as indications of a right relationship with God. On the other hand, poverty must not be glorified. When people move up, they sometimes move out of the Lutheran church; how do we relate to those who are prospering?

16. Placing too much emphasis on healing through prayer and the laying on of hands, and trusting in God alone to heal, can lead to the danger of no longer seeking medical care and treatment. As Lutherans, we disagree with this. On the other hand, if churches only provide medical care without addressing people’s spiritual needs they become only secular NGOs. The healing power of both God and medicine are needed.

17. If exorcism is to be practiced, then criteria, guidelines and training are needed. There is a great danger of exorcism being misused. A focus on casting out demons can avoid going to the root of the problem. Dialogue beforehand with the person affected, along with careful discernment and psychological assessment, are necessary. Further, the demonic may be present not only in persons but also in oppressive social, economic and political realities. How can these be exorcised?

18. Some assume that neo-Pentecostalism is popular in Africa because it draws upon African spirituality. On the contrary, it typically rejects indigenous cultural beliefs and practices. Instead, its popularity may be due to a globalized “Americanization.” Neo-colonizing, homogenizing forces are at work here, including in the kind of worship and songs commonly used.

19. Do some leaders of Pentecostal churches reflect roles previously played by religious shamans or political rulers? Are some Pentecostal leaders too self-absorbed and focused on building their own “kingdoms” in competition with other churches, to the neglect of being ecumenically involved? Is this also the case for some Lutherans?

Lutherans especially need to give further attention to the following:

20. To relate theology to people’s daily life challenges: many of Luther’s writings addressed the challenges of his day; we need to do the same today.

21. To understand and appreciate the whole scope of how the Holy Spirit is active: the Spirit is active in our lives, in how we relate to one another in church and society and throughout creation. The Spirit may use us, for example, to speak the truth even at great risk. Renewal movements, where the power of God’s Spirit has been especially evident, have often emerged in times of economic turmoil and political persecution.

22. To explore more deeply the meaning of sanctification: the Holy Spirit makes us “good”–we are not so on our own. The Holy Spirit empowers us to forgive and to do good, even to our enemies. But is sanctification totally the work of God in us, or is there a sense in which we participate with God? Might this be understood as God cracking open our self-centeredness and turning us toward others, so that we participate in God who is love?

(Source: Karen L. Bloomquist, ed., Lutherans Respond to Pentecostalism. On behalf of the Lutheran World Federation – A Communion of Churches. Minneapolis, Minnesota; Lutheran University Press. 2008 s.  150-153).

The Study Committee under the Danish Mission Council has decided to focus on Pentecostalism by publishing an issue of ” Ny Mission ” on this topic in 2010. While we may not that the center of gravity of Christianity moves South, Pentecostal churches at the same time the fastest growing churches globally. A main theme will therefore be the question about the force of attraction of Pentecostalism. What are the causes and consequences of the the growth of Pentecostalism? Pentecostalism is not a static phenomenon, so the question is also, what is Pentecostalisme today, theologically, sociologically, missiologically etc. ?

We have asked some theologians and missiologists, pastors and misionaries to write articles about Pentecostalism, and as soon as they are ready they will be pre-published here, together with other relevant articles and links, so that they may stimulate the debate. We hope to include some of the contributions to this debate in the issue of Ny Mission to be published in September 2010.

The blog was originally in Danish, but since we recognise that Pentecostalism is a global phenomena and we would like to have contributions from other parts of the world, we have changed the language from Danish to English.

Mogens S. Mogensen

Editor of ”Ny Mission”
and chairman of the study committee under the Danish Mission Council