The Charismatic Movement

by G. Prasher, Manchester, England | Category: Background Glimpses 1888-1988 | Dec 1988

The charismatic movement has been one of the most sensational religious trends during the past hundred years. Many different groups have been involved, but they have in common the claim to recovery of certain supernatural spiritual gifts which were experienced by believers in apostolic times. These gifts are described as "charismata" or "charismatic gifts" because the Greek word charisma is translated as "gift" in the English

Historical Perspectives

In this centenary year of Needed Truth it is most interesting to be reminded that it was just about a hundred years ago when charismatic experiences suddenly emerged on a large scale in the United States. It was the start of a movement which has featured prominently in the religious world ever since.

The movement grew rapidly and soon led to the establishment of various "Pentecostal" church groups, all claiming supernatural gifts of the Spirit. During the first half of this century "Pentecostal" churches were established in many other countries. The "charismata" were claimed almost exclusively by members of these well defined groups, with their distinctive doctrines of the Holy Spirit. These teachings were unacceptable to the traditional churches, such as Roman Catholic or Anglican; also to the main evangelical groups, including such organizations as the Keswick Convention.

It was during the 1960s that a new charismatic development began to manifest itself. Whereas in the first half of the century the claims to charismata were mainly identified with the Pentecostal denominations, the 1960s saw an overflow of the charismatic experience to many other groups. Nor was this limited to evangelical churches. It spread to traditionally conservative denominations such as the Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, Presbyterian and the like.

It has been a marked feature of this "neo-Pentecostal" development that participants are encouraged to stay with their own church. Differences of doctrine are not thought to be important. Indeed, the movement has been described as "the third force in the Body of Christ", implying that true Christian unity is achieved by sharing charismatic experiences, regardless of

widely different doctrines and practices in the various churches to which people belong.

Analyses of Charismatic Movements - 1924 & 1984

In the earlier days of this century, Sir Robert Anderson1 was concerned to examine its claims. His assessment included the following:

"A Christian is not one who has certain feelings or experiences, nor even one who believes in the Holy Spirit; he is a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. And it is the Word of the truth of the Gospel which brings us the knowledge of Christ ... God's Word written is our only cable. The special gift which is the boast of this 'revival' is that of tongues. And the more closely we study the movement in the light of Scripture, the more our surprise will deepen. Its physical phenomena are well fitted to excite distrust... But this is only the fringe of the subject; the movement must be tested and judged in the light of 1 Corinthians chapter 14. And the following points are definite and clear.

First, spiritual gifts were 'distributed', and the gift of tongues was bestowed only upon some of the saints, not on all.

Secondly, the gift of tongues was inferior to other gifts, both in dignity and in practical value.

This at once refutes the 'theology' of the movement, which represents the gift of tongues as the hall-mark of the Holy Spirit's baptism, and as raising those who possess it to a position of peculiar privilege and glory ... The theology of this 'gift of tongues' movement displays ignorance and perversion of Scripture... It subordinates the great truths of Christian revelation to the subjective experiences of Christian life. But more than this, in its teaching about the Holy Spirit it subordinates what was primary and essential in Pentecost to what was incidental and altogether secondary".

Significantly, a quite recent publication by a respected evangelical writer2 - "still maintains reservations about the present day charismatic movement. In an eminently fair-minded treatment of his subject he gives full credit for the enthusiastic spiritual service, boldness in witness and sacrificial giving which often characterize the movement. Nevertheless: "The movement's intellectual and devotional preoccupation with the Holy Spirit tends to separate Him from the Son whom He was sent to glorify and the Father to whom the Son brings us. The result too often is a concentrated quest for intense experiences, emotional highs, supernatural communications, novel insights

not closely linked with the objectivities of faith and hope in Christ and the disciplines of keeping the Father's law. The charismatic's passion for physical and mental euphoria (health in the sense of feeling good and functioning well) reflects a strong faith in the supernatural but feeble grasp of the moral realities of redemption ... and of the spiritual values that belong to hard thought, frustrated endeavor, pain accepted, loss adjusted to, and steady faithfulness in life's more humdrum routines".

As to the "Sign Gifts", this writer comments:

"The restorationist theory of sign gifts, which the charismatic movement has inherited from older Pentecostalism, is inapplicable; nobody can be sure, nor does it seem likely that the New Testament gift of tongues, interpretation, healing and miracles has been restored".

From time to time the claims of Pentecostal and other charismatic movements have been carefully considered by the churches of God which publish this magazine. Various articles have dealt with the doctrinal issues involved3. The weighty reservations expressed by Sir Robert Anderson earlier in the century and by J.I. Packer in the present decade have been consistently endorsed.

At the same time it has been emphasized in this magazine that there

may be a clear mental grasp of the "healthful teaching" with very little evidence of the Holy Spirit's power in Christian living and witness. Some Christians who are precise in understanding doctrine may fail to express that fulness of love, joy and peace so characteristic of the Spirit's fulness. Many have been attracted to the charismatic movements by the infectious enthusiasm, the bright and energetic activities and strong fervour which are usually found within it. This presents a formidable challenge to disciples who are rooted and grounded in the truths of the Faith once for all delivered to the saints. Mere head knowledge and formal obedience to the Lord's word are incomplete without daily heart communion with Him. Enthusiasm based on wrong doctrinal premises should be outmatched by the joy of the Lord in the lives of disciples whose spiritual bearings are soundly related to New Testament teaching.

Notes:

1. Author of "The Gospel & Its Ministry" and other well known Christian classics.

2. "Keep in step with the Spirit" by J. I. Packer, author of "Knowing God".

3. Needed Truth Vol. 59 (1952) - series on Miracles & Miraculous Gifts

Needed Truth Vol. 73 (1966) - pages 59, 68, 168: on "Neo-Pentecostalism".

Needed Truth Vol. 84 (1977) - pages 132, 148: on Spiritual Gifts (1 Cor. 12-14).

Needed Truth Vol. 88 (1981) - page 162: on The Charismatic Movement.

G. Prasher, Manchester, England | Dec 1988
Background Glimpses 1888-1988