Charismatic Christianity

Charismatic Christianity is a Christian doctrine that maintains that modern-day believers experience miracles, prophecy, speaking in tongues, and other spiritual gifts as described in 1Corinthians 12-14 of the Bible. The term "charismatic" derives from the Greek word χάρισμα ("gift," itself derived from χάρις, "grace" or "favor") which is the term used in the aforementioned passage.

"Charismatic Christian" and "renewalist" also can be used as umbrella terms to describe those modern Christians who are in agreement with this theological position, and believe that the manifestations of the Holy Spirit seen in the 1st century Christian Church are available to contemporary Christians and may be experienced and practised today. Charismatic Christians include Pentecostals, neocharismatics, and members of the charismatic movement.

As of 2006^[update], Pentecostals and charismatic Christians numbered at least 500 million, a quarter of the world's 2 billion Christians.^[1] This means that charismatics are the second largest branch of Christianity after the Roman Catholic Church (though the 120 million Catholic Charismatics do not consider themselves separate from Roman Catholicism).^[2]

Modern movements that are charismatic

The term "charismatic" represents a theological position that a number of modern movements share.

Pentecostals

Main article: Pentecostalism

Pentecostalism emerged out of the Azusa Street Revival that started in 1906, with a clear emphasis on the use of spiritual gifts. Many Pentecostal denominations believe that it is necessary to speak in tongues as "initial evidence" for Baptism in the Holy Spirit to occur. A similar emphasis on the gift of healing can also be found amongst Pentecostals.

Charismatic movement

Main article: Charismatic Movement

See also: Catholic Charismatic Renewal

Beliefs similar to Pentecostalism emerged in the historic Protestant denominations from 1960 onwards, and in the Catholic Church from 1967. The Charismatic Movement is defined as those who use spiritual gifts but remain part of a mainline church.

Neo-charismatics

Main article: Neo-charismatic churches

New churches and denominations emerged alongside the Charismatic Movement from the late 1950s onwards. Many of these were concerned not only for the use of spiritual gifts, but also the restoration of the church. Being neither Pentecostal nor part of the Charismatic Movement, they are termed neo-Charismatic. Examples of this include the Vineyard Movement in the US (and elsewhere) and the British New Church Movement.

Charismatics in the USA

Charismatic Christianity has grown in the last decade. As of 2008, according to Barna surveys, one out of every four Protestant churches in the United States (23%) is a charismatic congregation. A slight majority of all "born-again" Christians (51%) are charismatic. Nearly half of all adults who attend a Protestant church (46%) are charismatic.^[3]

Several interdenominational organisations, like Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship International (FGBMFI), Aglow and several others, may also be considered charismatic.

See also

• Glossolalia
• Direct revelation
• Continuationism
• Renewal theologian
• Cessationism - the opposite of Charismatics (and Pentecostals for that matter)
• Cessationism versus Continuationism
• Pentecostal - related to, but different from, Charismatics

References

1. ^ The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (October 2006), Spirit and Power: A 10-Country Survey of Pentecostals. Accessed March 19, 2011.
2. ^ David Barrett, "Christian World Communions: Five Overviews of Global Christianity, AD 1800-2025," International Bulletin of Missionary Research, Volume 33, No. 1, January 2009, 31.
3. ^ Barna Group, "Is American Christianity Turning Charismatic?" Accessed 29 January 2008.

Further reading

Encyclopedic:

• Burgess, Stanley M., ed. and Eduard M. van der Maas, assoc. ed., The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, revised and expanded edition (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2002); publisher's page
• Burgess, Stanley M., ed. Encyclopedia of Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity (Routledge, 2006); publisher's page

Supportive:

• Deere, Jack. Surprised by the Power of the Spirit
• Grudem, Wayne. The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today
• Maria Stethatos. The Voice of a Priest Crying in the Wilderness

Critical:

• MacArthur, John. Charismatic Chaos
• Hanegraaff, Hank. Counterfeit Revival
• Gardiner, George E. Corinthian Catastrophe
• Warfield, B. B. Counterfeit Miracles
• Gaffin, Richard B. Perspectives on Pentecost
• O. Palmer Robertson Final Word A response to Wayne Grudem
• Michael De Semlyen All Roads Lead To Rome Dorchester House Publications (March 1993)
• Davis, R., True to His Ways: Purity & Safety in Christian Spiritual Practice (ACW Press, Ozark, AL, 2006), ISBN 1932124616.

Neutral:

• Grudem, Wayne (editor). Are Miraculous Gifts for Today?

Literature:

• Coelho, Paulo. By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept

External links

Academic study:

• The European Research Network on Global Pentecostalism (GloPent) is an initiative by three leading European Universities in Pentecostal studies networking academic research on Pentecostal and Charismatic movements.
• PentecoStudies: Online Journal for the Interdisciplinary Study of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements published under the auspices of GloPent