Charisms And Charismatic Renewal

The rapid growth of the charismatic renewal in the Catholic Church has brought with it both controversy and confusion, and it has raised a number of important theological questions. Is it an authentic renewal movement? Exactly what is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? How should we understand the gift of tongues? What is prophecy? Does God really heal by supernatural means? One by one, Francis Sullivan takes up these controversial points in one of the most thorough theological investigations yet undertaken into the Catholic charismatic renewal. 'Charisms and Charismatic Renewal' is a scholarly analysis of this dynamic renewal movement for those who want to know more about its history, its theological and scriptural bases, its present impact on the church, and its probable future course.

The Holy Spirit is the secret to the Church's growth and vitality—her "fountain of youth"! The Spirit is constantly renewing the Church, and the current age is no exception. In this book, theologian and author Dr. Alan Schreck writes a historical appreciation of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, now celebrating its fiftieth year—a renewal that has touched millions of Catholics throughout the world. Tracing the origins of the Renewal, Schreck outlines its characteristics, how it spread, what is meant by the baptism in the Holy Spirit, the charisms that are associated with it, and the communities that grew out of it. This book is for those who were involved in the Renewal and for those who want to know how the Spirit has moved so mightily in our own time and age.

Charism is a hot contemporary issue. The growing interest in the charisms is one of the significant religious developments of our time. Opinions on charisms vary to a remarkable degree. Unfortunately, in some cases, diverse viewpoints have led to confusion among Christians. On the positive side though, this developing interest in charisms has contributed to spiritual renewal and stimulated biblical research in this most important area of the Church's life. The exponential growth of the Charismatic/Pentecostal Movement throughout the world and especially in Africa urged led to choice of this topic on charisms. In the Charismatic/Pentecostal Movements the issue of charisms is very vital and extremely important. It is at the centre of its spirituality and practice. This Movement has spread to almost all major Christian confessions/denominations and continues to attract many followers. This work is unique among the many studies written on the charisms. Even though the subject of charisms has received some scholarly attention, most have not delved into the role of the charisms in the Church from Pauline perspective as this study does. The following observations and reasons demonstrate that it is still meaningful and worthwhile to study charisms in Pauline letters.

Since Comte, social scientists have tended to assume that mod苟rnization, along with a trièµ´mphant scientific rationality, has destroyed the legitimacy of religion as a social reality. However, this crisis of legit虹macy has never been examined in a setting where religious real虹ty is affirmed. This book fills that gap, exploring the meaning of religious reality in the lives of a group of Catholic Charismatics to discover how belief is created, developed, and maintained. Charismatics, or Neo-Pentecostals, tend to be white, relaè² ively affluent, well educated, and believe that they possess certain gifts including the power of healing, prophesy, discernè¡«ent of evil spirits, and speak虹ng in tongues. In describing and analyzing this religious minority, the author provides a basis for reevaluating sociological as貞umptions about religion and modernity. She asks: to what exè² ent can religion define the so苞ial world? Are religious values necessarily irrelevant to most institutional contexts? Is re衍igious reality only persuasive in the context of family and priè¡«ary group relations? What are the tensions between religious realities and other beliefs? Her answers have implications for all ways of making sense of the world, including common sense or science. Neitz situates the Charismatic Renewal in a broader social and historical context. She examines the antecedents of Neo-Pentecostalism in American culture and compares this movement with the secular, self-awareness movement. In so doing she shows what is unique about the Charismatics, and what they share with religious prede苞essors and members of contem計orary secular movements.

Retrieving Charisms For The Twenty-First Century