The Charismatic Renewal Among Lutherans

"A Crossroad book." Bibliography: p. 187-195. Includes index.

This book is based on an international study process among Lutheran church leaders and theologians committed to charismatic renewal in the Lutheran Church. The book is evangelical, charismatic, and Lutheran in its outlook and may serve as a textbook for pastors and Christian leaders providing both dependable information and spiritual inspiration.

In just over a century, Pentecostalism has rocketed from its humble beginnings in an interracial congregation on Azusa Street in Los Angeles to a global movement counting more than six hundred million members. Confronted with the bewildering array of Pentecostal, Charismatic, and Neocharismatic beliefs and practices, Lutherans are often at a loss as to how to think about Pentecostals, much less how to engage them in positive ways that build up the whole body of Christ. In this guide, Lutherans will find tools for just such an engagement. Building on a foundation of Pentecostalism's history and varieties, Wilson undertakes an in-depth survey of biblical teaching on baptism, the Holy Spirit, and spiritual gifts. The guide then brings innovative new lenses to bear on the questions at stake: the use of church history in defending denominational borders, right and wrong approaches to prosperity, the power of the Spirit and corruptions of power, and the role of experience in theological discernment. Written in a style accessible to laity and clergy alike, this guide will strengthen Lutherans' appreciation of their own tradition while enabling them to encounter Pentecostals as fellow believers in the salvation given by the triune God.

I. Change and Movements in American Lutheranism American Lutherans Yesterday and Today Mark Noll The Curious Case of the Missouri Synod Mary Todd The Lutheran Left: From Movement to Church Commitment Maria Erling Word Alone and the Future of Lutheran Denominationalism Mark Granquist The Evangelical Catholics: Seeking Tradition and Unity in a Pluralistic Church Richard Cimino Goliaths in Our Midst: Megachurches in the ELCA Scott Thumma and Jim Petersen Lutheran Charismatics Renewal or Schism? Robert Longman II. Trends and Issues in American Lutheranism Pastors in the Two Kingdoms: The Social Theology of Lutheran Clergy Jeff Walz, Steve Montreal, and Dan Hofrenning North American Lutheranism and the New Ethnics Mark Granquist Multiculturalism and the Dilution of Lutheran Identity Alvin J. Schmidt Integrity and Fragmentation: Can the Lutheran Center Hold? Robert Benne Loose Bonds, Emerging Commitments: The Lives and Faith of Lutheran Youth Eugene C. Roehlkepartain.

Are apostles amongst us today? According to a growing section of the church, the answer is yes. This book investigates and appraises that idea seeking answers to the following questions in the context of the church in the USA and particularly Britain: Is there a robust scriptural justification for the charismatic apostolate (CA) that most charismatic groups are proclaiming? How widespread is this belief and why has it become more commonplace? What kind of apostles are being advocated by influential popular teachers? What does church history and tradition have to offer to this idea? Is there a way to endorse and embrace ecumenically the CA? Does the CA have a future in the universal church? These are important questions to answer for the sake of the church's mission and health.

The Orthodox Church has been characterized by some as “the best-kept secret in North America.” Making use of personal interviews and correspondence, magazine and news articles, and other publications, Timothy Cremeens weaves the story of a spiritual renewal movement that began in the United States in the early 1960s and rapidly spread around the globe touching millions of Roman Catholics and Protestants, what is today called the Charismatic Renewal Movement. In 2017, this Movement, celebrated its 50th Jubilee anniversary in the Roman Catholic Church. However, Cremeens presents here the never-before heard story of that Movement among the Orthodox Churches in North America. He recounts the history of this spiritual renewal movement through the first-hand accounts and eyewitnesses of Orthodox clergy and laity who testify to their life-changing encounters with the Holy Spirit.