Question 26 – What Does The Church Teach About The Charismatic Movement?

Transcript:

There is no direct or concrete teaching about the charismatic movement. Even after the Second Vatican Council, the Pope and the Council accepted and encouraged the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, particularly Pope John Paul II. However, we must approach this phenomenon from a broader perspective. The Church is not merely fifty years old; it is two thousand years old. We must remember that the Charismatic movement began roughly fifty or fifty-five years ago in the Catholic Church, and it has been a relatively short-lived phenomenon. Therefore, the approval of Pope John Paul II is not an automatic criterion for its authenticity. I say this with humility because even Popes can make prudential errors in approving various movements within the Church, which may later reveal some defects. Given its historical origins and influences from African-American Protestant communities in the United States at the turn of the twentieth century, we must approach this movement with objectivity.

It represents a completely new kind of Christian denomination. Prior to this, Christianity had two main wings: the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, which share a sacramental structure, an objective understanding of the priesthood and episcopacy, the sacraments, the veneration of saints, and concrete expressions of piety and devotion. The Protestant branch, which emerged from Martin Luther and other so-called reformers, represents a more subjective approach to Christianity, one without a sacramental foundation, the priesthood, or the veneration of Our Lady and the saints. Now, we have a third wing: the Charismatic movement, which, of course, has roots in Protestantism. It developed with a focus on subjectivity on personal experience and emotions becoming central in this new form of Christian denomination, or even religion. This subjectivity is dangerous because while feelings and emotions are valid and present in Catholic tradition, they should not be the center of our religion. In Catholicism and Orthodoxy, feelings play a secondary role, not a primary one. The danger of the Charismatic movement, whether Catholic or Protestant, is that it places undue emphasis on sentimental and emotional feelings, which leads to external displays of personal emotions. This goes against the teaching of our Lord, who said, "But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will repay you" (Mt. 6:6). The Charismatic movement, in contrast, encourages public displays of personal experiences and emotions, which can distort one's intentions.

Modesty plays an important role here, as it involves not only bodily shame but also spiritual shame. One cannot expose themselves completely to the public, either bodily or spiritually. A lack of modesty and discretion is another characteristic of the Charismatic movement, which the Church has never approved. If we look at the true charismatic event in Church history the day of Pentecost we see that when the Holy Spirit filled Our Lady and the Apostles, they did not dance, clap, cry, or fall to the floor in the way it is sometimes seen today in Charismatic gatherings. Neither Our Lady nor the Apostles displayed their personal feelings. Instead, St. Peter, filled with the fire of the Holy Spirit, spoke clearly and rationally so everyone could understand him in their own language. The fire of the Holy Spirit gave them the courage to proclaim Christ, endure persecution, and face martyrdom with prudence and wisdom. They were filled with the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, including the gift of prudence. We need to be prudent. We cannot display everything publicly. We also need a proper fear of God not in the sense of terror, but in the sense of giving due reverence and respect. These gifts of the Holy Spirit are the true charismatic event of Pentecost.

A false charismatic event occurred in Asia and Phrygia in the second century, known as Montanism. The Montanists claimed to have experienced a new Pentecostal event, where the Holy Spirit came upon them and they received the "baptism of the Spirit." They believed they were the true Church, the Church of the Holy Spirit, and they spread radical practices, including obedience to their so-called prophets. The Church condemned these movements, especially Montanism, and has since been cautious about charismatic phenomena.

There is a helpful book titled Enthusiasm: A Chapter in the History of Religion by Ronald Knox, which explores the charismatic phenomenon, its history, and its problematic aspects. It is written with precision and prudence. While the Catholic Charismatic Movement has positive qualities, such as zeal for prayer and self-dedication to God, we cannot ignore that many of these qualities such as devotion to the Holy Eucharist and praying the rosary are not unique to the Charismatic movement. These have long been part of the Catholic tradition. I believe we must assist our Charismatic brothers and sisters in returning to the more balanced, proven, and tested ways of the Catholic tradition. By doing so, they will bear more fruit in the Church and in their personal lives.