The Role Of The Charismatic Renewal Movement In Reigniting The Flame Of Spirituality In Contemporary Christians

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PNEUMA 38 (2016) 77–92

The Role of the Charismatic Renewal Movement in Reigniting the Flame of Spirituality in Contemporary Christians

Reginald Alva

Nanzan University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan

reginaldalva@yahoo.com

Abstract

Life in the modern world is hectic. Development in technology has diminished the importance of religion in society. Nonetheless, humans are not satisfied with their ultramodern gadgets and are in a continuous pursuit after something more. The ad- vancements in science in the developed nations have not stopped people from the West from being fascinated by eastern spiritualities. Has Christianity, which has tradi- tionally been the religion of the western world, lost its relevance? How can the Catholic Church offer a “lively” spirituality to people who seek meaning in life? The Charismatic Renewal Movement, which began in 1967 in the Catholic Church, has helped millions to rediscover the beauty of Christian faith and has the potential of making Christianity relevant in the modern world. In this article I will examine the role of the Charismatic Renewal Movement in reigniting the flame of spirituality in contemporary Christians. I will base my study on the documents of the Church and the documents of the Charis- matic Renewal Movement.

Keywords

Catholic Charismatic Renewal – contemporary person – spiritual hunger – seculariza- tion

Introduction

Religion, which was a dominant force in people’s lives in the past, is losing ground to science in today’s society. Developments in science have improved

© koninklijke brill nv, leiden, 2016 | doi: 10.1163/15700747-03801021

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human life; however, technological development cannot satisfy contemporary humans’ spiritual hunger. Although the Catholic Church has lost a large num- ber of members in the West, the number of people seeking alternative forms of spirituality is increasing. Does this mean that Christianity has failed to quench the spiritual hunger of its adherents? How can Christianity respond to the spir- itual needs of contemporary Christians? The Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement is a spiritual movement within the church that has helped many people to enrich their spiritual lives. In this article I examine, from a theological perspective, the charismatic renewal’s role in reigniting the flame of spirituality in contemporary Christians. The sources on which I base my study are church documents and the documents of the charismatic renewal.

Challenges to Christianity in the Contemporary World

Christianity, especially the Catholic Church, which was the dominant religion in the West, faces a number of challenges in the contemporary world. Sec- ularization and scientific developments have raised serious questions about Christian doctrines of God, salvation, and ethics.1Moreover, fears of fundamen- talism, violence, and terror perpetrated in the name of religion, as well as the abuse of religion by terrorists and fundamentalists for their selfish purposes, have increased the aversion to religion among people today.2People are regard- ing religions as dangerous. On the other hand, however, eastern spiritualities are attracting people, especially from western European countries.3 This may be because contemporary society is overemphasizing spirituality alone and neglecting religiosity.4 In his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium Pope Francisnotestheroleofthechurchinsatisfyingtherealspiritualhungeramong people:

1 Ernst Conradie,Christian Identity(Stellenbosch: Sunpress, 2005), 3–7.

2 Paul Chamberlain, Why People Don’t Believe: Confronting Seven Challenges to Christian Faith

(Grand Rapids,mi: Baker Books, 2011), 69–70.

3 Pontifical Council for Culture and Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (2003), Jesus

Christ, the Bearer of the Water of Life: A Christian Reflection on the “New Age,”available at http://

vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/interelg/documents/rc_pc_interelg_doc_

20030203_new-age_en.html (accessed December 6, 2014).

4 Religiosity necessarily relates to structured worship in a religion. Spirituality is a subjective

human experience of the divine. Further, spirituality is not necessarily associated with any

specific religion. See Brian Zinnbauer et al., “Religion and Spirituality: Unfuzzying the Fuzzy,”

Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion36, no. 4 (1997): 550–564.

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The return to the sacred and the quest for spirituality which mark our own time are ambiguous phenomena. Today, our challenge is not so much atheism as the need to respond adequately to many people’s thirst for God, lest they try to satisfy it with alienating solutions or with a disembodied Jesus who demands nothing of us with regard to others. Unless these people find in the Church a spirituality which can offer healing and liberation, and fill them with life and peace, while at the same time summoning them to fraternal communion and missionary fruitfulness, they will end up by being taken in by solutions which neither make life truly human nor give glory to God.5

In spite of the progress in medicine, psychology, technology, and other fields of science, many in western society are looking for gurus who can satisfy their spiritual hunger.6 Does this mean that Christianity has no spirituality to offer? Can Christianity satisfy the spiritual hunger of the contemporary soul? With its rich tradition of different spiritualities, Christianity can adequately respond to the spiritual needs of all people. Moreover, the Catholic Church has both charismatic and institutional dimensions, both of which are needed in order efficiently to fulfill the mission of Christ. One factor that drives peo- ple in the West to investigate eastern spiritualities is the overemphasis on the institutional (or structural) dimension of the church. The church needs continually to evaluate her organizations in order to purge it of all elements that contradict gospel values.7 If the church adequately uses her charismatic dimension, then she can offer rich spiritual traditions to all who are seek- ing a genuine relationship with God. In addition, the church can challenge the new consumerist religious movements in the light of the teachings of the gospel.

There are various ecclesial movements in the church that began after the end of the Second Vatican Council and have the potential to witness to Christ and help those who are in search of a genuine spirituality. One such movement

5 Pope Francis, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, Acta Apostalicae Sedis 105 (2013):

1019–1186. Available at http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/

documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium.html (accessed De-

cember 22, 2015).

6 Charles Strohmer, The Gospel and the New Spirituality (Eugene, or: Wipf and Stock, 2004),

xiii–xiv. See also Gary Collins, The Soul Search: A Spiritual Journey to Authentic Intimacy with

God (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1998).

7 Joseph Ratzinger, New Outpourings of the Spirit (Vatican: Libreria Editrice, 2007), 23.

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is the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement (ccrm), which began in 1967. Theccrmhas spread to over 235 countries, and around 11.3 percent of Catholics around the world are involved with it.8In the next section, I shall consider the role of theccrmin spreading the Christian faith.

The Role of theccrmin Reigniting the Flame of Spirituality in Contemporary Christians

The ccrm is an ecclesial movement that aims to foster genuine Christian spirituality. It focuses on the event of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit on the disciples (Acts 2:1–4). The Holy Spirit empowered the disciples of Jesus boldly to proclaim and witness their faith. Further, the disciples worked many signs and wonders by the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:43). Participants in the ccrm urge all to have the same experience of the Holy Spirit (baptism in the Holy Spirit) as the early Christians to renew their spiritual life.9

Initially, in the 1960s and 1970s, theccrmexperienced phenomenal growth in the usa and later spread rapidly to other parts of the world.10 In the 1980s, however, the movement peaked in North America and western Europe.11 One of its prominent leaders, Stephen Clark, noted in an article published in the New Covenant that the ccrm had peaked in the usa and people in general were losing interest in charismatic prayer meetings.12 Even though the ccrm

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David Barrett, George Kurian, and Todd M. Johnson,World Christian Encyclopedia: A Com- parative Survey of Churches and Religions in the Modern World, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001), 20. See also David Barrett and Todd Johnson, “The Catholic Charismatic Renewal, 1959–2025,” in International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Ser- vices, ed.,Then Peter Stood Up(Rome:iccrs, 2000), 122–123.

Theccrmdoes not regard the phenomenon of baptism in the Holy Spirit as a sacrament that replaces or adds to the sacrament of baptism. There are different theological schools of interpretation within the ccrm. Further, the ccrm does not regard reception of the gift of tongues as a visible sign of reception of baptism in the Holy Spirit. Some Protestant Pentecostals consider the reception of the gift of tongues as an indispensable sign of reception of baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Paul Thigpen, “Catholic Charismatic Movement,” in The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, ed. Stanley M. Burgess and Eduard M. van der Maas (Grand Rapids,mi: Zondervan, 2003), 460–467.

Ibid. See also Donald Swenson, “The Canadian Catholic Charismatic Renewal,” in Cana- dian Pentecostalism: Transition and Transformation, ed. Michael Wilkinson (Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2009), 214–217.

Steve Clark, “Are We Charismatic?”New Covenant12, no. 7 (February 1983): 24.

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lost its initial growth rate in its place of origin, it continued to grow steadily in Africa, Asia, and South America. According to David Barrett’s statistics on Charismatics worldwide, the thirty-year (1967–2000) growth rate of the ccrm on the seven continents was as follows: 32.2 percent in Africa, 16.6 percent in Antarctica, 25.1 percent in Asia, 20.6 percent in Europe, 7.2 percent in North America, 16.1 percent in South America and 18.8 percent in Oceania.13 These statistics show that people in Africa, Asia, and South America continue to find theccrmattractive. One of the reasons suggested by scholars is that the ritual practices common among Pentecostals and Charismatics have similarities with the ritual practices found in the indigenous cultures and folk religions of Africa, Asia, and South America.14

The successive popes since the end of the Second Vatican Council have also attested to the role of theccrmin reinvigorating spiritual zeal in the people.15 Pope Francis, in a press conference during his return flight from Rio de Janeiro to Rome on July 28, 2013, noted the contribution of the ccrm in helping many people to seek renewal of their spiritual lives:

It is very true what you are saying about the fall in numbers of the faithful: it is true, it is true. The statistics are there. We spoke with the Brazilian bishops about the problem at a meeting held yesterday. You asked about the Charismatic Renewal movement. I’ll tell you one thing. Back at the end of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s, I had no time for them. Once, speaking about them, I said: “These people confuse a liturgical celebration with samba lessons.” I actually said that. Now I regret it. I learned. It is also true that the movement, with good leaders, has made great progress. Now I think that this movement does much good for the

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Barrett and Johnson, “The Catholic Charismatic Renewal, 1959–2025,” 124.

Alena Govorounova, “Pentecostalism and Shamanism in Asia and Beyond: An Inter- disciplinary Analysis,” in Pentecostalism and Shamanism in Asia, ed. Paul Swanson (Nago- ya: Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture, 2013), 58–59. See also Joel Robbins, “The Globalization of Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity,” in Annual Review of Anthro- pology 33 (2004): 118–119. See also Dena Freeman, “The Pentecostal Ethic and the Spirit of Development,” in Pentecostalism and Development, ed. Dena Freeman (New York: Pal- grave, 2012), 22–23.

The various addresses of Popes Paul vi, John Paul ii, Benedict xvi, and Francis to the members of the ccrm contain words of encouragement and acknowledgment for the Charismatics. See Oreste Pesare, ed., Then Peter Stood Up: A Collection of Popes’ Messages to the Catholic Charismatic Renewal from its Origin to the Year 2012 (Rome: International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services, 2012).

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church, overall. In Buenos Aires, I met frequently with them and once a year I celebrated a Mass with all of them in the Cathedral. I have always supported them, after I was converted, after I saw the good they were doing. Because at this time in the church—and here I’ll make my answer a little more general—I believe that the movements are necessary. The movements are a grace of the Spirit. “But how can you control a movement which is so free?” The church is free, too. The Holy Spirit does what he wants. He is the one who creates harmony, but I do believe that the movements are a grace, those movements which have the spirit of the church. Consequently I don’t think that the Charismatic Renewal movement merely prevents some people from passing over to Pentecostal denominations. No. It is also a service to the church herself. It renews us. Everyone seeks his own movement, according to his own charism, where the Holy Spirit draws him or her.16

ccrm spirituality has the following features that help many people to live an authentic Christian life and nurture their spirituality:

1 Rediscovering the Beauty of being a Christian

It is a great challenge to live an authentic Christian life in today’s world. Further, it is even more challenging to bear witness to Christ and his values in a world that suspects religions of spreading superstitions and violence and regards reli- gion as something only for the weak. It attempts to solve the complex problems present in society by scientific development. However, there is no gadget in the world that can impart meaning and purpose to a person’s existence. God alone can do this.17 Nothing apart from divine love can fill the vacuum in a person’s being.

Ecclesial movements like theccrmare helping Christians to rediscover the beauty of their faith life.18 Participants in the ccrm urge Christians to have an

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Pope Francis’ Press Conference during Return Flight from Rio de Janeiro, July 28, 2013. Available at http://vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/speeches/2013/july/ documents/papa-francesco_20130728_gmg-conferenza-stampa_en.html (accessed Au- gust 28, 2015).

Pope Francis, Encyclical Lumen Fidei, aas 105 (2013): 565. English version available at http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_ 20130629_enciclica-lumen-fidei.html (accessed December 9, 2014). See also Marc Ouellet, “The Beauty of Being Christian,” inThe Beauty of God’s House: Essays in Honor of Stratford Caldecott, ed. Francesca Avan Murphy (Eugene,or: Wipf and Stock, 2014), 26–27. Ouellet, “The Beauty of Being Christian,” 25.

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encounter with the Jesus, who died, rose again, and is present among them. The disciples of Jesus were shattered after his death. But when they met the risen Lord and the Holy Spirit empowered them, they witnessed their faith without any fear. This small group of disciples did not have dogmas and doctrines, but they had the living Lord Jesus. The ccrm encourages all to have the same experience as these early Christians. It stresses the phenomenon of baptism in the Holy Spirit to renew their spiritual lives.19 It also calls on all Christians to use the charisms of the Holy Spirit for the common good.20 The Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium (lg) noted that the Holy Spirit continues to bestow both ordinary and extraordinary charisms on individuals and the community for service. It acknowledged the presence and the importance of the charisms in the life of the Church:

It is not only through the sacraments and the ministries of the church that the Holy Spirit sanctifies and leads the people of God and enriches it with virtues, but, ‘allotting his gifts to everyone according as He wills,’ (1Cor 12:11) He distributes special graces among the faithful of every rank. By these gifts He makes them fit and ready to undertake the various tasks and offices which contribute toward the renewal and building up of the church, according to the words of the Apostle: ‘The manifestation of the Spirit is given to everyone for profit’ (1Thess 5:12,19–21). These charisms, whether they be the more outstanding or the more simple and widely diffused, are to be received with thanksgiving and consolation for they are perfectly suited to and useful for the needs of the church. Extraordinary gifts are not to be sought after, nor are the fruits of apostolic labor to be presumptuously expected from their use; but judgment as to their genuinity and proper use belongs to those who are appointed leaders in the church, to whose special competence it belongs, not indeed to extinguish the Spirit, but to test all things and hold fast to that which is good [cf. John 11:52].21

Theccrmgives prime importance to the use and discernment of the spiritual charisms. The use of charisms of healing, prophecy, and deliverance has helped

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iccrsDoctrinal Commission, Baptism in the Holy Spirit (Vatican:iccrs, 2012), 15–28. Ibid. See also Peter Hocken,Pentecost and Parousia: Christian Renewal, Christian Unity and the Coming Glory(Eugene,or: Wipf and Stock, 2013), 26–27, 109.

Lumen Gentium no. 12. Available at http://vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_ vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html (accessed December 11, 2014).

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many Christians to realize the great power of the Holy Spirit within them. The ccrm does not consider possession of charisms as a sign of holiness.22 The goal of a Christian is not to possess showy charisms (power) but to live in Christ. Charismatics call on all Christians to rediscover and radiate the joy of being a Christian.23In the secularized world, which attaches no significance to religions or spiritualities, Charismatics boldly witness to their Christian faith in the power of the Holy Spirit.24

2 Lively Liturgy and Prayer Groups

The ccrm prayer groups are bustling with life and joy. Lively praise and wor- ship is a characteristic feature of any charismatic prayer meeting.25 People are encouraged to clap, dance, and express their joyful emotions. The main pur- pose of using bodily gestures and emotions is not emotional gratification but worship. Charismatics emphasize worshipping like a child without any inhibi- tions or worrying about what others will say (see Matt 18:3; 19:14, Mark 10:15, Luke 18:16). The leaders of the ccrm do plan the flow of the prayer meetings but leave enough space for creative worship.26 People who are bored with the monotony of rituals find freshness and freedom in charismatic worship. Many people find a new taste for prayer.27They begin to understand that prayer is not restricted to reciting prayers from books. They learn that praise and thanks- giving are an essential part of prayer. Charismatic prayer groups encourage people to praise and thank God extemporaneously without resorting to any prewritten texts. They also ask people to pray in tongues, which is one of the charisms of the Holy Spirit (see 1Cor 12:10). Apart from this, charismatic prayer

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Doctrinal Commission, Baptism in the Holy Spirit, 47.

Luis Fernando Figari, “Schools of Faith and Christian Life,” in Pastors and the Ecclesial Movements, ed. Pontifical Council on the Laity (Vatican: Libreria Editrice, 2009), 135– 139.

Matteo Calisi, “Encounter with the Beauty of Christ. Educational Itineraries. Introduc- tion,” inThe Beauty of Being a Christian, ed. Pontifical Council on the Laity (Vatican: Libre- ria Editrice, 2007), 89–90.

Reginald Alva,The Spirituality of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement (New Delhi: Christian World Imprints, 2014), 166–167.

Francis Sullivan,Charisms and Charismatic Renewal Movement: A Biblical and Theological Study (Eugene, or: Wipf and Stock, 2004), 86–88. See also Thomas Csordas, Language, Charismaand Creativity:The Ritual Lifeof a ReligiousMovement(New York: Palgrave, 2001), 108–109.

Paul Josef Cordes, Call to Holiness: Reflections on the Catholic Charismatic Renewal (Col- legeville,mn: Liturgical Press, 1997), 22.

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groups encourage the use of various charisms, such as prophecy, healing, and deliverance. Leaders also set some time apart for laying hands on people and praying for healing.28

The ccrm encourages the faithful to cultivate love for the liturgy of the church.29 Even though it is a difficult task to integrate the charismatic type of worshipintothe liturgy,theccrmhasdevised waystousethe existingliturgical rituals to make it more participatory.30 One of the instances is the celebration of the Eucharist in a charismatic way of worship.31 Eucharist in Greek means thanksgiving.32 Charismatics use the various parts of the Eucharist to focus on thanksgiving and praise. They also set aside time for worship in silence after the distribution of Holy Communion. Charismatics also pray for healing during the eucharistic celebration, and at times the celebrant and others lay hands on people to exercise the charisms of healing.33The Catholic Church too recommends all to pray for healing while celebrating the Eucharist.34However, Charismatics emphasize that all genuine healing comes from God.35 No one can force God to work miracles. Besides, there are times when a person may not receive physical healing, but this does not mean that God has abandoned that person or that the person does not have sufficient faith. God is always beside a person who is suffering. God in Christ gave meaning to all human suffering.36 Healingis a mystery.Noone canknowwhysome people arehealed whileothers are not.37Nevertheless, Charismatics recommend all to pray fervently for God’s healing touch, especially during the celebration of the Eucharist.

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Csordas, Language, Charisma and Creativity, 108–109.

Figari, “Schools of Faith and Christian Life,” 141–142.

Francis MacNutt, Healing(Notre Dame,in: Ave Maria Press, 1974), 275–299.

Sullivan,Charisms and Charismatic Renewal Movement, 88–89.

Stanley Marrow, “Eucharist in Scripture,” in The New Dictionary of Sacramental Worship, ed. Peter Fink (Collegeville,mn: Liturgical Press, 1990), 393–398.

Jacqueline Ryle, “Ritualizing Catholic Charismatic Reconciliation and Healing in Fiji,” in Practicing the Faith: The Ritual Life of Pentecostal-Charismatic Christians, ed. Martin Lindhart (New York: Berghahn Books, 2011), 68–94. Here the author deals with a case study done in Fiji. However, one can find similar practices in the ccrm all around the world.

Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 1509–1513. Available at http://vatican.va/ archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c4a1.htm (accessed on December 13, 2014). MacNutt, Healing, 128–129.

Ibid., 250.

Mary Jo Neitz, Charisma and Community: A Study of Religious Commitment within the Charismatic Renewal (New Brunswick,nj: Transaction, 1987), 48–49.

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The ccrm has also contributed to highlighting the role of the Holy Spirit in the church’s liturgical celebrations.38 Charismatics devoutly celebrate the sacraments of reconciliation and anointing of the sick, praying for healing of body, mind, and the spirit. They also use “sacramentals,” which are objects such as crucifixes, holy water, blessed oil, and rosaries, while praying over others.39 However, they do not consider that these objects have magical powers; rather, they use them to prepare people to receive grace and to open themselves to the work of the Holy Spirit.40

Thus, Charismatics do not seek to change the liturgical structure of the rituals but urge all to participate in them and rediscover their efficacy.

3 Renewed Interest in the Word of God

In the pre-Vatican ii era, the Catholic Church did not generally encourage the laity to read the Bible. The church reserved biblical scholarship mainly to priests and the religious. The laity would hear the word of God proclaimed dur- ing the liturgical celebrations. Unlike Protestants Catholics did not give prime importance to the Bible in their daily lives, regarding reading the Bible as a Protestant devotion.41 However, the Second Vatican Council encouraged all Christians to read and meditate on the Bible.42The Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation Dei Verbum stressed the historical-critical method for inter- preting the biblical texts, in order to avoid literal interpretations.43 Catholics believe the Bible to be the inspired word of God; however, its interpretation does not wholly depend on the individual who reads it. Dei Verbum notes that the teaching office of the church is the authentic interpreter of the word of God.44This does not mean, however, that individual Catholics have no right to

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Hocken, Pentecost and Parousia, 109–110.

Csordas, Language, Charisma and Creativity, 70–71. See also Thomas Csordas, “Ritualiza- tion of Life,” in Practicing the Faith: The Ritual Life of Pentecostal-Charismatic Christians, ed. Martin Lindhart (New York: Berghahn Books, 2011), 129–130.

Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1670.

Maureen Sullivan, The Road to Vatican ii: Key Changes in Theology (Mahwah, nj: Paulist Press, 2007), 6.

Dei Verbum, no. 25. Available at http://vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican _council/documents/vat-ii_const_19651118_dei-verbum_en.html (accessed December 15, 2014).

Ibid., no. 12. See also Massimo Faggioli, “Between Documents and Spirit: The Case of the New Catholic Movements,” in After Vatican ii: Trajectories and Hermeneutics, ed. James Heft and John O’Malley (Grand Rapids,mi: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2012), 3.

Dei Verbum, no. 10.

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interpret the Bible. The church encourages Catholics to use the Bible for prayer and personal reflection but not to force one’s private interpretation on others.45

Charismatics attribute importance to the reading of the Bible. They find a new delight in reading the Bible as an important resource to nurture their spiri- tual lives.46Apart from promoting personal devotion of the Bible, Charismatics have helped in fostering ecumenical dialogue.47 As most of the other Chris- tian denominations focus on the Bible as the source of inspiration, Catholics renewed in the Spirit and well equipped with knowledge of Scripture can enter into a fruitful dialogue with them. This commonality, among the Catholics and Christians of other denominations, of focusing on the Bible as the word of God can greatly help in fostering spiritual unity among them.48

Leaders of the ccrm organize courses to train people to study the Bible.49 Their aim is to prevent Catholics from becoming fundamentalists. They edu- cate people to take into account the historical background and context of the texts rather than to interpret the Scriptures literally. Charismatics do recognize the danger in emphasizing one’s private revelation in the interpretation of the Bible. Although they leave enough space for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in inspiring people when they read the Bible, they do not go against the teach- ing office of the church, which is also the work of the Holy Spirit. They strive to maintain a fine balance between the teaching office of the church and one’s private inspiration. Therefore, they encourage Catholics to study the Bible sys- tematically and use it as an invaluable source for enriching one’s spiritual life.

Charismatics, in association with other ecclesial movements, also organize forums for Bible sharing. Bible sharing has helped many people to come to- gether to pray and share their reflections on the word of God. It also becomes an occasion for fruitful ecumenical dialogue.50

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Ibid., nos. 15, 25. See also Chester Gillis,Roman Catholicism in America(New York: Colum- bia University Press, 1999), 133–135.

Vinson Synan,The Holiness-Pentecostal Tradition: Charismatic Movements in the Twentieth Century, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids,mi: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1997), 241.

Reginald Alva, “The Ecumenical Calling of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement,” Academia, no. 5 (January 2013): 271–272.

Hocken, Pentecost and Parousia, 109.

Raymond Brady Williams, Christian Pluralism in the United States: The Indian Immigrant Experience (Cambridge, uk: Cambridge University Press, 1996), 86. Here the author cites the example of ccrm in India. The ccrm organizes study courses to train people in scientific study of the Bible and avoid fundamentalism.

Connie Ho Yan Au, Grassroots Unity in the Charismatic Renewal (Eugene, or: Wipf and Stock, 2011), 99–100.

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4 Realizing the Importance of Community Life

The early Christians lived a healthy life in community. They shared all their resources with one another (Acts 2:44–47; 4:32–35). The church has empha- sized the communitarian nature of human life. The conciliar documents Lumen GentiumandGaudium et Spes(the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World) have focused on the communal dimension of a human person and the church.51 A human person cannot grow in isolation but only by relating to others in society.52 Jesus taught his disciples the importance of communal life. He became human to share fellowship with all of humanity. In his lifetime he attended weddings, made friends, and shared meals with peo- ple (John 2:1–2, 11:5; Mark 2:15; Luke 5:27–39, 7:36–50, 10:38–42, 19:1–10, 22:7–36). He also taught that he was in communion with his Father (see John 10:30). The mutual love among the three persons of the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, calls upon all of humanity to give relevance to community life.

The ccrm gives importance to community life as it draws inspiration from the lives of the early Christians.53 In the early 1970s in North America, some Charismatics attempted to form communities by living together and sharing resources.54However, their experiment did not succeed. Their aim was to form an ideal community, but this turned out to be a utopian dream. Neverthe- less, apart from these few instances of excesses, Charismatics have stressed the importance of communitarian life and not perfect communities. Charis- matics emphasize community prayers, mutual encouragement, mutual correc- tions, and responsibility for taking care of others.55The International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services (iccrs) and the Catholic Fraternity of Charis- matic Covenant Communities and Fellowships (cfcccf) are private associa- tions of Christian faithful approved by the Holy See.56 The Holy See has offi- cially recognized both these associations and placed them under the Pontifical

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Lumen Gentium, no. 9.

Gaudium et Spes, no. 32. Available at http://vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_ vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_cons_19651207_gaudium-et-spes_en.html (accessed on December 15, 2014).

Edward O’Connor,The Pentecostal Movement in the Catholic Church(Notre Dame,in: Ave Maria Press, 1979), 247.

Csordas, Language, Charisma and Creativity, 77–99.

John Kavanaugh, Following Christ in a Consumer Society, 2nd ed. (Maryknoll, ny: Orbis Books, 2006). In Chapter 11, “Christian Practice in the Personal Form,” the author notes the importance of community life given by theccrm.

See website oficcrs. Available at iccrs.org. See also thecfcccf’s website. Available at http://catholicfraternity.net/wordpress/about-us/background/ (accessed August 28, 2015).

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Council for the Laity. Most of the Catholic Charismatic prayer groups around the world are members of either of these associations. These two associations act as liaisons between the local charismatic communities and the Holy See. Moreover, they guide and support the charismatic communities in their mis- sion work. Thus, through these associations a large number of Catholic Charis- matics form a sizeable community of people with the common goal of bringing about spiritual renewal.

Leaders of the ccrm prayer meetings allot some time for laying hands on people to pray for healing. This gesture symbolizes the caring relationship among the community members. The ccrm prayer meeting becomes a place for mutual caring and sharing. Thus, people feel a strong sense of belonging to the group. This sense of belonging motivates them to feel free within the group and work for the betterment of the community. In the contemporary world, in spite of the rapid development in means of social communication, many people, especially the young, find it difficult to relate to others. The pursuit of success and wealth forces many parents to neglect their children and family life. This creates a big void in the life of these children. In addition, the cutthroat competition at schools and places of work alienates people from one another. The contemporary person longs for belongingness and acceptance. Thus, the ccrmprayer groups can become centers of hope for such people.

In today’s world people are increasingly feeling lonely. In their search for belonging they sometimes join dangerous cults that can manipulate them into doing wrong things. For instance, the sarin gas terrorism in Tokyo (1995) shocked the whole world and exposed the dangers of the new age movements. This terror incident was perpetrated by the disciples of a cult guru, Shoko Asa- hara (founder of the cult Aum Shinrikyo). Surprisingly, most of these disciples were elite, with high educational qualifications, prompting the public to raise a common question: Why did these elite people join such a dangerous cult?57 The former adherents of Aum Shinrikyo noted in their interviews that noth- ing in Japanese society could fulfill their quest for knowing the meaning of life. They felt empty within. They felt that no one cared for them. Shoko Asahara, the founder of Aum Shinrikyo, made them feel accepted within the group. They felt they belonged to that group and that the group needed them. Even though he subjected them to harsh discipline, they felt a strong emotional bond with him.58This incident is one particular example of religious terrorism and brain-

57

58

James Alan Fox and Jack Levin, Extreme Killing: Understanding Serial and Mass Murder, 3rd ed. (Thousand Oaks,ca: Sage Publications, Inc., 2015), 136–138.

Ibid.

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washing. However, the increased ennui, angst, and alienation among people are increasing incidents of violence in society. Charismatics can greatly help these people by making them feel accepted in the prayer group. Thus, they can help them to find meaning in their lives.59

5 Reaching Out to Others with the Love of Christ

Love is the hallmark of a Christian’s life. Christian love is diffusive.60 It volun- tarily reaches out to the other. The ccrm does not promote a cozy spirituality to insulate oneself from worldly matters.61 A person who has a powerful expe- rience of the Holy Spirit needs to share his or her joy and peace with others in society. Pope Benedictxvi, in his homily on April 24, 2005 during the Holy Mass on the Occasion of the Imposition of the Pallium and Conferral of the Fisher- man’s Ring for the Beginning of the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome, noted that a Christian is first and foremost a friend of Jesus. He or she takes pride in speaking about this relationship to others. Evangelization means to witness to this friendship with Christ. He noted:

There is nothing more beautiful than to be surprised by the Gospel, by the encounter with Christ. There is nothing more beautiful than to know Him and to speak to others of our friendship with Him.62

In order to be an effective evangelizer, one must have a close relationship with the person of Jesus.63Charismatics emphasize a personal encounter with God. A personal encounter radically transforms a person from within. He or she begins to relate to others with the love of Christ. Pope Francis encouraged Charismatics to look after the spiritual needs of the homeless:

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The ccrm must take care to educate people about the difference between Christian love and cults; otherwise, there is a possibility that the Japanese people may mistake theccrm for a cult. See Reginald Alva, “The Dangers of Overstressing on Healing in Japan,” Church and Society in Asia Today16, no. 3 (December 2013): 175–185.

Liz Carmichael, Friendship: Interpreting Christian Love (London: t. & t. Clark Interna- tional, 2007), 150.

Reginald Alva, “The Social Commitment of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement,” Doon Theological Journal11, no. 2 (September 2014): 119–131.

Benedict xvi, Homily on the Occasion of the Imposition of the Pallium and Conferral of the Fisherman’s Ring for the Beginning of the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome, April 24, 2005, Insegnamenti di Benedettoxvi, 1.1 (2005): 25.

Mary Jo Neitz, Charisma and Community (New Brunswick, nj: Transaction, 1987), 24– 25.

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Organize seminars of life in the Spirit for brothers and sisters living on the street, also for brothers and sisters marginalized by so much suffering in life. Allow me to recall Hugo’s witness. The Lord called him precisely because the Holy Spirit made him see the joy of following Jesus. Organize seminars of life in the Holy Spirit for people who live on the street.64

Charismatics usually invite the sick and disabled to healing services.65 They pray over them for physical, mental, and spiritual healing. This form of prayer has helped many people to experience the love of God in their lives.66 They also organize intercessory prayer groups to pray for special needs in the com- munity and in society.67Consumerism and individualism are the characteristic features of the modern world. There is cutthroat competition in all fields of life. In a culture in which an individual does not mind trampling on the other in order to gain success, wealth, and fame, Charismatics stand out as a group of people who are countercultural. They pray for the benefit and healing of oth- ers. These actions of Charismatics can have a salutary effect on people to whom they communicate hope.

Conclusion

Theccrmis indeed a fruit of the teachings of the Second Vatican Council. It has put into practice the vision of the various conciliar documents.68 Through its efforts, many people have rediscovered the beauty of their Christian faith. They have realized the treasures of spiritualities within the Christian tradition. The lively celebration of liturgical services has helped people to take part devoutly in church activities. The word of God has become the source of spiritual nour- ishment for many Catholics who seldom read the Bible. The experience of the Holy Spirit has made Christ alive for many people. They acknowledge Jesus as the Lord and Savior of their lives. Their personal encounter with Christ has

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65 66 67 68

Pope Francis, Address to the Renewal in the Holy Spirit Movement, July 3, 2015. Avail- able at http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2015/july/documents/papa- francesco_20150703_movimento-rinnovamento-spirito.html (accessed on August 29, 2015).

Alison Morgan,The Wild Gospel (Oxford: Monarch Books, 2005), 269–279.

Ibid.

Sullivan,Charisms and Charismatic Renewal Movement, 156.

Dominique Vermersech, “Missionary Companies,” inPastors and the Ecclesial Movements, ed. Pontifical Council on the Laity (Vatican: Libreria Editrice, 2009), 145–152.

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helped them to use the charisms of the Holy Spirit for the good of the com- munity. They willingly pray for others and take time to reach out to those in need and pain. Thus, Charismatics have largely been successful in reigniting the flame of spirituality in contemporary Christians who were spiritually hun- gry and searching for meaning in their lives. The work of renewal is not over yet. Charismatics need to move ahead with the power of the Holy Spirit to cultivate a culture of Pentecost, where all fear turns into courage; where people celebrate the differences among them and look forward with hope to the second coming of the Lord in glory.

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