Reformed Charismatics: A True Anomaly?
5:47 PM Tuesday, May 6, 2008
As promised, I am back to share some thoughts on this growing movement within evangelicalism. Though Dr. David Wells, as well as others debate whether or not the term "Evangelical" is safe to use anymore, seeing as how the term has lost much of its adjectival functionality, I will use it in its broader sense (See The Courage to be Protestant for Wells' analysis of the term).
As I mentioned in the last blog, in the May issue of Christianity Today there is an article written by James K.A. Smith, professor of philosophy at Calvin College entitled Teaching a Calvinist: In Pentecostal worship, my Reformed theology finds its groove.
While on many issues Reformed theology and Pentecostalism are at odds with one another, many seem to like the blend. For example, there exists presently a Reformed Charismatic denomination of sorts. Visit the website http://www.charismaticreformed.org/ for more details.
In addition to this, C.J. Mahaney, and his Sovereign Grace ministries also share a common identity in having a strong Charismatic Reformed affection. I am not here to debate whether or not Charismatic theology and Reformed theology are antithetical to one another, I am simply pointing out that this connection seems to already exist.
While I am sure many would say it is impossible (at least logically) to be Reformed and be Charismatic, Professor James Smith says "being charismatic actually makes me a better Calvinist; my being Pentecostal is actually a way for me to be more Reformed." How can he say such a thing? Smith continues: "Pentecostals live out a spirituality that takes [the sovereignty of God] really, really, seriously." If you read the article you will find that what Smith means by this is that, because God is so sovereign, he believes God can speak to him anyway he pleases (I'm assuming he means outside of Scripture here) and that the Spirit will move in a way that will "surprise you."
Speaking to this, Smith says "In Pentecostal spirituality, the Calvinist conviction about the sovereignty of God is extended to worship in a way that makes us open to and even expectant of the sovereign Lord surprising us."
Smith notes that when you are in a confessionally reformed church, most likely the services (and the sermon for that matter) will be a bit cerebral, with not much attention given to the role of the Spirit. As a Reformed Christian, I will be the first to admit that our services can have a tendency to be a bit cerebral. This is nothing new. I have heard it said in the past that our services are too erudite. Jokingly, I have heard a fellow Reformed guy say that the attendees of a reformed church will need a master's degree to understand the sermon!
This may be an area of weakness that should be addressed. At a point in the article, Smith says:
"I've always found it a bit strange that Reformed worship so often treats human beings as if we're brains-on-a-stick. All week long we talk about how good creation is, how good embodiment is. But then we have habits of worship that merely deposit great ideas in our heads, making us cerebral disciples."
Again, I understand where Smith is coming from. However, in defense of Reformed worship I would say that one must understand the theological grounds which undergird the liturgy in the worship. The fundamental difference between Pentecostals and ALL other traditions within Christendom is their pneumatology (i.e. their doctrine of the Holy Spirit). After all, this is what makes Pentecostals . . . Pentecostals. At the core of who they are, they believe that the Holy Spirit works outside of Scripture. Classical Protestantism never has, and (Lord willing) never will. As Alister McGrath says, "Classical Protestantism holds that God's will and purpose are revealed only through the written text of the Bible" (Christianity's Dangerous Idea, 433, emphasis mine).
All this being said, I am not surprised that many enjoy Pentecostal worship services. There is nothing wrong with wanting to express our love to God through heart-felt, passionate worship. However, the problem comes when one starts to think that Pentecostalism is the only true form of worship. I have often heard Pentecostals say that they don't like such and such a church because "that church doesn't believe in the Spirit." For starters, if a church doesn't believe in the Spirit, then they are not Christian. The doctrine of the Trinity is an essential to the Christian faith (i.e. the co-eternality, co-equalness, and consubstantiality of the Godhead). It must be a correct view of the Trinity. Not the heretical understanding espoused by the oneness pentecostals. For an accurate description see the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds.
So what is the appeal of Pentecostalism? I think the appeal is what Alister McGrath calls "the immediacy of God (Op Cit. 429). McGrath notes:
"The feature that both characterizes and distinguishes Pentecostalism from all other forms of Christianity is it insistence and emphasis upon an immediate encounter with God through the Holy Spirit and the ensuing transformation of individuals" (OP. Cit. 424).
From another perspective, in Pentecostalism, a persons spiritual empowerment "is not determined by their sociological location or their intellectual ability, but by their gifting by the Holy Spirit" (427).
When Pentecostals look at the Reformed community, all they see is a bunch of people with their noses in books (the stereotype), who are too busy studying, and therefore, are not experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit. In Pentecostalism, a "living faith" (as Pietists called it) "is not about doctrinal rectitude or theological precision, but about the experience of God as a living reality in the believer's soul" (428).
An expert on the history of Pentecostalism, Walter Hollenweger says this about Pentecostalism:
"[Pentecostalism] is an oral religion. It is not defined by the abstract language that characterises, for instance, Presbyterians or Catholics. Pentecostalism is communicated in stories, testimonies, and songs....When you become a Pentecostal, you talk about how you've been healed, or how your very life has been changed (Emphasis mine, qtd in McGrath, 428).
Because Pentecostals view other denominations, especially the Presbyterians, as being so focused on the cerebral aspect of the faith, Pentecostals of the past are somewhat suspicious of too much studying. McGrath comments:
"Such reflections led an earlier generation of Pentecostals to be suspicious of academic study and to wear their anti-intellectualism as badge of honor" (428)
All in all, what attracts many to Pentecostalism is the immediacy of the Spirit and the thought that everyone can have a direct experience with God. Thus, "Pentecostalism eschews the aridity of dogmatic theology and sets in its place the personal renewal of the believer through the Spirit--something that can be narrated and proclaimed rather than logically dissected and analyzed" (431).
"Pentecostalism declares that it is possible to encounter God directly and personally through the power of the Holy Spirit. God is to be known immediately and directly, not indirectly through the study of a text" (431).
The last sentence is key to understanding Pentecostalism. It is not about studying, it is about experiencing. I do not say any of this in a pejorative sense. Many contemporary Pentecostals have said the same thing, and are doing their best in trying to focus more on the studying aspect. There are now many scholarly Pentecostals. Take Gordon Fee for example.
Anyways, I didn't intend for this blog to be this long. Sorry to keep you reading. I only wanted to share some thoughts, and out came this thing. Hope you enjoyed. Sorry to cut if off so quickly, but I'm tired now.
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I think the final quote nails the whole thing on the head. It shows that it is impossible to be Reformed, and Pentecostal. You might swing the Calvinist portion, but to be Reformed is something else entirely. If they were reformed, they would hold to the five solas, one of which being Sola Scriptura, as you already pointed out. The "experience" with God (the same language the Emergents use) is completely subjective, and thus you end up (or can) creating a god of your own imaginings. This is why it is essential that scripture alone is our sole authority, and not some emotional experience.
z3n May 6, 2008 at 10:05 PM
lol, We talked about this but it seem to me that the whole of the charismatic movement has found its way into not only catholic but also reformed settings. This thing is an infection that is moving around I think Catholics and reformed Christians can agree on that much and that this charismatic-mania needs to be stopped.
Unknown May 7, 2008 at 12:05 PM
I look forward to more postings on this issue. archangel fire is right that pentecostalism is the fastest growing movement within Christianity. I too am tempted to call it an "infection", but I refrain for now. There are some aspects of Charismatic-mania that is good. I have mainly the ministry of Sovereign Grace in mind. God bless.
Chris May 10, 2008 at 10:46 PM