 |
| Author | Post |
|---|
tcvaughn
Member
| Joined: | Tue Sep 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | Freedom, Pennsylvania USA |
| Posts: | 7 |
| First Name: | Tom | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Atheist; Episcopalian; Non-denominational; Charismatic Episcopalian; RCIA |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 06:58 pm |
|
Hello all,
I am a little late to this thread (story of my life) but I will chip in my tuppence anyway. I am a not-quite-yet Catholic, i.e., in RCIA, but I have been involved in the charismatic movement for all of my Christian life. In fact, I experienced the baptism in the Holy Spirit before I was water-baptized. Later I found that there was, indeed, scriptural precedent for this in Acts 10, 44-48.
When I left atheism behind in the early 80’s, I was baptized, confirmed and married in the Episcopal Church.
As a new Christian still drinking spiritual milk, I did not become aware of its leftward drift until a few years later. Then, in true Protestant fashion, my wife and left the Episcopal Church (ECUSA) for, first, the Assembly of God, and then a non-denominational charismatic church. What I did not leave behind, however, was a love for liturgy and desire to share my Christianity. So I would best describe my Christian orientation as sacramental, evangelical, and charismatic. All three are found in abundance in the teachings of the New Testament.
After moving to southern California, my wife and I were in the spiritual pits for a while. After a few years, we joined the Charismatic Episcopal Church (CEC), which is an actual denomination that was formed from several independent charismatic congregations who deliberately adopted a liturgical form of worship generally based on, but not limited to, the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer. For a while I was in hog heaven, so to speak, because they espoused the very things I believe are important. After a few years, I started attending their seminary in preparation for ordained ministry. Although my wife had started to sense some things she felt were “off’ about the CEC, it took me a little longer to catch on.
The real problem for me turned on the issue of authority. Although many of the books I read in seminary were very good, it was still impossible to pin them down on particular points of doctrine. Ask three or four deacons/priests/bishops a question, and you would get three or four different answers. There was no catechism and no “official” teaching beyond those generally common in Protestantism. For example, they were just as vague as ECUSA on the meaning of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. I understand that they are in the process of writing a catechism but I also heard that years ago with no result.
One of the great attractions of Catholicism for me is that the Church actually has real “official” doctrines and teaches them. At the same time, there is room for many different expressions of authentic Christian praxis. To paraphrase Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, the Church is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside.
I can understand your aversion to some charismatic expressions as I, too, have been skeptical of many so-called "manifestations" of the Spirit that I have seen. However, it is a gift that Jesus promised for being His witness (Acts 1:8). Frankly, I need all the gifts I can get from Christ to carry out the work He has called me to.
One book that I have found particularly useful in understanding the development of charismatic theology and practice in the Catholic Church is:
Christian Initiation and Baptism in the Holy Spirit: Evidence from the First Eight Centuries by Kilian McDonnell and George T. Montague, both of whom are Catholic scholars and priests.
It is rather scholarly but very complete and thorough. I recommend the 1994 expanded edition.
This is about as much as I can write at one sitting, so I will shut up now. I am very grateful for this forum and the opportunity to learn more about the Catholic faith once delivered to the saints.
____________________
Tom
I am a very old man and my memory has gone. But I remember two things: that I am a great sinner and that Jesus is a great saviour. - John Newton
|
|
|
Credo Catholic
Member
| Joined: | Sat May 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Greenville, South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 1382 |
| First Name: | Marsha | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Baptist, Catholic |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 10:06 pm |
|
| Hello Tom, welcome to the forum. Your story is very interesting to me because I know very little about the charismatic movement. I think to some people the idea of "charismatic" and "liturgy" being combined is an anomaly. But maybe they think that because they just don't understand what charism is about. The book you recommend looks like it could provide information that would explain. It's great that you are in RCIA at this stage of your life! I was 58 when I joined two years ago. Many of us here have "come home" later rather than sooner. God bless your journey!
|
|
|
tcvaughn
Member
| Joined: | Tue Sep 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | Freedom, Pennsylvania USA |
| Posts: | 7 |
| First Name: | Tom | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Atheist; Episcopalian; Non-denominational; Charismatic Episcopalian; RCIA |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 4th, 2007 10:06 am |
|
Hi Marsha,
Thank you for your reply. Many people think the charismatic movement is some new phenomenon that started in the 20th century. It's not. It really began on the first Pentecost and has continued through the centuries. It has always been an authentic part of the Catholic faith.
When God undertakes to move His people, He almost always does it in an unexpected and surprising way. The great revival of charismatic expression at the beginning of the 20th century was no exception. Although it first manifested in Protestantism, many attribute its origin to Pope Leo XIII (see his 1897 encyclical Divinum Illud Munus).
Here is a link that might be helpful: http://www.catholic-jhb.org.za/tracts/renewal.htm
____________________
Tom
I am a very old man and my memory has gone. But I remember two things: that I am a great sinner and that Jesus is a great saviour. - John Newton
|
|
|
NotCatholic
Member
| Joined: | Thu Jul 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 79 |
| First Name: | NotCatholic | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Pentecostal,none |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Thu Nov 29th, 2007 12:53 am |
|
Well I don't want anything to do with Catholic,Protestant,Orthodox Charismatics guess I'm a bit of a cessationist. I grow up in the Pentecostal Church and with glossolalia and just thinking about it makes me a bit sick.
____________________
The attitude that nature is chaotic and that the artist puts order into it is a very absurd point of view, I think. All that we can hope for is to put some order into ourselves-Willem De Kooning
|
|
|
David W. Emery
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 2072 |
| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Thu Nov 29th, 2007 01:58 am |
|
That’s fine, NotCatholic. Just as you don’t have to be Catholic to be a member of this forum, so also you don’t have to be a charismatic to be a Catholic Christian.
David
|
|
|
Pani Rose
Member
| Joined: | Fri Oct 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Irondale, Alabama USA |
| Posts: | 544 |
| First Name: | Rose | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Ruthenian Byzantine in a Melkite Greek Catholic Parish, raised ... |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Fri Nov 30th, 2007 11:50 am |
|
NotCatholic wrote: "I loved the Mass and had a great time I do wish the Parish had a Choir but its small so I understand."
Well it sounds like they will have five in their litte music group now. Once you are acclimated and have made a decision, don't be afraid to ask if you can participate.
|
|
|
Current time is 04:11 am | Page:   1 2 3 |
|
|
|
|
|
