Charismatic Leaders Fellowship 2019
Fr. Timothy Cremeens, a priest of the Orthodox Church in America, and a regular at the CLF, presented his book, Marginalized Voices: A History o the Charismatic Movement in the Orthodox Church in North America.[2] The title tells it all. Unlike the Catholic Church whose bishops generally welcomed the Charismatic Renewal, Orthodox bishops stoutly rejected the movement, a tragic thing indeed. The negative story is important for Christians as a cautionary tale about spiritual opposition from areas that are not expected.
Rabbi (Messianic Jew) Kinzer presented his new work, Jerusalem Crucified, Jerusalem Risen.[3] Don Swenson, a trained sociologist and Alleluia Community member presented his work on the dynamics of the Alleluia Community, Alleluia!: The Return of the Prototype.[4] This is an important work for those interested in covenant communities. Yours truly was next and presented his work, The Public Prayer Station: Taking Healing to the Streets and Evangelizing the Nones.[5] I am grateful that my presentation was very well received.
Yours truly hawking his new book. Hey – this is what authors do.
The next session was presented by Peter Dripp, another elder of the Alleluia Community, who has specialized in studying ecumenism. He stressed how important unity and respect among Christians of all denominations is to fulfilling Jesus’ command for believers to be one. He noted that anger towards other Christians generally arises when we stay exclusively within our own denomination.
This was followed by a panel discussion dedicated to the progress and challenges of ecumenical unity. Various leaders gave their perspectives. Especially memorable was the presentation of a delegation of Roman Catholic priests from Brazil who reported that ecumenical cooperation between Evangelicals and Catholics is growing but still difficult in that Country. The history between the two has been one of sustained and sometimes violent opposition by the majority Catholics against the minority Evangelicals. This has greatly changed in recent years as Pentecostalism has grown in Brazil both among independent Pentecostal churches and inside the Catholic Church, where now a majority of practicing Catholics are charismatic. However, memories of persecution are still a drag on better relations.[6]
Mattei Calisi, deacon and coordinator for the Pope with Charismatic Catholics in Italy, where Protestant Catholic relations have been especially difficult, described that things are now moving to real dialogue and unity, but that much prayer and intentional relationship building is still needed. He affirmed that ultimately, it is the Holy Spirit who brings unity. Speakers indicated that real unity comes from Christians who are firm in their own denomination, yet loving and open to their brothers and sisters in other denominations.[7]
Session 5 was dedicated to the present situation in the Jewish Messianic movement, and especially to the respect and importance the dialogue between Messianic Jews and the Catholic Church has gained within the Catholic hierarchy in recent years. When the dialogue began, in the year 2000, it was considered of minor importance by the Roman Curia (governing body of the Catholic Church) but year by year it gained in prominence, shown by upgraded wording of the documents which the Catholic Church. Pope-talk uses certain key word to signify minor interest, interest, and great interest. The Messianic Jewish dialogue traversed all the degrees, and now has excellent standing.
Category: Ministry, Winter 2019
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