LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 449

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CHARISMATIC MOVEMENT AND LUTHERAN THEOLOGY

Z-03
THE CHARISMATIC MOVEMENT

AND LUTHERAN THEOLOGY

A Report of the
Commission on Theology and Church Relations
The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
January 1972

Pretave

One of the significant developments in American church lite during the
past decade has been the rapid spread of the neo-Pentecostal or chars
matic movement within the mainline churches. In che early sixnes. experi
ences and practices usually associated oaly with Pentecostal denominanons
began to appear with increasing frequency also in such churches as the
Roman Catholic. Episcopalian, and Lutheran. By the mid-nineteen-sixues.
it was apparent that this movement had also spread to some pastors and
congregations of The Lutheran Church ~ Missouri Synod. [n certain areas
of the Synod, tensions and even divisions had arisen over such neo-Pente-
costal practices as speaking in tongues, miraculous healinus. prophecy, and
the claimed possession of a special “bapasm in the Holy Spirit” At the
request of the president of the Synod. the Commission on Theology and
Church Relations in 1968 began a study of the charismane Movement with
special reference to the baptism in the Holy Spine

The 1969 synodical convention specincally directed the commission to
make a comprehensive study ot the charismatic movement with special

emphasis on its exexetical aspects and theolowical umpheanons.” It was
further suggested that ‘the Commission on Theology and Church Relations
be encouraged to involve in ats study brethren who claim to have received
the baptism of the Spine and related wifts : Resolution 2.24, 1969 Pr
seedings p90!

Since thac ume, the commission has souht in every pracucal way to
acquaint itself wath the theology of the charismauy movement. The com:
mission has proceeded on the sug position chat Lutherans iavolved in the
charismatic movement do not share ali the views of neo-Pentecostalism in
general. Accordingly, the commission has parucularly endeavored co learn
the views of representauve Lutheran charismatics and to address primary
those aspects of the charismane Movement that are a matter of interest of
concern within our Synod Members of the commission have on a number
of occasions consulted privately with Lutheran pastors who are involved in
this movement. they have studied documents, position papers, and book-
lets produced by Lutheran brethren who claim co have been bapuzed in the
Spirit. they have examined carefully orteial reports and study documents
prepared by Lutheran and non-Litheran church bodies on this subiece!
Representauves of che commission have attended portions of tO con
ferences conducted by Lutheran charismatcs. Furthermore. preliminary
deatts of this document were examined and criticized by a number or Lu-
theran charismane pastors. The commission herewith expresses its deep
apprecianon to those pastors for their Wooperadon and assistance

With the supporc of the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship Incer
national (FGBMFI), che Blessed Trinity Society, and individuals who are
anxious to share their experiences with others, it has touched nearly every
Protestant denomination in our own country as well as in many foreign
countries. In spite of warnings by denominational leaders and even the
removal of pastors trom their charges. the movement seems co increase in
influence. Periodicals published by the FGBMFI! and other charismatic
groups carry cegular reports of pastors and laymen who clam co have ex
perienced the baptism in the Holy Spirit

Leaders of the charismatic renewal are wreatly encouraged by the tact
that the movement has also made inroads into certain intellectual centers
in America) Neo-Pentecostals frequently publicize che fact that Yale
University experienced a Pentecostal revival in October 1961 when nine
teen students and one faculty member received the baprasm in che Holy
Spirit. From Yale the movement then spread to Dartmouth, Princeton, and
other university campuses across the nation

Although the charismatic movement began to enter The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod some twenty years ago, the main thruse began in
the middle sixties. By April 1968, when the first gathering of Missour:
Synod charismatic pastors was held at Crystal Cary, Missouri, there were
44 pastors across the Synod claiming to have received the bapusm ot the
Holy Spirit. When a conference of Lutheran pastors in the charismatic
movement was held at Concordia Seminary. St. Louis, in May 1971, 1t was
estimated that there were over 200 pastors in the Synod claiming w have
received the baptism in the Holy Spirit

Lutheran charismancs, like their counterparts in other denominations,
explain that their goal 1s not to separate trom the orgamzed church but to
assist in revitalizing the church by bearing testimony to the remarkable
work the Lord is doing in their own hives through the power of the Spurit
It is their hope that che mainline churches wall regard the movement with
an open mind and incorporate it into the mainstream of the church's hte

Various attempts have been made to account for the apparent success
of the charismanc movement. Denms Bennet explains its phenomenal
growth in these words

The church is in a mess. organized Chrisuanity a talure Why’ Be-
cause the Holy Spirit has not had a fair chance to work experiential
in the church It is ume co stop relying on intellectual analyses and
to start relying on spiritual experience After all Christianity is not
an intellectual matter at all It is a purely personal and spiritual
matter?

Frederick Dale Bruner expresses the view that Protestant as well as
Roman Catholic churches since the Second Vatican Council have exercised
vigorous criticism of their own churches, especially with respect to their
irrelevancy. insticutionalism, and spiritual deadness Appeahng to harried
Protestant pastors and to spiritually malnourished Protestant and Cathohe
Jaty. neo-Pentecostal Christians claim that the power for spiritual life 1a

5

In this document, we are presenting materials that deal primarily with
bapusm in che Holy Spine, speaking im tongues. and. to a lesser degree.
miraculous healing, as these phenomena are occurring in The Lutheran
Church —Missoun Synod. The frst part presents xeneral background in-
formation on the history of che movement, its socivlogical and psychological
dimensions, and characterise theological views of Lutheran chansmaucs
The second part of this document presents an analysis of relevant Biblical
data, with particular reference co bapusm in the Holy Spirit and the nature
and purpose of spiritual gifts In the nnal part, the commission offers its
evaluation and recommendations from the perspective of Lutheran theol-
oxy. The commission hopes this document will be helpful in encouraging
further study and a proper evaluation of chis increasingly significant
movement

!. Background Information

AA Brief Histor,

About a decade avo the Christian worid became aware of a reliwious
movement that suddenly sprang up within many of the major American
denominations Perhaps che most characterisuc mark of this new move:
ment was its emphasis on an experience called the baptusm of the Holy
Spurr Because some of its basic beliefs resembled those of che Pente-
costal churches. 1t became known among the tradinonal Chrisuan denom-
inations as neo-Pentecostalism. However. the movement gradually and
Increasimely came to assume the name charismatic | In this word the neo-
Pentecostal Christians found a term that 1s both Biblical and popular with-
out bearing the suema that has often in the pase attached itself co the
emononahsm and excesses of some Pentecostals

At nest the new movement appeared to have arisen somewhat spon:
taneously, but on closer investigation it became quite evident that tradi:
gonal Pentecostaiism was having a strong induence on che charismane
movement

The ornun of neo-Pentecostalism is dithcule to trace It nese attracted
pubhe attention in 1960 when Rev Dennis Bennett, rector of St Mark s
Episcopal Church in Van Nuys. Cait. resigned his othce racher than see
his congregation divided over the pracuce of speaking in tongues by him-
selt and some members of his congregation. But this action, instead or
casing tension. seems rather to have signaled the public debut of a move-
ment that had been woing on in private since the middle ntues Reports of
similar expenences in other non-Pentecostal churches suddenly were made
known, reports that previously had been suppressed perhaps for reasons
of uncertainty about the lemtmacy of the experience or tor tear of de-
nominational censure

Since L960 this modern “charismatic renewal. as its leaders hke to call
it, has spread far bevond the Pentecostal churches. [t 1s found within such
genominauons as the Episcopalian. Presbyterian, Methodist, Baprist, Lu-
theran, and more recently, also the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox

4

the individual and in the church is to be found in the long-neglected bur
now discovered and expenenced baptism in the Holy Spirie with its charis-
mate manitestations *

A Lutheran pastor, recently won over to the MovEeMENE, states
It was obvious to me that my own ministry lacked the supernatural
power of the Holy Spine Certainly souls had been saved through
the preaching and teaching of the Gospel. Bur what about the other
works that Jesus did

B Surolocnal and Pi bologtea’ Dimenston:

Psychologists too have sought an explanation for the spectacular xrowth
experienced by the charismatic movement. Luther P Gerlach and Virgima
H. Hine. members of the Department of Anthropology at the University
of Minnesota, have produced a study in which they discount the popular
view that economic deprivanon, social disorgamzanon, and psychological
maladjustment have been primary causes in the development of this move-
mente. It ts there opimion that the success of the charsmanc revival is to be
sought rather in the dynamics of the movement itself. They point to nve
factors thar in partvular have been instrumental in the rapid growth of
nev-Pentecostalism

1 The network of frieadship. kinship, and other social ues chat unites
ministers. leaders. evangelists. and people in a’ renculate aceph-
alous organizauonal structure thar enables them to reach all
strata of society

> “Face-to-face recruitment along hnes of pre-existing significant
social relationships” Gerlach and Hine tound that relanves ac-
counted for the recruitment of $2 percent of their total sample.
and close triends for another 29 percent. “Other recrwung re-
lationships were those between neighbors, business associates.
fellow scudents. emplover-employee. or teacher-scudent, in which
previous signincant interaction had occurred

3 A strong sense of commitment that grew ouc of a transtorming act
such as the practice of ulossolala, “which set the behever apart
in some was from the larger social context, cut him off from past
patterns of behavior and someumes trom past associanons, iden-
thed him with other parucipants in the movement, and provided
high mouvaton for chanved behavior

4 Encouragement to demonstrate a boldness of spirit for promouny
the Lords work

SA psycholoxy of persecunon Among neo-Pentecostals it was
found thar ndicule, nonacceptance, or paintul erections trom
mainline denominational churches often resulted in increased
growth, on the other hand. in cases where local ofhcialdom posed
little of ao opposition, recruitment was more dithcult*

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