Most Orthodox Christians do not know who charismatics are. Apparently Protestants. Or Catholics? Some will say that charismaticism is traditional Christianity with new forms of service, while others will say that there is a terrible sect of charismatics where people are zombified, robbed and driven to suicide. Such different ideas about the people living next to us lead to misconceptions, bias and aggressive attitudes towards each other. Can Christians conflict with each other? It is useful to better understand the essence of this teaching and put an end to stereotypes.
Charismatics are a branch of Pentecostalism, Protestantism
If you try to build some continuity of religious ideas, it will look like this:
Stage 1. Judaism . This religion arose among the Mesopotamian and Canaanite movements; there are traces of Egyptian beliefs and Zoroastrianism in it. But there is a lot of its own - and so much that one cannot even say that Judaism became a direct heir to something. The path of charismatics begins from this religion.
Stage 2. Christianity . Having emerged as a Jewish sect, Christianity over the course of several centuries has transformed into the most influential world religion, which in many ways radically contradicts Judaism.
Charismatics engage in spiritual practice. Open palms are a borrowing from New Age practices that are not typical of Christianity. Photo: bigenc.ru
Stage 3. Protestantism . This is the path of Christians who decided to break with the tradition of previous centuries of Christianity. A religion that does not take into account the experience of predecessor theologians and traditions. On the one hand, this is a religious system cleared of all unnecessary things, and on the other hand, it is fertile ground for self-proclaimed “gurus” who do not need to receive spiritual education and prove their qualifications.
Stage 4. Pentecostalism . A direction in Protestantism in which the main emphasis is on spiritual experiences, human sensations during spiritual practices.
Stage 5. Charismatism . A kind of neo-Pentecostalism, the development of Pentecostalism towards a special kind of practice. But we’ll talk about what charismatics do, who they are, and when they appeared, a little later.
Now let’s make a reservation - charismatics do not necessarily consider themselves Protestants. A charismatic can be such while remaining in the bosom of Catholicism and Orthodoxy.
In delight...
The Orthodox have an authoritative author - Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov), who back in the 19th century developed the doctrine of delusion as a special type of spiritual delusion. One of the varieties of delusion is when the soul strives for the pleasures of holy and divine feelings, being completely unprepared for them. Direct merging with God without preliminary purification by repentance leads carnal people into ecstatic delight and intoxication. Achieved without labor, without repentance, without crucifixion of the flesh. Western researchers (Koch K. “Occult Slavery”, Koch K. “Between Christ and Satan”, Seraphim Rose “Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future”) note the closeness of the practice of mediumship and charismatic cults. Thus, spiritualism, the most crude and vulgar form of mediumship, has the following features: 1. Passivity: mediumistic practice, in principle, can be mastered by anyone who learns to place his body, sensation and intellect “at the disposal of the spirit that penetrates him or guides him,” i.e. . go into trance. 2. Unanimous belief: all present must be in a sympathetic mood to support the medium. When this sympathy and harmony, as well as voluntary surrender and renunciation of one’s will, is not present among the participants in the “circle,” the session fails. The number of participants in the experiment is important: the more there are, the more they disrupt the harmony necessary to introduce the medium into a trance. 3. All those present “join hands”, forming a magic circle. Through such a closed ring, each participant supplies energy with a certain force, which is transmitted to the medium. However, such a circle is not needed by a very strong medium. H. Blavatsky, herself a medium, ridiculed the primitive practice of spiritualism when she later encountered the more powerful mediums of the East. 4. The necessary spiritualistic atmosphere is usually created by artificial methods (singing hymns, listening to music, joint prayer, etc.)
Charismatics are not a sect, but a movement in Christianity
Very often outsiders call charismatics a sect. It is not correct. Only an incompetent person demonstrating his ignorance could make such a statement. Let's turn to scientific opinion. Alexander Buganov in his “Handbook of Heresies, Sects and Schisms” reports:
“A sect is considered to be an organized society of people whose views agree with each other and are opposed to the dominant Church. This word is usually used in relation to a group of persons who follow a certain teaching.”
Alexander Buganov
writer
The author goes on to say that the sect is gradually distancing itself from the “mother religion” due to the development of some heretical idea:
“In the event of a break with the Church, in the process of further isolation, the confrontation acquired the character of disagreement not in any particular point, but already concerned the teaching as a whole. Having separated from the Church, heresies, as a rule, split into separate factions with a more closed organization. Therefore, the use of the term “sect” in relation to heresies is probably permissible only at this second stage of their development.”
Alexander Buganov
writer
So, a sect is a closed organization and it opposes the dominant religion. It must also be recognized as a sect at the state level. No other confession has the right to call this or that religion a sect.
The icon of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles depicts the event when the apostles received the opportunity to speak different languages. It was this episode that gave impetus to the emergence of Pentecostals and charismatics. Photo: hramermogen.ru
The charismatic church does not oppose itself to Christianity, but only offers its own view on aspects of worship and dogma. This is a normal phenomenon within the tradition, in which there is nothing reprehensible.
Charismatics are recognized throughout the world and officially registered by the state. It is ironic that the so-called sect scholars who publish biased and aggressive attacks against charismatics do not themselves officially exist.
The Christian Church does not include sectarians in its structure, and the classifier of professions does not mention such “specialists.” Therefore, such attacks on charismatics, Pentecostal Baptists, etc. They only reflect the subjective opinion of critics and have nothing to do with Christianity.
How to get into a sect: 9 tips to avoid it
The connection between the practices of charismatics and mediums
A more careful analysis shows that the practice of charismatics coincides with the practice of mediums (the ability to clairvoyance, hypnotism, “miraculous” healing and other paranormal abilities). Mediumship healing can be learned and trained, it is associated with a certain system of techniques. They can be obtained by inheritance or through contact with someone who has such abilities, even through reading special occult literature. Many mediums claim that their gift is not connected with the realm of the supernatural, but comes from that area of the natural, which is practically unknown. Orthodox theologians insist that mediums turn to the sphere of “fallen spirits”, that God has forbidden man to communicate with occult areas (Deut. 18:10-12. Also Leviticus 20:6). Contact with occult phenomena has nothing to do with the Christian desire for the salvation of the soul.
Charismatic churches emerged from other traditions out of a thirst for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
The roots of the charismatic movement go back to the book of Acts. There is an episode that took place approximately the fiftieth day after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The “approximately” clause is needed because the text makes it possible to calculate the date in different ways.
On this day the apostles gathered in the house in the company of many witnesses. Then something strange happened:
“...suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as if from a rushing strong wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And cloven tongues as of fire appeared to them, and one rested on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
(Acts 2:2-4)
The disciples of Christ from that moment gained many opportunities, including:
- heal illnesses;
- cast out demons;
- speak different languages.
Charismatics love to add musical numbers to religious programs; this creates an uplifting mood among the audience.
Photo: i.ytimg.com Some observers mocked the behavior of the apostles and said that they were drunk on sweet wine.
Here it is necessary to clarify that the Wine is sweet due to the peculiarities of the translation. In ancient Israel there were over ten terms for different states of wine and grape juice. There is no such abundance in other languages, and therefore sometimes it is quite difficult for translators to explain what kind of drink was meant.
Pentecostals singled out this episode, holding that:
- The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the culmination of the Christian's journey;
- Therefore, the most important thing for a person is to strive for this state;
- An important feature of it is the ability to speak in other languages.
Upon reaching the state of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, Pentecostals experience euphoria, hallucinations, and other unusual experiences.
This idea was adopted by charismatic churches.
Healing and spiritualism
But the same patterns can be found in a healing session among Pentecostals. The American doctor “Kashpirovsky” - Orwell Roberts, with the help of a real “magic circle” of people who were in a sympathetic mood, creating harmony and putting their hands on the TV during his programs, produced “miraculous healings” that were successful even if the patients only drank a glass of water standing on the TV (paying, however, later for it with mental and physical disorders). All the requirements necessary for a spiritualistic session are fulfilled in the liturgical practice of charismatics: 1. Passivity takes such hold of some communities that they completely abandon the church organization and any routine of worship, and in everything they absolutely obey the instructions of the “spirit.” 2. Community of faith presupposes a special attitude of expectation of “charismatic” phenomena of all those present. The “Baptism of the Holy Spirit” is usually carried out in a small room, with a small number of participants already familiar with similar experiences. The presence of at least one person who has a negative attitude towards the procedure is enough to prevent “baptism” from happening. Even one person can disrupt the mutual induction process. 3. The spiritualist “magic circle” corresponds to the “laying on of hands” among Pentecostals, which is performed only by those who have already been “baptized” and experienced the state of “speaking” in tongues. Among spiritualists they correspond to mediums. 4. “Charismatic”, like “spiritual” atmosphere is created with the help of suggestive hymns and prayers, clapping hands, dancing, creating the effect of increasing excitement, similar to intoxication, preparing the transition to a trance. Very reminiscent of the Khlyst “zeal” on their “ships”. It can be said with complete certainty that the charismatic movements have discovered a whole set of mediumistic techniques that help to enter and remain in such a psychological state when “miraculous gifts” become habitual. In other words, the “laying on of hands”, which is a condition for achieving the state of “speaking in tongues,” is the transfer of the mediumistic gift by those who have already received it and have become a medium themselves. Baptism with the “Holy Spirit” is a mediumistic initiation, a kind of initiation of an adept into the occult world. The charismatic revival merges with the occult movement and Eastern religions, which marks the triumph of paganism. Pentecostalism, the most striking form of “possession by spirits,” as we mentioned, arose on the outskirts of sectarian Christianity as a result of a religious experiment; it legitimized among Christians the “prestigious experiences” of cheap and easy initiation - without repentance, without awareness of one’s own sinfulness. At the dawn of its youth, Christianity prohibited contacts with the occult kingdom, considering it the kingdom of demons, demons, and lower powers. The call of these forces of St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov) called delusion, spiritual lust, temptation. Their psychological equivalent is spiritual complacency, complacency, and passivity. To be continued. Literature: Andrey Kuraev, deacon. Protestants about Orthodoxy. – M., 1997. P. 46. Narizhny Yu.A. Neoreligions as a sociocultural phenomenon. – Dnepropetrovsk, 2004 P. 66. Meeting with the unknown. Supernatural world and reality. – Kyiv, 1994, p. 178.
Charismatics came out of Pentecostals, but added New Age ideas to Christianity
The word “charismatic” itself is very similar to “charisma”. This is not accidental: both go back to the concept of “gift”, that is, in the case of charismatics, it is understood that they receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
In 1960, priest Denis Bennett began the charismatic movement when he spoke in a sermon about his experience of speaking in tongues. This gave a strong impetus to the fact that many believers began to achieve the same.
1960 - the year that gave birth to the charismatic movement
Initially, charismatics did not position themselves as a separate movement of Christianity. On the contrary, they stayed within their own denominations, but made receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit their main goal in spiritual life. Gradually, communities of people whose interests coincided were formed. In 1962, the first influential charismatic community, “Source of Faith,” arose in England.
Charismatics differ from Pentecostals in that they have adopted many New Age practices. These are exercises that go back to shamanism and eastern spiritual practices. Among them:
- “Holy laughter” is causeless collective laughter. It is very contagious if you continue for too long.
- “Drunkenness in the spirit” goes back to the story of the apostles. You have to act like you're drunk. It means that the person is not pretending, but it is the Holy Spirit who manifests himself through him.
- “Dancing in the Spirit”—dancing and singing in general constitute an important part of practice for charismatics. They set people up for a positive wave.
- “Spiritual birth” - those present begin to scream and writhe, imitating the birth process.
Here is how the founder and pastor of the charismatic Word of Life Church comments:
“When the Holy Spirit breaks through a person, he experiences something like physical pain, like a woman in the throes of birth. When the Lord puts us in this state, we think we have gone crazy. We roll around on the floor, we scream in anxiety, squealing like a pig being slaughtered. This is an incredibly powerful prayer, and the devil hates it. He yells at us that we are crazy and fanatics."
For conservative Pentecostals, such things are unacceptable. And in general, I must admit, from the outside, the actions of charismatics are very similar to a collection of people with serious mental problems. But from the inside, of course, all this is perceived differently - a kind of religion with humor, which in addition promises an easily accessible spiritual awakening.
Charismatics seek spiritual achievement without effort.
This is a common feature of most New Age movements: do a couple of simple exercises twice a day in anticipation of stunning results. Only practitioners do not realize that the original spiritual teachings always presupposed a complex path of asceticism and work on oneself, and all sorts of simple paths are nothing more than a linden tree.
Actually, Pentecostals are also convinced that the spiritual transformation of a person is not given for nothing, but occurs through great internal efforts. Charismatics approach everything easily and formally, putting practice at the forefront of everything.
The foundation remains standard Protestant. There is the idea of salvation without the participation of the church and the belief that only the Holy Scriptures have authority.
Charismatic sect "New Generation"
Since the founding of the Church on earth by Christ the Savior, Who Himself is the Foundation, many different heresies have appeared in the past and are emerging today, opposing the truth of God, and therefore Christ Himself.
But everything new is well-forgotten old, as Ecclesiastes says about this: “There is nothing new under the sun” (Eccl. 1:9). In this sense, the charismatic sect “New Generation” and its errors in matters of ecclesiology, Christology, and its teaching about the gifts of the Holy Spirit are far from new. In the works of the Fathers of the Church - Saints Irenaeus of Lyons, Athanasius the Great, Basil the Great and others - we find answers to the heretical errors of that time, which are close, and sometimes even exactly coincide with the spirit of the errors of modern charismatics in general and in particular with what the sect teaches " New Generation".
The Fathers of the Church, refuting this or that error, took as a basis the letters, treatises, documents of heretics and in their writings showed what their error was and how the Church understood this or that doctrinal issue. In this work we will follow the methodology of the fathers and teachers of the Church.
Let's look at the internal documents of the charismatic sect “New Generation”. It is no coincidence that internal documents of the charismatic sect were taken for analytical study, since they serve as a methodological tool for training the leaders of the sect and on their basis all the heretical delusions that are subsequently transmitted to ordinary members of the “New Generation” are built. It is from these manual documents that the religious-ideological system of the entire movement, which they call the “church,” is subsequently formed.
The study of internal documents of the “New Generation” sect makes it possible to see the entire inconsistency of its teachings, its false dogmatic aspects, which is the goal of our work.
We will examine the false teaching about the Church, spiritual gifts, Tradition and give a refutation and indication of errors, remembering the words of the Apostle James: “Brothers! If any of you deviates from the truth, and someone converts him, let him know that he who converts a sinner from his false path will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (James 5: 19-20). The analytical study is structured as follows: a particular text of the manual is examined, a comprehensive answer is given, and the misconception is not simply pointed out, but also what it consists of is analyzed. This will help teachers of sect studies, missionaries, catechists, as well as a person who has fallen into a sect and wants to join the Russian Orthodox Church, to understand the false teachings of the “New Generation” sect. This is the practical significance of this study.
The history of the emergence of the “New Generation” sect
Charles Parham
The Pentecostal sect and its heretical teaching, which we observe at the present stage, arose at the beginning of the twentieth century. But, according to researchers, it “has its harbingers in the 19th century”[1]. And considering the emergence of charismaticism historically, we will encounter elements of false charisma in the teaching about the Holy Spirit already in the Ancient Church - in such a movement as Montanism.
Initially, the group of Pentecostal sects was called the “Second Descent of the Holy Spirit Movement, similar to the Day of Pentecost”[2]. One of its founders was the Methodist minister Charles Parham, thanks to whom the exact date of the founding of the Pentecostal movement is known: 7 pm on the eve of 1901. Charles Parham, comparing the ministry of the apostles with the ministry of modern preachers, asked the question: “Why do not modern preachers have the same gifts?” Answering it, he came to the conclusion that “the Christians of the first century possessed some kind of “secret of power” that they have now lost”[3]. Gradually, a group of “seekers of apostolic Christianity” gathered around this preacher. Even a small school was founded, consisting of 30 teachers and a few students, who decided that this secret lay in the “speaking in tongues”, which, as they thought, always accompanied the “reception of the Holy Spirit” in the Acts of the Apostles.[4] Having come to this conclusion, Parham's followers began to pray intensely for "the sending down of the gifts of the Holy Spirit" until "they themselves received the baptism of the Holy Spirit."[5] And on New Year's Eve 1901, one of the students, Agnes I. Ozmen, suggested that the experiment was missing the laying on of hands. After Parham's "laying on of hands" and prayer, she spoke in an "unknown tongue"[6]. Then, over the course of three days, several more people received the “gifts of the Holy Spirit” in the same way. It should be noted that Parham himself did not come up with anything original. He "borrowed" many of his teachings from the so-called Fire-Baptized Holiness Association, of which he was a member from 1899 to 1900.[7]
At the same time, other Pentecostal movements appeared. In 1886 N.S. Religion founded the United Holy Church of America for the black population of the United States. In 1880, in the city of Anderson (Indiana), D.S. Warner founded the Church of God.[8] In addition to these, other communities also appeared. Therefore, among researchers of Pentecostalism there is no consensus on the time of the emergence of the sect, but most agree that the sect was organized at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries simultaneously in different cities of the United States, and only later appeared in Europe and Russia.
Alexey Ledyaev, founder and senior pastor of the New Generation sect, was born in 1959 into a Baptist family in Alma-Ata. Later, in the 1980s, he moved to Riga, where he joined the local Evangelical Christian Baptist church. A few years later he experienced “the baptism of the holy spirit” (in the understanding characteristic of Pentecostals). After that, he joined the Pentecostal church, which he headed later - after its pastor Nikolai Shevchuk emigrated to Sweden. He began to gradually introduce elements of charismatic worship into the Pentecostal church (clapping hands, dancing, loud prayers), which caused discontent among conservative Pentecostal ministers. By decision of the council of bishops, Alexey Ledyaev was removed from ministry and soon founded a new church with those who joined him (autumn 1989).
His teaching is close to the teaching of the “Faith Movement”, since in the early years he was greatly influenced by Pastor Ulf Ekman (Uppsala, Sweden) and the Word of Life church community founded by the latter. Gradually, the “New Generation” distanced itself from other charismatic movements and proclaimed the individuality of theology, after which ROSHVE officially announced the severance of ties and relations with this preacher and the churches he founded.
The False Concept of Grace
The Church has already been created by the Lord and, according to His word, is invincible. So why create it again now?
The New Generation Church Bible School, in an internal manual entitled “The Gifts and Ministry of the Holy Spirit,” advises its pastors, leaders, and followers to begin building a church. So, in section 1.1. the following is said: “It is His unexpected invasion that confirms the right to build the church according to His will.”[9] The following is a text from the Gospel in which the Lord Jesus Christ says: “I will build my Church” [10] - the Gospel text is interrupted at this point for some reason, and the author of the manual decides to finish it himself, at his own discretion: “it is with gifts that He builds it "[eleven]. But in the Gospel the Savior says: “I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Taking text out of context is not accidental. After all, if the Church, according to the teaching of the Apostle Paul, is the “Body of Christ,” and according to the word of Christ, it is invincible, even if hell itself enters it, then the question naturally arises: why build when it has already been built? Why create when it has already been created? And, according to the Creator’s definition, it cannot be destroyed, but, on the contrary, is “the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Tim. 3: 15). The Savior always and everywhere taught about one Church, one “sheepfold” (John 10: 1), about “one flock” (John 10: 7–17), about “one vine” (John 15: 1– 6). “One Lord, one faith, one baptism,” writes the Apostle Paul (Eph. 4:5).
The unexpected invasion of the Holy Spirit, according to the author of the manual, gives the right to build a church[12]. Strange reasoning. If we turn to the Holy Scriptures, we see just the opposite. God does not invade a person’s life, but gradually prepares him to meet Him. Even when in the history of mankind corruption reached its apogee, for example during the life of the antediluvian people, Noah builds an ark (a symbol of the Church), preparing humanity for 120 years with a sermon about destruction and the possibility of salvation. The Old Testament Law, the purpose of which is to be a “schoolmaster to Christ” (Gal. 3: 24), has been preparing people for thousands of years to accept the Messiah. And Christ Himself came into the world as a Baby. All this can hardly be called an “unexpected invasion.” Even when Christ spoke about the end of this world, He still pointed to the signs of His Coming. The Savior does not invade and does not violate the free will of man, which He endowed him with at creation. Christ promises to send into the world the “Comforter Spirit” (John 14:26), who will not break in, but “guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him, and he with Me” (Rev. 3:20). He does not break down the door, but rather knocks, humbly waiting for the doors that He created to be opened to Him.
Further, the author of the manual writes: “The characteristic of the action of DS gifts is unpredictability”[13]. One can hardly agree with this statement. The Lord Jesus Christ, after His glorious Resurrection, appeared to the apostles for 40 days, instructing them and preparing them to receive the Holy Spirit. And he did not say: “Wait for the unpredictability - and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,” but on the contrary: “And, having gathered them, He commanded them: do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for what was promised from the Father, which you heard from Me, for John baptized with water and you, a few days after this, will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1: 4–5). Where is the unpredictability in these words? Rather, the inattention of the researcher of the Bible texts leads to such sudden conclusions. Such a rush can cost Eternity. The Savior taught: “Search the Scriptures, for through them you think that you have eternal life” (John 5:39). And the author of the manual himself further calls for this: “you need to fill yourself with the word of God... read the Bible”[14]. If so, then it is incomprehensible how one can not see the obvious texts, especially those that relate to the founding of the Church and its structure. We will return to the question of the Church and the cause of blindness in Bible study.
It turns out that the “gift of the Spirit” is the ability to manipulate people. Then is it from God?
The following sections of the manual (2, 3, 4) speak in theses, the meaning of which is quite chaotic and contradictory. For example, in the section entitled “It is the gifts of the Holy Spirit that determine (qualify) our calling and exact coordinates in the Body of Christ” the following is written: “Your gift, that is, what you can do well...”. We can agree with this. But further: “...he will elevate you above others”[15]. And this is the form in which this elevation is supposed to be realized: “A dentist can tell a person: “Open your mouth,” and he will obey” [16]. This leads to the conclusion: is this a gift for manipulating people? In that case, is it from God? And this thesis ends, in complete contradiction to the above, with a quote from the Apostle Paul: “Reach one another above yourselves” (Phil. 2: 3) [17]. How is it possible: towering above others, while forcing everyone to open their mouths, while at the same time honoring others above oneself? I would like to ask the author whether he himself read what he wrote?
Next, the author of the manual returns to the question of the Church. “The Church,” in his opinion, “is a unique combination of active various gifts of God, and not an aggregation of people”[18]. To give such a definition of the Church, one must possess some apparently “extraordinary gift.” Perhaps it is precisely on these principles and concepts that the construction of a “new church” is proposed. But that Church, the beginning of which was laid by Christ and of which He Himself is the foundation, consisted precisely of the apostles and the people. They were gathered by Christ Himself, enlightened by His light in Baptism and sealed by the Holy Spirit. “All the believers were together... For a whole year they gathered in church and taught a considerable number of people, and the disciples in Antioch for the first time began to be called Christians” (Acts 2:44; 11:26). The Church consists of believers - Christians, and not of “active unique combinations”. The author of the manual may have overdid it in reading a famous work or watching a film about the “great schemer” - the main character in the novel “12 Chairs” by I. Ilf and E. Petrov. It’s good that I didn’t get to the “Grand Inquisitor”. Although this spirit is already blowing, as follows from the following thesis: “Thanks to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we will take this land for God”; “...Give me a foothold, and I will turn the whole world upside down”[19].
In this hierarchy of “wisdom,” politics and money come first. Something to think about
I wonder what this takeover and coup will look like? Maybe like in Kyiv, where supporters of the charismatic movement took to the streets under the flags of the “Orange Revolution”? Who knows. However, in the section “A Natural Platform for the Expression of the Gift of the Word of Wisdom”[20] it states: “Wisdom is the creative creative force in politics, in business, in the church, in the family... We will take this earth for God.”[21]. In this hierarchy of “wisdom,” politics and money come first. There is something to think about. And “to take the earth for God”... But it already belongs to Him - by right of the Creator: “In the beginning God created heaven and earth” (Gen. 1: 1).
“Man,” declares the author of the manual, “is (body plus spirit)”[22]. Again, the Apostle Paul was not read carefully! Man is not only body and spirit, but he is spirit, soul and body.
And with the reading of 3 Kings. 17 – difficulties again. The prophet Elijah is credited with saying words that he did not say: “The widow of Zarephath was in debt. The Prophet asked: “What do you have?” That is, you need a fulcrum. “The oil is in the jug,” answered the widow. “Then let’s start with this,” said the prophet.”[23] The author refers to a book by C. Hagin, who wrote about the natural platform for supernatural gifts. Why, when creating a platform for gifts, distort and distort the texts of Scripture? Talking about the big truth, starting with little lies? The natural fulcrum is the oil in the jug! With such a liberal, to put it mildly, approach to the texts of Divine Revelation, how not to slip on this “natural fulcrum” and suffer shipwreck in faith!
When it comes to faith, the author of the manual quotes many texts from the Bible and comments on them in a less willful manner. But how to understand the expression: “The gift of faith is when God raises the level of your faith to the level of His Faith”[24]? What level is God, and what kind of faith does God need?! He - God - is self-sufficient and does not need any movement or ascension. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). What assurance does God need, and what does He not see? It's a strange kind of faith. God is omnipresent, omniscient and omniscient. A person needs faith. “Faith unites a person with God, overcoming the division that was caused by sin. After the Fall, a person has to be guided in his life “by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor. 5: 7), since “vision” for the sinner turns out to be darkened - “now we see through a dark glass” (1 Cor. 13: 12)”[25].
Contemplation “face to face” (1 Cor. 12:13) in this life is not available in the fullness in which it will be revealed to believers in an eschatological perspective.
If someone says that God believes in man, then let him confirm his words with the Holy Scriptures. There are no such words in the Bible: “Man, I believe in you.” So who does God believe in, and where is this level to which they are advised to rise? If God has His level of faith, it means that He has not yet achieved something or does not know something about Himself. A ridiculous delusion! So it is not far from humanism - the religion of man-theism, when God is reduced to the level of man by attributing human qualities to him, and then completely denied. Yes, “the great mystery of godliness: God appeared in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16), but He was like us “in everything except sin” (Heb. 4:15), and faith was given as a gift for overcoming sin, but there was no sin in Him. What level of faith does God have? And what sin must He overcome through His faith?
For some reason, the author of the manual does not like the word “religion”. “Monotony is religiosity”[26]. It is possible that ignorance of the meaning of the word “religion” leads to such a conclusion. In the life of a Christian there would be more such constant religious “monotony”. Religion is a word of Latin origin: religio - and means: “conscientiousness, piety,” “to unite, bind.” If you connect your life with God, then such monotony is happiness. It leads to a variety of religious experiences. In the Bible it is called walking with God and imitating the life of the righteous, transforming into the image of the Second Adam, instilling the boldness of faith to exclaim with the Apostle Paul: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). If religiosity in this sense is monotony, then the search for diversity outside of religion is, in essence, a willingness to oscillate between faith and unbelief, righteousness and sin, light and darkness. A Christian does not seek various experiences outside of religion, outside of God. And everything that he receives of value, he receives from Him with gratitude. According to the interpretation of the holy fathers, even the future future is not repetition, monotony, but, on the contrary, endless diversity in God and with God. Anyone who in religion, in connection with God, has not found the good that he was looking for, has essentially renounced God, for he considers anything outside of God to be good for himself. The believer accepts everything he has (both spiritual and material) as if from the hands of God and thanks for everything, seeing His Providence in it.
In the very first section of the manual, which can be called an introduction, because the main part is devoted to the topic “Gifts and the ministry of the Holy Spirit” corresponding to the title, it is written: “Fruits are primary, gifts are secondary”[27]. And again: “When I know that I will be rewarded for my work, I have an incentive to work. When there is no incentive, then it will be like in religion or like in Soviet times.”
Everything is completely mixed up here. First the gift, then the fruit. God gives the gift of life to man, the gift of faith, knowledge, wisdom... The spirit is primary, the form is secondary. So, fruits are the fruits of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Let us remember the parable of the talents, how Christ, warning about false prophets, said: “By their fruits you will know them” (Matthew 7:16) - what kind of spirit they are. A gift is known by its fruits: whether it is from God or not. Fruit is an action that is embodied as a result of the spirit a person has acquired.
This is the psychology of a mercenary. And the mercenary always rises above the Lord with the claim: “God owes me!”
And about the incentive to work for gifts, for a reward, we can say that such a state in the Gospel is called “mercenary work,” and being a mercenary is worse than being a slave and a friend. With a mercenary, God is always a debtor; a person with such a psychology rises above God with the claim: “After all, He owes me.” The words of the Gospel have been forgotten, where it is said that “we are worthless slaves, because we did what we had to do” (Luke 17:10).
Further in the manual it is written that it is very difficult to understand: “Fruits characterize a person, his righteousness” ... - well, you can kind of skip this, but then: “Gifts characterize God”[28]. What is this and what is it about?
All attempts to create some other church are nothing more than a utopian idea that contradicts the words of the inspired Scripture: “For no one can lay any other foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11).
It is impossible to say unequivocally that everything in the manual is bad. There is correct advice and accurate biblical quotes, but when they are separated from the Church, the understanding of Holy Scripture and, accordingly, its interpretation become arbitrary, which leads to errors.
One can completely agree with the author that “any of our... interference in God’s plans ends in ugliness”[29]. Yes, attempts to understand the Bible outside the Church lead to errors. Outside of Church Tradition, correct understanding and perception of Holy Scripture is impossible. Vladimir Lossky, speaking about Tradition, argued: “If Scripture and everything that can be said in writing or other symbols are different ways of expressing the Truth, then Sacred Tradition is the only way to perceive the Truth: “no one can call (know) Jesus Lord , as soon as by the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 12: 3)... So, we can give a precise definition of Tradition, saying that it is the life of the Holy Spirit in the Church, life that gives every believer the ability to hear, accept, know the Truth in its inherent Light, and not in the natural light of the human mind."[30]
Misconceptions about healing and miracles
The next section of the manual is about the gift of healing. It states: “Healing is an integral part of evangelism.”[31] After reading this section, we can conclude that after Christ’s death on the Cross, a person’s illness is simply a misunderstanding. “Healing is part of our preaching.”[32] Everyone must be healed - this is like “proof” of one’s fellow men. Therefore, every Christian can and even is obliged to boldly ask God for healing by laying hands on the sick person. The custom of laying hands on a person’s head with a prayer for the descent of the Holy Spirit is presented here as normative. “The laying on of hands is not a matter of our heroism, but a matter of love.”[33] Blessings with the laying on of hands in the Orthodox tradition are performed only by bishops and priests. Here, the laying on of hands, as we see, is not just recommended, but urgently required from every follower of this neo-Pentecostal movement. And the right to make such an arbitrary decision is given to them by their own idea of a universal priesthood.
Next in the manual there is a section on miracles - there is just some kind of frantic pursuit of miracles.
According to the author of the manual, “the gift of miracles is necessary”, “the gift of miracles expands the range of ministry”, it is recommended to constantly look for miracles, think about them, and be delighted. “We must talk about the miracles of God, admire them, so that they become part of our consciousness”[34]. “A miracle is a catalyst for faith”[35].
It is very dangerous to base your faith on the fact of a miracle. After all, there are also false miracles. Not everything from heaven is from God
Hence the following is obvious: if there is no miracle, faith will be lost. A person who builds his faith on the desire to see and feel miracles and signs will be disappointed if he does not receive another miracle, because then despondency and “shipwreck in faith” will follow (1 Tim. 1: 19).
During Christ's earthly life, people often demanded signs and wonders from Him. The Savior lamented: “You will not believe unless you see signs and wonders” (John 4:48). People's consciousness was so accustomed to looking for miracles and their minds became clouded to such an extent that they just wanted to enjoy the delight of the next miracle. They said to the Savior hanging on the Cross: “Let him now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe” (Mark 15:32).
Christ did not perform a miracle for the sake of a miracle. And the apostles did not chase after them. Thus, the Apostle Paul in the First Epistle to the Corinthians writes: “For both the Jews demand miracles, and the Greeks seek wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified” (1 Cor. 1: 22–23). It is very dangerous to base your faith on the fact of a miracle. After all, there are also false miracles. Not everything that is from heaven is from God. Both our Lord Jesus Christ and the apostles warned about false prophets and false signs: “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24).
(To be continued.)
Most of the practices of charismatic churches are typical works of consciousness change
If you look at the recording of Osho’s dynamic meditations and the typical mass practice of charismatics, it will become clear that we are talking about absolutely the same actions with consciousness. It doesn’t matter whether it is presented under the cover of Christian or Eastern faith. You can see what dynamic meditation looks like in the video:
Link to video:
Moreover, all the same techniques for working with consciousness are used in ordinary self-development seminars, where there is no religious background. It turns out that the Holy Spirit had nothing to do with it. It is enough to deposit a certain amount, and a couple of instructors will introduce you to all the necessary states: uncontrollable laughter, dancing, and show you many other spiritual exercises.
In fact, it’s not so scary if it helps a person relax and feel involved in something sublime. Even if this requires some kind of contribution to the church or payment for attending seminars, there is nothing creepy about it.
But it’s bad when a person replaces real spiritual quests and work on himself with such practices. This surrogate prevents a person from striving to become better. When it seems to you that there are only a couple of dances left before the real Divine consciousness, this is the road to nowhere. Therefore you need to understand:
- The spiritual path involves working on yourself.
- Exercise will not replace it.
Otherwise, a person's religious life boils down to mass madness in public. This is clearly not the way of Jesus Christ, but the Bible, in which only the gift is important, is an incorrect, one-sided and harmful interpretation.
Prosperity Teaching
Prosperity teaching is very important to charismatics. This is a typical New Age concept: if the Holy Spirit has manifested itself in a person, then everything will now go like clockwork. There will be no problems with money, health, personal life, etc.
God opens up to such a person and constantly “pampers” him. And if you are poor and have health problems, then it is not the government or medicine that is to blame, but only the fact that you did not practice enough. Practice, dance, sing - and your worldview will take the right point, and life will improve.
The believer has two paths:
- Self-hypnosis . Believe that everything is good, even if everything is bad.
- Depression . A believer sooner or later becomes disappointed in his abilities due to the fact that he does not experience happiness. This poses serious problems.
Charismatic Church in Beloozersk. Photo: photocdn.photogoroda.com
Many people after charismatic churches need help
Unscrupulous shepherds of the charismatic church often abuse their position:
- They require contributions.
- They are forbidden to go to doctors, because, according to charismatics, they can cure everything themselves.
- They suppress the will in a person.
Of course, this is a question of specific individuals, and not of the movement as a whole. Orthodoxy also has its share of unscrupulous priests. But still, statistically, it is primarily from charismatic churches that people end up in a rehabilitation center, or even commit suicide.
Because of these aspects, representatives of the charismatic movement are under constant threat.
“Speaking in different languages,” shamanism and simple deception
Analysis of the mechanism of occurrence of such a state shows that it does not at all arise spontaneously or arbitrarily, but can be completely organized, deliberately caused with the help of professionally performed techniques. Such frequently used techniques include: concentrated group prayer, the incessant repetition of one phrase (a kind of individual or collective “mantra”), the deliberate muttering of inarticulate and meaningless syllables that serve as a “master key” to the mysterious area where “speaking in tongues” occurs. They represent an arsenal of psychological and physiological techniques close to the shamanic practice of immersion in trance. Orthodox theologians insist on the non-Christian nature of the practice of the charismatic movement precisely because it lacks the practice of repentance and confession of one’s sins, but pride, a sense of self-sufficiency, and self-satisfaction are powerfully manifested.
In Russia, charismatic churches are closely related to Pentecostals due to the nuances of registration
Charismatic churches themselves have no unity. They may differ in dogma and practice, so much of the above may not apply to some organizations. Charismatic communities are too independent of each other.
Religious scholars find it difficult to classify charismatic churches.
The situation in our country is also complicated by the fact that during the years of the collapse of the USSR, a number of charismatic communities called themselves Pentecostal movements to speed up the registration procedure. The confusion continues to this day.
To avoid confusion with Pentecostals, charismatics often call themselves evangelical Christians.
Charismatics emphasize miracles, Orthodoxy emphasizes faith
Now a little about the relationship between charismatics and Orthodoxy. Orthodoxy in itself has nothing to do with charismatics. Within the tradition there are no instructions about relationships with other Christians. This will no longer be Christianity, but the experience of church practice.
As for the Orthodox clergy, they usually speak negatively about charismatics. However, there are few points of contact. Charismatics emphasize mystical experiences. For a charismatic, it is important that there is not only blind faith, but also confirmation from above. “If God exists,” the charismatic argues, “then why doesn’t He prove it? Let him send a sign. It doesn’t cost him anything!” That's why charismatics hunt for miracles.
These miracles are sometimes dubious. The same speaking in different languages is also found among those possessed by the devil. And most of their experiences are ordinary mental phenomena.
The ability to speak different languages also occurs among those possessed.
The Orthodox are convinced that there is spiritual delusion - all sorts of miracles and states that distract the believer from the main thing. It is proposed to renounce them and indulge in sometimes truly blind faith, without requiring any evidence.
Priest Alexander (Shramko) soberly reflects on the relationship between charismatics and Orthodox Christians.
“Charismatic movements also exist within traditional faiths. They already exist in the Russian Orthodox Church. But here, too, one should not immediately raise the question of the “struggle for the purity of faith,” which usually comes down to prohibitions and reprimands. It would be right to create an atmosphere of tolerance so that supporters of a particular movement have the opportunity not only to explain themselves, but also to be heard. And then the Church can develop a joint opinion on how alien or acceptable this experience is within the Orthodox tradition. Opinion, but not “organizational conclusions”.
Unfortunately, in fear of the latter, charismatics in the Orthodox Church try to hush up their true views or externally adjust them to generally accepted concepts, hiding the internal background. Another way on their part is to promote their projects behind the scenes, attracting the interest of some influential hierarchs and church officials, who are often ready to accept anything, as long as the main essence and delicate details remain within a narrow circle and do not become available to the wider church public. All this, of course, leads to falsehood and actual betrayal of the Church, which is simply being fooled. The same questions, honestly presented to a general and benevolent court, could become evidence of the conciliarity and vitality of the Church.”
Alexander (Shramko)
Priest
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