The Ecumenical Significance of the Charismatic Movement

Daniel J. Kim (Asian Center for Theological Studies and Mission, Mission Theology and Spiritual Theology)

I. Introduction

The Pentecost event in Acts 2 signifies a common root for the charismatic movement and the ecumenical movement. The mighty coming of the Spirit upon God’s people with his manifest presence through signs and wonders provides a model for the charismatic movement. The supernatural power of the Spirit enabling God’s people to speak in the languages of many nationalities gathered in Jerusalem symbolizes the universality of the church, and thus provides a model for the ecumenical movement. Both the charismatic movement and the ecumenical movement, then, claim their foundation on the Spirit’s sovereign action. Moreover, it is significant that both the charismatic 342 복음과 선교 제22집

movement and the modern ecumenical movement find their origin at the turn of the 20th century. “At the very time when the earliest Pentecostal experience was striking vibrant echoes amongst people in Los Angeles, more dignified and respectable gentlemen of church affairs were planning meeting and events which would ultimately have great importance for the ecumenical movement.”1) Their original goals were essentially the same: the evangelism of the whole world. However, their understandings of the Spirit’s means and emphases to accomplish that goal were quite different. While the ecumenical movement relied on a more formal institutional means, the early Pentecostals were more informal and experience­oriented. While the ecumenical community emphasized the visible and structural unity of the church, the Pentecostals emphasized spiritual renewal and empowerment of the church. “The sad thing seems to be that these two dynamic new elements in the life of the church stood so far apart. The exciting fresh possibility is that after (so long) there may be points of convergence for both.”2) It is the purpose of this thesis, then, to discuss the converging aspects of these two movements. Specifically, this thesis will show how the charismatic movement may help bring vitality

1) Rex Davis, Locusts and Wild Honey: The Charismatic Renewal and the Ecumenical Movement (Geneva, Switzerland: WCC, 1978), p. 24. 2) Davis, Locusts and Wild Honey, p. 25. Daniel J. Kim, The Ecumenical Significance of the Charismatic Movement 343

and unity to the church so as to help restore the original vision of ecumenical movement: the world evangelism and mission. Here, by charismatic movement, I mean to imply the movement which emerged in the mainline denominations during the 1960’s and the 1970’s, and which finds its linkage to the preceding movement known as the Pentecostal movement. This is the extent of the scope of this thesis, and excludes any direct linkage to the so­called “New Apostolic Reformation”3) movement which emerged at the turn of the 21st century and which continues to become a controversial issue in the body of Christ today. It is the purpose of this thesis to simply reexamine a particular Spirit­oriented phenomenon of the last century, namely, the charismatic movement, in the past context of its ecumenical significance, so as to consider its future ecumenical and missiological implications.

II. Ecumenical Development of the Pentecostal­Charismatic Movement

The predecessor of the charismatic movement, the

3) This specific term was coined by C. Peter Wagner to refer to the emergence of a new form of spiritual authority via the contemporary apostles and prophets, which potentially could undermine the traditional ecclesiastical authority based primarily on biblical and doctrinal premises. 344 복음과 선교 제22집

Pentecostal movement, began at the turn of the 20th century with a vision of ecumenical optimism. In spite of their criticisms of the traditional denominations, the early Pentecostals believed that they were participating in the latest movement of the Holy Spirit which would ultimately sweep the entire church. William J. Seymour (the leader of the Azusa Street Revival) announced that this movement “stands for the restoration of the faith once delivered unto the saints—the old time religion, camp meetings, revivals, missions, street and prison work and Christian unity everywhere.”4) W. F. Carothers (the field director for the Apostolic Faith Movement of Charles Parham in Texas) said, “The restoration of Pentecost means ultimately the restoration of Christian unity, and the two messages have come to us together in this movement.”5) It was Carothers who led the “pentecostal ecumenism” in the United States by convening several “unity conferences” in St. Louis, Chicago, and Owensboro, Kentucky. In Europe, Alexander A. Boddy (a Pentecostal Anglican vicar) led the unity efforts by hosting a series of conferences at his All Saints Church in Sunderland, England. The early Pentecostals, because of the spontaneity and vitality of their experiences, were very trans­denominational

4) Cecil M. Robeck, “Pentecostals and the Apostolic Faith: Implications for Ecumenism,” Pneuma, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Spring 1987), p. 61. 5) Robeck, p. 62. Daniel J. Kim, The Ecumenical Significance of the Charismatic Movement 345

in nature. John T. Nichol comments in his oft­quoted book, Pentecostalism (1966)6):

. . . Arminians and Calvinists, Holiness folk who believed in a “second work of grace” and Baptists who adhered to the theory of “the finished work at Calvary,” Methodists, Brethren, and Anglicans—all of whom represented variant forms of church doctrine and polity—all met around the same altar to pray and expect the impartation of the Holy Spirit and his charismatic gifts.7)

The Pentecostals in their formative years, exhibiting strong ecumenical tendency, did not set out to organize themselves into denominations. The Church of God (Cleveland) in their first General Assembly stated: “We hope and trust that no person or body of people will ever use these minutes, or any part of them, as articles of faith upon which to establish a sect or denomination.”8) The Assemblies of God began as a voluntary, cooperative “fellowship” under the title of a General Council. The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel

6) John T. Nichol, Pentecostalism (New York: Harper and Row, 1966). 7) Quoted from L. Grant McClung, Jr., “Explosion, Motivation, and Consolidation: The Historical Anatomy of a Missionary Movement,” Azusa Street and Beyond, ed. L. Grant McClung, Jr., (South Plainfield, NJ: Bridge Publishing, 1986), p. 5. 8) Walter J. Hollenweger, “The Pentecostal Movement and the World Council of Churches,” The Ecumenical Review, Vol. 18, No.3 (July 1966), p. 313. 346 복음과 선교 제22집

was founded by Aimee Semple McPherson who dedicated the mother church, Angelus Temple, to “the cause of interdenominational and worldwide evangelism.”9) However, the Pentecostals were not easily welcomed by the rest of the Christian community. Some coalitions, particularly the American Council of Christian Churches (ACCC), led by the fundamentalist Carl McIntire, clearly opposed any Pentecostal participation. The Pentecostals, on the other hand, was suspicious of the “liberal theology” of the older Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America (FCCCA), the predecessor of the National Council of Churches of Christ (NCCC). Even the participation of the Pentecostals in the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) did not come easily. “It was challenged both from within and without.”10) But particularly due to the influence of Harold J. Ockenga (the first president of the NAE), the Pentecostal denominations in 1941 were invited to join what would become the NAE. Through the NAE, the Pentecostals were not only brought into a wider contact with the mainline denominations, but also into closer contact with other Pentecostals. As a result, in 1948, they formed the Pentecostal Fellowship of North America (PFNA).

9) Robeck, p. 68. 10) Robeck, p. 65. Daniel J. Kim, The Ecumenical Significance of the Charismatic Movement 347

The 1940’s also brought a greater cooperation between the Pentecostals worldwide. With the first Pentecostal World Conference (PWC) convening in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1947, the Pentecostal World Fellowship was established. One of its foremost leaders was a British Pentecostal, Donald Gee (the editor of its official publication, Pentecost), who had a strong ecumenical vision for the worldwide Pentecostal movement. “His regular editorials in ‘Pentecost’ were frequently filled with information from, and interaction with, non­Pentecostal Christians, and he regularly exhorted his subscribers to work for greater Christian unity.”11) However, it was David du Plessis (a South African Pentecostal minister), who actually carried the vision of ecumenism further than any other Pentecostals. As the first Pentecostal to engage in dialogue with both the World Council of Churches and the Roman Catholic Church, “he has served as the most important and consistent bridge between the Pentecostals and the rest of the Christian church world.”12) His catalytic role affected a wide range of multidenominational institutions: Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International, Women’s Aglow, Pentecostal Fellowship

11) Robeck, p. 66. 12) Vinson Synan, “Pentecostalism: Varieties and Contributions,” Pneuma, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Spring 1987), p. 45. 348 복음과 선교 제22집

of North America, and Society for Pentecostal Studies. During the 1950’s, the mainline churches became more aware of the impact of Pentecostalism around the world. Leslie Newbigin (the bishop of the church of South India), in his book, The Household of God (1953),13) envisioned three major types of Christianity: Catholicism with its emphasis on the sacraments, Protestantism with its emphasis on the Scriptures, and Pentecostalism with its emphasis on the Spirit. According to Newbigin, “the church needed all three emphases in order to be a powerful force in the modern world.”14) This same concept was carried forward by Henry Van Dusen (the president of Union Theological Seminary, New York), in his articles in Christian Century (1955) and Life (1958), when he considered the Pentecostal movement as the “Third Force” alongside the conventional Protestantism and Catholicism.15) With the emergence of the charismatic movement during the 1960’s and 70’s within the traditional Protestant denominations and the Roman Catholic Church, the three “forces” of Christianity found themselves gradually merging

13) Leslie Newbigin, The Household of God: Lectures on the Nature of Church, (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2009), original 1953. 14) Vinson Synan, In the Latter Days (Ann Arbor, MI: Servant Books, 1984), p. 140. 15) Henry van Dusen, “[The Third] Force’s Lessons for Others,” Life (June 9, 1958); and “Caribbean Holiday,” Christian Century (August 17, 1955). Daniel J. Kim, The Ecumenical Significance of the Charismatic Movement 349

together. Ralph Martin (a leader of the Catholic charismatic renewal), in his book, Fire on the Earth (1976),16) viewed the charismatic movement as the Lord’s instrument of bringing these three forces together. “In Martin’s view, the charismatic movement was the only force that could weld these forces together for a unified Christian witness .”17) A powerful testimony concerning this concept was described by Michael Harper (a leader of the Anglican charismatic renewal in England) in an autobiographical book, entitled Three Sisters (1979)18):

One sister (Evangelical) taught me that the basis of Christian life is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. A second (Pentecostal) helped me experience the spiritual dynamic of the Holy Spirit. Yet another (Catholic) ushered me into a whole new world where I began to see the implications of Christian community.19)

16) Ralph Martin, Fire on the Earth: What God is Doing in the World Today (Ann Arbor, MI: Servant Publications, 1987), original 1976. 17) Synan, In the Latter Days, p. 140. 18) Michael Harper, Three Sisters: A Provocative Look at Evangelicals, Charismatics and Catholic Charismatics and Their Relationship to One Another (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1979). 19) Quoted from Synan, In the Latter Days, p. 140. 350 복음과 선교 제22집

III. Ecumenical Arena for the Pentecostal­Charismatic Movement

Historically, there have been three major ecumenical arenas for discussion concerning the Pentecostal­charismatic movement: Roman Catholic­Pentecostal Dialogue, the WCC consultation on the charismatic movement, the NCC Faith and Order Commission’s joint study with the Pentecostals/ charismatics.

A. Roman Catholic­Pentecostal Dialogue:

The possibility for an international and interreligious dialogue between the Roman Catholics and the Pentecostals can be credited to the rise of the Catholic charismatic renewal and the convening of the Vatican II. The actual groundwork for the dialogue was laid primarily by the efforts of David du Plessis and Father Kilian McDonnell. Consequently, there have been three major Roman Catholic­Pentecostal/ charismatic dialogues: 1972­1976, 1977­1982, and 1985­1989. After three quinquennia of dialogue, much has been gained by both sides. For example, the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity has announced that the Pentecostals are not to be classified as a “cult,” “sect” or “new religious movement.” They are to be recognized as “church,” although not in full Daniel J. Kim, The Ecumenical Significance of the Charismatic Movement 351

communion with Rome.20) This understanding would help alleviate the persecution of the Pentecostals who were considered a major “competitor” with Roman Catholicism in many parts of the world. The dialogue has also helped the Roman Catholics to have a greater appreciation for the role of the “charismatic” element in the life of their own parishes.

B. World Council of Churches (WCC)

The Pentecostals have traditionally been skeptical of the WCC, fearing the loss of evangelistic zeal and a compromise of faith on basic doctrines. However, there are Pentecostals who have full membership in the WCC. At the WCC’s Third Assembly in New Delhi (1961), two small Pentecostal denominations from Chile joined the WCC. Since then, others have also joined from Brazil, Argentina, USA, Italy, Nigeria, and Zaire, among others. Likewise, the WCC has also expressed a strong interest in the charismatic movement worldwide. There were a series of consultations conducted at Stony Point (USA) and Schwanberg (West Germany) in 1978, and at Bossey (Switzerland) in 1980. The publication of The Church is Charismatic (1981) and the two issues of the International

20) Jerry L. Sandidge, “The Pentecostal Movement and Ecumenism: An Update,” Ecumenical Trends, July/August 1989, p. 105. 352 복음과 선교 제22집

Review of Mission (January and April, 1986) dedicated to the subjects of Pentecostalism and charismatic movement, along with several previous WCC publications, demonstrate a sincere attempt by the WCC to understand the Pentecostal/ charismatic significance for the worldwide church.

C. National Council of Churches (NCC)

Since 1983, there has been a relationship developing between the NCC and the Society for Pentecostal Studies (SPC). At least two SPS members participated fully in the Commission on Faith and Order in the 1984­1987 triennium. In 1986, a major consultation on “Confessing the Apostolic Faith from the Perspective of the Pentecostal Churches” was co­sponsored by the Commission on Faith and Order and the David J. du Plessis Center for Christian Spirituality at Fuller Seminary (Pasadena, California). The contents of the consultation were published in the Spring 1987 issue of Pneuma. The consultation was meant to serve the larger reconciling intent by setting a trend of continuous dialogue between the Pentecostals/ charismatics and the historic churches belonging to the NCC. The agenda for the consultation was: (1) to deepen mutual understanding; (2) to identify both points of agreement and disagreement; (3) to choose topics that will lead to mutual contributions and recognition of gifts by the churches; and Daniel J. Kim, The Ecumenical Significance of the Charismatic Movement 353

(4) to establish a basis for future conversation.21)

IV. Ecumenical Events within the Charismatic Movement

There were 3 major charismatic conferences or congresses spearheaded by the North American Renewal Service Committee (NARSC): Kansas City 1977, New Orleans 1987, and Indianapolis 1990. One of the most impressive aspects of these conferences was that such large and diverse projects were carried out in so remarkably organized and peaceful manner. The planning committee responsible for the conferences was itself a sign of unity. The structures of the conferences (several conferences within each conference) also reflected their ecumenical nature.

A. Kansas City 1977

A most climactic charismatic ecumenical event was “The 1977 Conference on Charismatic Renewal in the Christian Churches” in Kansas City which brought together some 52,000 charismatic leaders and peoples from virtually all denominations. Of these, 50% were

21) Sandidge, “The Pentecostal Movement and Ecumenism,” p.104. 354 복음과 선교 제22집

Roman Catholics, with the rest representing the mainline Protestant and Pentecostal denominations along with many independent churches and ministries. Kevin Ranaghan (the conference chairman) commented that the conference represented “the largest grass­roots ecumenical movement that Christianity has known in the last 800 years.”22) In David Barrett’s World Christian Encyclopedia, the Kansas City Conference was listed as one of the most noteworthy events in the 2000 year history of Christianity.23) The participants themselves considered the conference as an outstanding ecumenical event. “It strongly reinforced people’s sense of charismatic movement as a remarkable work of God intentionally spanning all the churches and with an evident power to transcend inherited patterns of division.”24) It was marked by signs of maturity and depth as it summoned the church leaders and pastors to repentance for attachment to their own priorities while neglecting the unity of the church worldwide. The conference theme, “Jesus is Lord,” became the

22) John Bittlinger, “Report from North America: The Kansas City Conference,” The Church is Charismatic, ed. Arnold Bittlinger, (Geneva, Switzerland: WCC, 1981), p. 193. 23) Vinson Synan, The Twentieth­Century Pentecostal Explosion (Altamonte Springs, FL: Creation House, 1987), p. 192. 24) Peter Hocken, “Charismatic Movement,” Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, eds. Stanley M. Burgess, Gary B. McGee, and Patrick H. Alexander, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1988), p. 139. Daniel J. Kim, The Ecumenical Significance of the Charismatic Movement 355

universal slogan uniting the worshippers into one body.

B. New Orleans 1987

The Kansas City Conference was the model for the ecumenical congresses that convened in New Orleans in 1986 and 1987. The General Congress in 1987 was preceded by the Leaders’ Congress in 1986 which brought together some 7,500 pastors and leaders from all denominations with a vision of world evangelization. It was in accordance to a vision of Tom Forrest (a Redemptorist priest). Vinson Synan describes:

Forrest’s vision was to call on the churches of the world to join in a massive evangelistic effort to bring millions of people to the Lord before the end of the century. The goal would be for the church to offer to Jesus on the celebration of His birthday, December 25, 2000 A.D., an absolute majority of the human race as Christians. In 1985, only one­third of the world population claimed to be Christian in any sense of the word. To present Jesus with over half the world population as Christian would mean that every congregation and denomination would have to double its membership in only fifteen years.25)

The North American Congress on the Holy Spirit and World Evangelization in 1987 was attended by more than

25) Synan, The Twentieth­Century Pentecostal Explosion, pp. 193­194. 356 복음과 선교 제22집

32,000 participants. Although the size was smaller than the Kansas City Conference, other aspects of the Congress surpassed its 1977 predecessor. Instead of 28 workshops, 110 were offered. Instead of 10 denominations/ fellowships, there were 40 represented. Whereas the Kansas City Conference emphasized unity among those who have had charismatic experiences, the New Orleans Congress stressed evangelizing the world through charismatic empowering.26)

C. Indianapolis 1990

The 1990 North American Congress on the Holy Spirit and World Evangelization in Indianapolis was a follow­up on the 1987 Congress, in the sense that it was designed to launch the 1990’s as a decade of world evangelization. The Congress was attended by more than 23,000 participants. This lower overall attendance in Indianapolis was perhaps due to the seriousness with which the theme of evangelization was addressed which naturally weeded out those who were less serious. Vinson Synan (the congress chairman) noted: “The renewal has gone beyond different groups getting together just to share a common experience.”27) This idea of “going beyond”

26) Julia Dunn, “The Holy Spirit and World Evangelization,” (a report on the New Orleans Congress ’87), Christianity Today (September 4, 1987), p. 44. Daniel J. Kim, The Ecumenical Significance of the Charismatic Movement 357

the charismatic blessing and fellowship toward the greater goal of the Great Commission was the preoccupation of the Indianapolis Congress.

There were four major streams of charismatics represented

— non­denominational, Pentecostal, Roman Catholic, and mainline Protestant — and each held its own school of evangelism. Although each one took on a very different format and approach, the common emphasis was on evangelism and missionary work. In response to a challenge that the Great Commission can be fulfilled if there are enough missionaries sent out to do the work, about 80% of the 23,000 who attended the Congress committed themselves to be used by God to evangelize the world.

V. Ecumenical Perspectives within the Charismatic Movement

While virtually all charismatics recognize the trans­ denominational character of the charismatic movement, there are different ways of interpreting this inter­church dimension. The three representative positions are as follows:

27) Steven Lawson, “Ready to Evangelize the World” (a report on the Indianapolis Congress ’90), Charisma and Christian Life (October 1990), p. 24. 358 복음과 선교 제22집

denominational, non­denominational, and ecumenical.

A. Denominational

There are many charismatics who, while seeing charismatic renewal as a move of God across the churches, understand this primarily as a call to denominational renewal and subsequently or consequently a grace for the unity of the churches. Through their new charismatic experience, they have found a new relevance in the present practices and a greater affinity to the traditional past of their own church and denomination. “Truths professed for many years take on new life and rituals attended for years have new meaning and mediate Jesus Christ with a new power.”28) Thus, they sense an immediate call to be instruments of renewal in their own church and denomination. Such commitment to their own church takes precedent over the unity of God’s divided people. It leads to hesitation about attending any type of ecumenical fellowship.

B. Non­Denominational

There are those who see the charismatic movement as

28) Peter Hocken, “A Survey of the Worldwide Charismatic Movement,” The Bossey Consultation, The Church is Charismatic, ed. Arnold Bittlinger (Geneva, Switzerland: WCC, 1981), p. 134. Daniel J. Kim, The Ecumenical Significance of the Charismatic Movement 359

a work of God calling for a newly united people. The real people of God are all those, regardless of their backgrounds, who have responded to this call of God. “The existing churches are seen as at best unimportant and largely irrelevant or at worst as apostate.”29) The charismatic movement is seen as God’s chosen ecumenical movement in contrast to what are seen as merely human efforts of reconciliation and unification in the contemporary ecumenical movement, particularly symbolized by the WCC.

C. Ecumenical

There are many charismatics who do not fit into either category. They have a vision of God bringing together the divided existing churches by the power of his Spirit. It will be the charismatic movement which would be instrumental for this goal. But it will not be apart from the participation of the existing churches. This position corresponds to the vision of David du Plessis, Vinson Synan, and others. They see the charismatic movement as being endowed with a special ecumenical grace. As traditional churches open up to charismatic renewal, its ecumenical character will be brought to the foreground.

29) Hocken, “A Survey of the Worldwide Charismatic Movement,” p. 137. 360 복음과 선교 제22집

VI. Ecumenical Characteristics of the Charismatic Movement

There are obviously contrasting characteristics between the ecumenical movement and the charismatic movement. The ecumenical movement tends to emphasize structure, order, and authority. The charismatic movement tends to emphasize free forms of liturgy, relations, and behavior. The ecumenical movement tends to rely strongly on strategy, planning, and organization. The charismatic movement tends to primarily emphasize prayer and dependence on God for renewal. The ecumenical movement emphasizes the importance of ethical action based on beliefs. The charismatic movement emphasizes the experiential dimension of the Spirit of God. However, the origin and development of the charismatic movement indicate strong inherent ecumenical characteristics. Thus, the charismatic movement has a potential for renewing and expanding the original vision of the ecumenical movement. Some major ecumenical characteristics of the charismatic movement are as follows:

A. Worldwide Movement

The charismatic movement cannot rightly be ascribed Daniel J. Kim, The Ecumenical Significance of the Charismatic Movement 361

to any one church more than to others. It is not a movement in one church that subsequently spread to others. It is one movement touching many churches. “In fact, it can reasonably be claimed that charismatic renewal is affecting more people and more churches on a wider scale than any previous movement of revival and renewal.”30) It is found in all continents and in almost every church tradition. “It is the first instance of a mass or popular movement that spans all the churches in a way that is not indifferent to God’s call to organic unity.”31)

B. Inclusiveness

The charismatic movement is an “ecumenism of the heart,” based not so much on doctrines or church order, but on the common experience of the Holy Spirit. Therefore it is able to include all the denominations and fellowships. “The range of ecumenical spectrum being touched by this movement is wider than the ecumenical movement itself.”32) It includes the member churches of the WCC, but it also includes those who strongly oppose the ecumenical movement. It includes the theological liberals, as well as the fundamentalists. It includes the charismatics in the mainline

30) Hocken, “A Survey of the Worldwide Charismatic Movement,” p. 132. 31) Hocken, “A Survey of the Worldwide Charismatic Movement,” p. 132. 32) Hocken, “A Survey of the Worldwide Charismatic Movement,” p. 133. 362 복음과 선교 제22집

churches, as well as the classical Pentecostals. It includes both the Protestants and the Roman Catholics.

C. Community

The charismatic movement, often called a “grassroots ecumenism,” is a genuine attempt at the local level to develop a sense of the church as “community” and at the broader level to find practical expression of the church as the body of Christ. It brings people from different churches into regular experiences of shared worship and prayer, naturally creating a “charismatic” community. It is a new way of experiencing a real, organic unity in the Spirit of Christ. “The charismatic movement generally develops at grassroots levels, not as the result of hierarchical decisions or mandates, and this very grassroots character is itself a manifestation of local ecumenism that very often transcends denominational structures and forms.”33)

D. Lay Participation

The charismatic movement strongly emphasizes the participation of the laity in worship and ministry. The

33) Eugene L. Stockwell, “Editorial” (on charismatic renewal), International Review of Mission, Vol. 75, No. 298 (April 1986), p. 114. Daniel J. Kim, The Ecumenical Significance of the Charismatic Movement 363

charismatic meeting is “the people of God, the whole people of God, men and women, people of different generations, being involved and playing a role.”34) Ministry is based on the gifting of the Holy Spirit. Thus the sovereign anointing of the Holy Spirit bridges the gap between the clergy and the laity. This atmosphere of “priesthood of all believers” is symbolized by the customary circular arrangement in a typical charismatic meeting. The lay participation in charismatic gathering (singing, praying, sharing, proclaiming) is also naturally linked to the lay initiative in evangelism.

VII. Ecumenical Vision of the Charismatic Movement

The charismatic movement has a kindred spirit with the ecumenical movement in its original vision. It needs to be remembered that when the whole ecumenical movement began, it did so with a self­understanding that it was indeed a renewing work of the Holy Spirit; perhaps not in the “Pentecostal” or the “charismatic” sense of understanding, but nevertheless a Spirit­inspired vision. Philip Potter (then, the General Secretary

34) Philip Potter, “Charismatic Renewal and the World Council of Churches,” The Bossey Consultation, The Church is Charismatic, ed. Arnold Bittlinger, (Geneva, Switzerland: WCC, 1981), p. 79. 364 복음과 선교 제22집

of WCC) writes: Starting from Edinburgh in 1910 with the concern for evangelization of the world in this generation, it was a manifestation of God’s Spirit to send people out into the world as witness to all the nations . . . the Life and Work movement of Archbishop Soderblum, that came out of a very deep sense of the chaos of Europe after World War I, a deep sense that Jesus was crucified and has risen and that his Spirit was calling His people to be gathered together in a new Pentecost for renewing society and the nations . . . the Faith and Order movement of Charles Brent, who has gone to the Philippines as a missionary to the people there, who saw that the call to mission was a call to unity in the Spirit . . . the World Council of Christian Education (the World Sunday­School Movement) . . . was motivated by the conviction that God gave his Spirit to each, and each must be allowed and enabled to bring the fullness of his or her being for the life of the Body of Christ and of the Holy Spirit. And when the World Council of Churches was formed in 1948 . . . the Assembly spoke of God opening the gate into freedom and joy in the Holy Spirit . . . And one of the functions of the WCC was to help foster the renewal of the churches in unity, worship, mission and service.35)

With the awareness of the Pentecostal movement in the 1940’s and 50’s by the mainline churches and the subsequent

35) Potter, “Charismatic Renewal and the World Council of Churches,” pp. 81­82. Daniel J. Kim, The Ecumenical Significance of the Charismatic Movement 365

emergence of the charismatic movement in the 1960’s and 70’s within the mainline churches, the Christianity as a whole has seen a worldwide movement of the Holy Spirit which has the potential of being the greatest ecumenical force. Thus, the Pentecostal/charismatic movement helps remind the ecumenical movement of the essential role of the Holy Spirit in the life and mission of the church. It needs to be remembered that the church which is the central preoccupation of the ecumenical movement is not a natural community. It is a community built up and preserved by the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is foundational in the birth, the growth, the unity, and, ultimately, the mission of the church. The charismatic movement helps to accentuate and supplement the original vision of the ecumenical movement in three major aspects: (1) spiritual renewal of the existing churches through “body ministry,” (2) uniting the church through “spiritual ecumenism,” and (3) equipping the church for mission through “empowerment of the Holy Spirit.”

A. Body Ministry

A primary concern of the charismatic movement is to take seriously the endowment of all Christians with spiritual gifts. The Spirit equips the body of Christ with a variety of spiritual 366 복음과 선교 제22집

gifts so that each member may function uniquely and yet corporately by contributing to the whole function of the body. It is through the operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that the body of Christ may serve as the “eye” (e.g. knowledge, wisdom, discernment), the “mouth” (e.g. tongues, interpretation of tongues, prophecy), and the “hand” (e.g. faith, healing, miracles) of the Lord. The manifestation of a wide range of spiritual gifts (cf. 1 Cor. 12:8­10, 28; Rom. 12:6­8) offers an opportunity for every member to minister to the body of Christ. Individual gifts are to be used for the purpose of edification of the whole body through comforting, encouraging, strengthening, and healing. Thus, in the charismatic movement, there is an “emphasis on the church as the body of Christ, upheld and led on to maturity by the Holy Spirit through the mutual love and supernaturally empowered service of its members.”36) Consequently, in an ecumenical context, each confession learns to appreciate the gifts of others. Each realizes, in encountering the gifts of other confessions, the limitations and one­sidedness of its own gifts. The reality of the church is that each confession is complementary to and co­dependent on others. And unless they learn to function harmoniously together, there will be a great imbalance and malfunction

36) J. I. Packer, “Piety on Fire,” Christianity Today (May 12, 1989), p. 19. Daniel J. Kim, The Ecumenical Significance of the Charismatic Movement 367

in the church as a whole. Thus, they need to be sensitive to the workings of the Holy Spirit who has sovereignly and creatively placed each confession into a unique position with other confessions, so that the church as one body submitted under Christ may function most effectively in the world.

B. Spiritual Ecumenism

The charismatic movement has exhibited a true grassroots ecumenism based upon common spiritual experience. “Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox charismatics alike are going back far behind the theological, liturgical, and cultural barriers that have long separated them into a recovery of the primitive dynamism of the early ecclesia.”37) It is the common rediscovery of the original vitality of the Spirit which ultimately unites the believers spiritually across all traditional and denominational barriers. Thus, the charismatic movement endorses the teaching of the Second Vatican Council on the primacy of what is termed “spiritual ecumenism”: “This change of heart and holiness of life, along with public and private prayer for the unity of Christians, should be regarded as the soul of the whole ecumenical movement, and merits the name ‘spiritual

37) J. Rodman Williams, “A Profile of the Charismatic Movement,” Christianity Today (February 28, 1975), p. 11. 368 복음과 선교 제22집

ecumenism.’”38) J. Rodman Williams comments: This is a “spiritual ecumenism,” not organizational or ecclesiastical. With all due appreciation for the ecumenical movement, which has helped to bring churches together in common concern and has now and again brought about visible unity, this cannot be a lasting or far­reaching as the ecumenism emerging from a profound inward and outward renewal of the Holy Spirit.39)

Thus the ecumenical vision of the church is not so much an achievement of the church as it is an eschatological gift of the Spirit. But while, ultimately, the unity and preservation of the church is in God’s hands, we also have a responsibility. We are called by the Spirit to use our spiritual gifts to reunite the divided body of Christ. This does not mean that we are to rely simply on our own zeal and efforts. But neither does it mean that our efforts are not necessary for ecumenical tasks. What it means is that we must learn to cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and learn to partner with him in his task of uniting the body of Christ. Thus a proper recognition of and sensitivity to the Spirit’s work should lead us to a greater ecumenical sensitivity and productivity.

38) “Decree on Ecumenism” (Unitatis Redintegratio), ch. 2,sec. 8 (a document of the Second Vatican Council, 1964). 39) Williams, “A Profile of the Charismatic Movement,” pp. 11­12. Daniel J. Kim, The Ecumenical Significance of the Charismatic Movement 369

C. Empowerment for Mission

In Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer in John 17, the vision for the unity of the church is seen in relation to the mission of the church. The churches of the world need to unite so that they may accomplish their mission in the world more effectively. This, likewise, was the original vision of the ecumenical movement in its initiation as a missionary movement. But gradually, the missionary vision of the ecumenical movement began to erode away for lack of power and passion. What primarily has been recovered through the charismatic experience of the “baptism in the Holy Spirit” is the spiritual power for witnessing and evangelism which the early church had experienced. The accomplishment of mission of the church requires that we not only obey the Great Commission (Mt. 28:19), but also that we be empowered for mission (Acts 1:8). Thus mission must be seen not simply as a matter of strategy and methodology, but as a matter of the Spirit’s anointing of power and vision which propels the church to effectively accomplish its task. This is what Roland Allen (who was most influential in the development of Pentecostal missiology) had in mind when he wrote his book, The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church (1927).40) 370 복음과 선교 제22집

It is the Holy Spirit who must be allowed to initiate and supervise all our ministerial and missionary attempts. It is under the direction and empowerment of the Holy Spirit that we are to carry out the commission of our Lord. Like our Lord, we are to be Spirit­directed and Spirit­empowered in order to continue and accomplish what he “began to do and teach” concerning the kingdom of God (Acts 1:1), thus becoming his witnesses “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

VIII. Conclusion

The charismatic movement, in its relation to the ecumenical movement, provides the essential missing element: the workings of the Holy Spirit in renewing, unifying, and empowering the church for mission, which is the key to vision and vitality of ecumenism. In order for the implications of the charismatic movement for ecumenism and mission to have a significant effect, it is imperative that the charismatic movement persist in communicating its essence in the context of the church worldwide. Arnold Bittlinger comments:

The charismatic movement came to be understood as a new departure within the churches to draw attention to what was

40) Roland Allen, The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church: And the Causes that Hinder It (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 1997), original 1927. Daniel J. Kim, The Ecumenical Significance of the Charismatic Movement 371

missing and to continue to draw attention to it until that missing element became an integral part of the churches’ life. If this goal was to be achieved, it was essential that the charismatic movement should first of all put down roots in each church, while at the same time preserving its charismatic potential and ecumenical breadth. Charismatic renewal awakened great expectations, especially among tired ecumenists . . .41)

In order for the larger church community to embrace these significant charismatic contributions, there needs to be a continuous dialogue between the charismatic community and the ecumenical community, as demonstrated by the WCC’s interest in charismatic development through three consultations; the Vatican dialogue with the Pentecostals through three quinquennia, and the NCC’s inclusive attitude in including the Pentecostals/charismatics in the Faith and Order Commission. The primary emphasis is that the heart attitude needs to be changed in order for such dialogues between the charismatic and ecumenical communities to continue. An excellent advice is given by Thaddeus Horgan in his summary of the NCC Faith and Order’s Pentecostal/charismatic consultation:

41) Arnold Bittlinger, “The Significance of Charismatic Experiences for the Mission of the Church,” International Review of Mission, Vol. 75, No. 298 (April 1986), p. 117. 372 복음과 선교 제22집

Instead of seeing differences immediately, all involved should first know and appreciate where they agree. Patience is required in face of disagreements about teaching, polity, and lifestyles. Mutual support and affirmation need to be more prominent than defensiveness and airs of superiority. Above all, ongoing repentance for the sin of disunity and mutual forgiveness, given and asked for, are required. All of this . . . is dependent on the continuous reference to the power of the Holy Spirit.42)

However, there are, some important theological and methodological issues which need to be further discussed and clarified: (1) the relationship between charismatic ministry and doctrinal orthodoxy; (2) the relationship between pneumatology and Christology; (3) the relationship between charismatic community and institutional church; (4) the relationship between spiritual/mystical unity and visible/physical unity; and (5) the relationship between charismatic renewal within the church and socio-political involvement in the world. Regarding these crucial issues, I believe the charismatics can greatly benefit by integrating their thoughts with the wisdom of the Lausanne movement.

42) Thaddeus Horgan, “Consultation Summary: A Conciliar Perspective,” Pneuma, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Spring 1987), p. 101. Daniel J. Kim, The Ecumenical Significance of the Charismatic Movement 373

The original Pentecostal/charismatic agenda of evangelism and mission by the power of the Spirit can find a kindred spirit with the Lausanne movement which grew out of the 1974 International Congress on World Evangelization (ICOWE).43) This seems the logical course of action, that is, in an ecumenical sense, especially for those evangelical-minded charismatics who are troubled by the liberal, humanistic, secularistic, and pluralistic tendencies of the WCC. Compatible with the Lausanne movement’s primary agenda of world evangelization, the dynamic integration of the charismatic and ecumenical concepts would imply

43) The Lausanne movement is an ecumenical movement which was initiated by the evangelical-minded church/mission leaders from over 150 nations. The leaders of the movement, from its foundation, advocated the integration of evangelism (e.g. Billy Graham) and social responsibility (e.g. John Stott). The Lausanne Covenant, drafted at the International Congress on World Evangelization (1974), emphasized the following: (1) the purpose of God; (2) the authority and power of the Bible; (3) the uniqueness and universality of Christ; (4) the nature of evangelism; (5) Christian social responsibility; (6) the church and evangelism; (7) cooperation in evangelism; (8) churches in evangelistic partnership; (9) the urgency of the evangelistic task; (9) evangelism and culture; (10) education and leadershiup; (12) spiritual conflict; (13) freedom and persecution; (14) the power of the Holy Spirit; and (15) the return of Christ (http://www.lausanne.org/en/documents/lausanne-covenant.html). 374 복음과 선교 제22집

the mobilization and empowerment of the whole body of Christ, for global mission. For the Lord’s purpose is that, ultimately, the ”whole gospel” of Jesus Christ and his kingdom must be proclaimed and demonstrated by the Spirit­filled “whole church” to the “whole world.” The importance of such charismatic element, that is, the role of the Spirit, is well stated in the Lausanne Covenant, Article 14: We believe in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Father sent his Spirit to bear witness to his Son; without his witness ours is futile. Conviction of sin, faith in Christ, new birth and Christian growth are all his work. Further, the Holy Spirit is a missionary spirit; thus evangelism should arise spontaneously from a Spirit-filled church. A church that is not a missionary church is contradicting itself and quenching the Spirit. Worldwide evangelization will become a realistic possibility only when the Spirit renews the Church in truth and wisdom, faith, holiness, love and power. We therefore call upon all Christians to pray for such a visitation of the sovereign Spirit of God that all his fruit may appear in all his people and that all his gifts may enrich the body of Christ. Only then will the whole church become a fit instrument in his hands, that the whole earth may hear his voice.44)

44) http://www.lausanne.org/en/documents/lausanne-covenant.html Daniel J. Kim, The Ecumenical Significance of the Charismatic Movement 375

Bibliography

Allen, Roland. The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church: And the Causes that Hinder It. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 1997 (original 1927). Bittlinger, Arnold. “The Significance of Charismatic Experiences for the Mission of the Church.” International Review of Mission, Vol. 75, No. 298 (April 1986), pp. 117­122. Blattner, John. “Report from North America: The Kansas City Conference.” The Church is Charismatic, ed. Arnold Bittlinger. Geneva, Switzerland: WCC, 1981. pp. 193­200. Davis, Rex. Locusts and Wild Honey: The Charismatic Renewal and the Ecumenical Movement. Geneva, Switzerland: WCC, 1978. “Decree on Ecumenism.” (Unitatis Redintegratio), Ch. 2, Sec. 8, a document of the Second Vatican Council, 1964. Dunn, Julia. “The Holy Spirit and World Evangelization.” (a report on the New Orleans Congress ’87), Christianity Today (September 4, 1987), pp. 44­45. Harper, Michael. Three Sisters: A Provocative Look at Evangelicals, Charismatics and Catholic Charismatics and Their Relationship to One Anothe.r Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1979. Hocken, Peter. “A Survey of the Worldwide Charismatic Movement.” The Bossey Consultation. The Church is Charismatic. ed. Arnold Bittlinger. Geneva, Switzerland: WCC, 1981. pp.117­146. ——. “Charismatic Movement.” Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements. eds. Stanley M. Burgess, Gary B. McGee, and Patrick H. Alexander. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 376 복음과 선교 제22집

1988. pp. 130­160. Hollenweger, Walter J. “The Pentecostal Movement and the World Council of Churches.” The Ecumenical Review, Vol. 18, No.3 (July 1966), pp. 310­320. Horgan, Thaddeus. “Consultation Summary: A Conciliar Perspective.” Pneuma, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Spring, 1987), pp. 99­102. Lawson, Steven. “Ready to Evangelize the World.” (a report on the Indianapolis Congress ’90), Charisma and Christian Life (October 1990), pp. 24­28. Martin, Ralph. Fire on the Earth: What God is Doing in the World Today. Ann Arbor, MI: Servant Publications, 1987 (original 1976). McClung, Jr., L. Grant. “Explosion, Motivation, and Consolidation: The Historical Anatomy of a Missionary Movement.” Azusa Street and Beyond, Azusa Street and Beyond. ed. L. Grant McClung, Jr. (South Plainfield, NJ: Bridge Publishing, 1986), pp. 3­20. Newbigin, Leslie. The Household of God: Lectures on the Nature of Church. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2009 (original 1953). Nichol, John T. Pentecostalism. New York: Harper and Row, 1966. Packer, J. I. “Piety on Fire.” Christianity Today (May 12, 1989), pp. 18­23. Potter, Philip. “Charismatic Renewal and the World Council of Churches.” The Bossey Consultation, The Church is Charismatic, ed. Arnold Bittlinger (Geneva, Switzerland: WCC, 1981), pp. 73­87. Robeck, Cecil M. “Pentecostals and the Apostolic Faith: Implications for Ecumenism.” Pneuma, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Spring 1987), pp. 61­84. Rusch, William G. “The Theology of the Holy Spirit and the Pentecostal Daniel J. Kim, The Ecumenical Significance of the Charismatic Movement 377

Churches in the Eumenical Movement.” Pneuma, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Spring 1987), pp. 17­30. Sandidge, Jerry L. “The Pentecostal Movement and Ecumenism: An Update.” Ecumenical Trends (July/August 1989), pp. 102­106. Stockwell, Eugene L. “Editorial” (on charismatic renewal), International Review of Mission, Vol. 75, No. 298 (April 1986), pp. 113­116. Synan, Vinson. In the Latter Days (Ann Arbor, MI: Servant Books, 1984). ——. “Pentecostalism: Varieties and Contributions.” Pneuma, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Spring 1987), pp. 31­49. ——. The Twentieth­Century Pentecostal Explosion. Altamonte Springs, FL: Creation House, 1987. Van Dusen, Henry. “[The Third] Force’s Lessons for Others.” Life (June 9, 1958). ——. “Caribbean Holiday.” Christian Century (August 17, 1955). Williams, J. Rodman. “A Profile of the Charismatic Movement.” Christianity Today (February 28, 1975), pp. 9­13. http://www.lausanne.org/en/documents/lausanne-covenant.html 378 복음과 선교 제22집

ABSTRACT

카리스마 운동의 특징과 에큐메니칼 의의

김 다니엘 아세아연합신학대학교

카리스마 운동과 에큐메니칼 운동의 기원은 20세기 초반부 터 시작된다. 그들의 원동력과 목적은 근본적으로 동일하였다. 성령의 역사함으로 시작되었으며, 세계복음화를 목표로 삼았다. 그러나 그들의 성령의 방법론적 이해와 목적성취를 위한 과정에 는 큰 차이가 있었다. 에큐메니칼 운동은 정규적인, 제도적 방식에 의존한 반면, 카리스마 운동은 비형시적인, 체험 중심적 방식을 취하였다. 에큐메니칼 공동체는 가시적이고 구조적인 교회의 연합을 강조한 반면, 카리스마 공동체는 영적 회복과 성령의 능력 부여함을 강조하였다. 그러나 이 두 운동의 역학적인 요소들 가운데 분명히 수렴되는 부분들이 있었다. 이 논문의 목적은 바로 이 운동들의 수렴되는 측면들을 논의하며, 특히 카리스마 운동이 교회에 활력과 연합, 세계복음화와 선교에 기여하는 중요 한 역할을 제안한다. 카리스마 운동은 세가지 주요한 측면에서 에큐메니칼 운동 의 본래적 비전을 강조하고 보충하는 역할을 한다: (1) 기존 교회들 의 “body ministry”를 통한 영적 회복; (2) “spiritual ecumenism”을 통한 교회의 연합함; (3) “Spirit empowerment”를 통해 교회의 Daniel J. Kim, The Ecumenical Significance of the Charismatic Movement 379

사명을 감당케 도움. 이처럼 카리스마 운동은 에큐메니칼 운동이 잃어버린 필수적인 요소들을 제공한다. 교회의 미션을 위한 회복, 연합 그리고 능력 부여함 관점에서 볼 때 에큐메니칼 운동의 비전과 활력의 비결은 성령의 역사하심이다. 그러나 신학적이고 방법론적인 차원의 중요한 이슈들이 있 는데 이러한 이슈들은 계속 논의되고 명확화 되어야 할 필요가 있다: (1) 카리스마적 사역과 정통적 교리 사이의 관계; (2) 성령론 과 기독론 사이의 관계; (3) 카리스마 공동체와 제도적 교회 사이의 관계; (4) 영적/신비적 연합과 가시적/사회적 연합 사이의 관계; (5) 교회내의 카리스마 운동과 세상에서의 사회-정치적 참여 사이 의 관계. 이러한 주요한 쟁점들은 카리스마적 공동체들이 그들의 생 각을 로잔 운동의 지혜를 통해 비추어봄으로써 큰 혜택을 받을 수 있다고 믿는다. 이것은 즉, 에큐메니즘의 의미에서 자유주의 적, 인본주의적, 세속주의적 그리고 종교다원주의적인 WCC 성 향들에 의해 골치거리가 되는 특별히 복음주의적 사고방식의 카리스마적 사람들에 대해서 합리적인 행함의 강의로 볼 수 있다. 로잔 운동의 주 메시지인 세계복음화의 의제와 통합이 될 수 있다면, 카리스마 운동과 에큐메니칼 운동의 역동적인 연합으로 인한 “온 교회”가 “온 복음”을 “온 세계”에게 전하며 나타내는 사명을 더욱 더 효율적으로 감당할 수 있을 것이다. 380 복음과 선교 제22집

Key Words

카리스마운동, 오순절운동, 에큐메니칼, 에큐메니즘, 영적 에큐메니즘, 세계복음화, WCC, 로잔운동 Charismatic Movement, Pentecostal Movement, Ecumenical, Ecumenism, Spiritual Ecumenism, World Evangelization, WCC, Lausanne Movement