A Deep Charismatic Spirituality

Catholicism has been around for some 2,000 odd years, and over the course of that time has encountered many varieties of saints, sinners, spiritualities and sins. In the modern age, one of the spiritualities which has become a dominant force in some places, much to the chagrin of others, is the Charismatic spirituality. This spirituality, often understood in light of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal which finds its origins in a weekend retreat held by Duquesne University in 1967. If you want to know more, in general, about what the charismatic renewal is or what the Church has said about it, here is a great article from EWTN: “Charismatic Renewal – General”.

With that introduction in place, it seems it is to now go on the defensive side of things for a moment. Recently, a very traditional blog “Unam Sanctam Catholicam” wrote an article decrying the “Seven Reasons Why the Charismatic Renewal Does Not Foster Deep Spirituality.” If you want to read it, click the title and it will take you to the article; if you don’t want to, that’s okay with me. This article, while clearly a well-meaning piece meant to help the faithful in their journey towards the Almighty God, is a classic version of the reductionist viewpoint that is often used to critique and attack the charismatic renewal in the Catholic Church.

To see the crux of this article, we can look to the conclusion, which the author begins this way: “The result of all of this is that people enmeshed in the charismatic renewal do not mature in their faith. They remain fixed on their emotions and subject to inner doubt.” In an attempt to promote an authentic spirituality, a true relationship with God, the author has taken a way of growing in holiness, namely a life lived with the Holy Spirit, which is the core of the Charismatic Renewal, and reduced it to an emotional experience which it simply is not.

For those who want to discount the Charismatic Renewal, it is very easy to find extreme examples, and it is easy to grant those as places we should not go. Of course the charismatic spirituality is not meant to lead someone to emotions, just as a focus on any spirituality in the Church’s rich tradition at the expense of other ways to approach God can at times be detrimental. What he gets wrong, however, are the seven points he lists as essential to the charismatic renewal. In fact, every person who is authentically seeking the Lord through this movement, this spirituality, would answer the author, I think, by telling him that he is certainly right that if these things are happening an authentic and mature spirituality cannot flourish, but that these things are simply not part of the charismatic renewal.

Briefly, let’s examine his points and then quotes from Church hierarchy which respond quite nicely:

1. Over-emphasis on the emotional experiences creates dependency
“The Catholic Charismatic Renewal has helped many Christians to rediscover the presence and power of the Holy Spirit… and this rediscovery has awakened in them a faith in Christ filled with joy.” -Pope Saint John Paul II, 1998.
The Pope was not worried about the emotions, but excited that the emotions had awakened a deep faith filled with joy.

2. This dependency can stunt spiritual growth.
“This was my own spiritual initiation, so I can understand all these charisms. They are all part of the richness of the Lord. I am convinced that this movement is a sign of his action.” -Pope Saint John Paul II, 1979
Again, John Paul II is not worried about this. In fact, referring to his own relationship with the Holy Spirit, he says here that he is convinced that this is a sign of God’s action in the lives of the people.

3. Lack of silence, which is necessary to hear God’s voice.
“How could this spiritual renewal not be a chance for the Church and the world?” -Pope Paul VI, 1975
While not directly addressing silence in this quote, Pope Paul VI affirms this movement as a spiritual renewal, one that offers a chance for the Church and the world. Of course, we would agree, if God is renewing the Church and the world His voice is present? Also, let us remember that simply because silence is not a part of a charismatic renewal gathering does not mean it is not a part of the spiritual life of those involved; this would be like staying that a Bible Study means people don’t love the Rosary because it was not prayed there.

4. Charismatic worship promotes undue familiarity with the Divine.
For this one we’ll turn to Scripture: “He leaned back against Jesus’ chest and said to him, ‘Master, who is it?'” John 13:25 (NAB translation).
If the apostle literally leaned on the chest of God made man, ought we not seek that same tender, loving and close relationship with God?

5. Too much focus on supernatural intuition not enough on development of virtue.
“At this moment in the Church’s history, the Charismatic Renewal can play a significant role in promoting the much-needed defense of Christian life in societies where secularism and materialism have weakened many people’s ability to respond to the Spirit and to discern God’s loving call. Your contribution to the re-evangelization of society will be made in the first place by personal witness to the indwelling Spirit and by showing forth His presence through works of holiness and solidarity.” -Pope Saint John Paul II, 1992
The pope calls the people of the charismatic renewal, whom he was addressing above, to re-evangelize society and to do so by the holiness of life, and in all of this he says that the Charismatic Renewal can play a significant role. This is a firm inclination from the pope that he believed that this movement could lead people to holiness, a key sign of which, of course, is virtue.

6. Confusion on issue of tongues.
“Whether these charisms be very remarkable or more simple and widely diffused, they are to be received with thanksgiving and consolation since they are fitting and useful for the needs of the Church.” Vatican Council II, Lumen Gentium 12.
Here in Vatican II, the Church affirms what Paul speaks of in many of his letters, that these charisms are good and used for the building up of the Church.

7. Less appreciation for tradition.
“What the New Testament tells us about the charisms – which were seen as visible signs of the coming of the Spirit – is not just ancient history, over and done with, for it is once again becoming extremely topical.” -Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.
This quote from Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is one of the best on the topic, for it is a reminder that these charisms, this way of life is not something new but is something which was seen as a visible sign of the coming of the Spirit in the New Testament. What is more grounded in the tradition of the Church, one might ask, than the New Testament?

In all of this, it is important to affirm that not every spirituality is the most efficient way to God for every single person. For the author of this article, the charismatic renewal may truly have been something which proved to be not fruitful at all, and that is completely acceptable. What is unacceptable, it seems obvious enough to say, is denying as positive and effective something which Church leadership has routinely praised as an effective means to renewal in the spiritual life of the Church.

“At the heart of a world imbued with a rationalistic skepticism, a new experience of the Holy Spirit suddenly burst forth. And, since then, that experience has assumed a breadth of a worldwide Renewal movement.” -Pope Benedict XVI