Catholics make a clever adjustment

[Richard King]

I just read this on Gene Edward Vieth's Cranach blog site:

May 07, 2007
Catholic Enthusiasts


The Roman Catholic Church in Latin America has seen nearly a fifth of its membership go over to Protestantism, especially to Pentecostal ministries. So the Hispanic church, drawing on its historical capacity to embrace and co-opt other religious expressions, is allowing charismatic worship--including speaking in tongues, faith healing, and free-form ecstatic experience--into the Mass. And now, that combination of Catholicism and Pentecostalism is being practiced in American Catholic congregations, with their burgeoning numbers of Hispanic members. A growing number of Catholic parishes have two kinds of services: the traditional liturgy and then then a charismatic service.

Read this Washington Post article on the phenomenon.

Luther considered that his opponents from both extreme sides--the "papists" of Rome and the "fanatics" stirring up the Peasants' War--were essentially the same. They were both "enthusiasts," a term that refers to a "god inside," who believe that the Holy Spirit speaks directly through man (either the pope or every believer) apart from God's Word.

 

[turmeric]

This will go on until the enthusiasts become antinomian - in political terms. This happened with the Fraticelli among other movements. Also, if you were around in the 1970's, this was tolerated here, and still is, though it's kept pretty low-key.

 

[Poimen]

This will go on until the enthusiasts become antinomian - in political terms. This happened with the Fraticelli among other movements. Also, if you were around in the 1970's, this was tolerated here, and still is, though it's kept pretty low-key.

Over ten years ago I went to a (ecumenical) pro-life rally up here in Canada and the Catholics were just as charismatic as the Pentecostals! In fact the priest was advocating and using Pentecostal words and catch phrases. It was bizarre. Nothing new under the sun...

 

[New wine skin]

Does anyone on this board dispise the grace God shows to people despite their shallow theology?? Are charismatics opponents or brothers and babes in Christ? For example should we not praise God for moving in the life of the man from the article post below. I am not saying we ought to be content to let them remain ignorant of the blessings we have in the WCF. Did not all of us begin our walk with God as babes?

CARAPICUIBA, Brazil (Reuters) - For years, Ronaldo da Silva's daily routine consisted of drinking himself into a stupor until he passed out on a sidewalk.
Now he spends his days praying and singing with hundreds of fellow Christians at the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God in Carapicuiba, a sprawling shantytown on the outskirts of Sao Paulo where Pentecostal congregations are found on just about every block.
"I'd probably be dead or in jail if it weren't for this church," said da Silva, a 38-year-old former Catholic who claims God cured him of epilepsy and helped him straighten out his life when he converted to Pentecostalism a decade ago. ...

 

[turmeric]

Other religions have achieved similar results with people who were down and out. Besides no one is picking on Pentecostals, we're "picking on" Rome for her Machiavellian expediency. Rome does not for a moment actually believe in the Montanistic perfectionism of Pentecostalism but will use it to gain her ends. The Pentecostals are collateral damage on this thread. And yes, we should lovingly share our good things with them as they are able to receive them.