Charismatic Movement

Abstract

Movements called “charismatic” within Protestant and Catholic Christianity include renewal movements within established denominations, and independent churches and networks; all stress the availability of “charismata” or “gifts of the Holy Spirit.” The number of charismatics is estimated at 15 percent of the world's Christian population. The movement is related phenomenologically to Pentecostalism, but with some differences in theology and especially in social class, tone, and concerns. In the developed west, it has been characterized as simultaneously antimodern, modern, and postmodern. But charismatic Christianity is a global culture, with parallel developments and complex flows. The Protestant charismatic movement is examined in its origins, development and impact in this entry. It has become one of the few sectors of church growth in the west, albeit often by recycling existing churchgoers. But it also flourishes in contexts of generalized church growth such as West Africa and Latin America. The Catholic Charismatic Renewal is then examined in origins and global expansion, achievement of official recognition, and adaptation to Catholic distinctives. The global hub, Latin America, is treated in detail, and its appropriateness for the region's new “denominational” context. Regarding the future, a global perspective questions the most pessimistic forecasts, but also some optimistic evaluations of its potential.