Charismatic Theology and Biblical Emphases

Abstract

Biblical theology has demonstrated a sharp divergence in emphases between the New Testament and traditional systematic theology in the areas of hermeneutics, the Holy Spirit, the kingdom of God, soteriology, and faith, among others. Within traditional systematic theology, these doctrines evolved toward a common characteristic: the denial or evasion of their inherent charismatic significance. By contrast, the more objective discipline of biblical theology shows the New Testament emphases within these doctrines to be dominantly charismatic. Scientific interpretive procedures comprising content analysis, widely used in communication research, shows objectively, and even more strongly, the dominant charismatic emphasis within these NT doctrines. The consequence of this approach is that an emphatically charismatic theology is also, centrally, a biblical theology, normatively binding on all who claim scripture as their primary principle of religious authority.