The Social Context of Prophecy: "Word-Gifts" of the Spirit among Catholic Pentecostals

Abstract

For Catholic pentecostalism, a recent middle-class group-movement, the element of prophecy takes on special significance. It is the "gift of the Holy Spirit" by which God communicates directly with the prayer group through the voices of certain members. For this theological reason, the giving of prophecy and related roles-glossolalic prophecy, interpretation, confirmation, and discernment-become central to prayer meetings where these gifts are exercised. These speech roles, together with the roles of hearers and controllers of speech, are significant in developing and maintaining a common definition of the situation. The orchestration of these diverse roles enables the group leadership to maintain firm control of the prayer meeting, while creating the semblance of spontaneity and egalitarianism-two ideals of the movement. Seven Catholic pentecostal groups were studied by participant observation and interviewing between 1971 and 1975. The specific aspect of language use was analyzed, and norms and patterns of speech roles were recorded. The speaking of prophecy and related "gifts" serve important social functions for the prayer groups. They work to foster an atmosphere of expectancy, a sense of the immediacy of God, and a feeling of mystery. Further, they promote the unity of the prayer group and enhance the feeling on the part of members that their group is "chosen" for God's revelations of Himself. The use of prophecy and related speech serves to embody lines of stratification in the prayer group and to promote control by the leaders. Finally, it serves as a source of authoritative teaching, fulfilling in part for many members a felt need for such strong authority, and thus constituting part of the appeal of the movement.