I note that Evangelical Times have published an article titled “Why I escaped from the so called Calvinistic Charismatics”. It is behind a pay wall so I’ve not been able to read the full article and offensive/ ignorant headlines of that kind are unlikely to persuade me to take out a subscription.
I believe ET readers should be allowed to hear both sides of the matter, so I have written to their editor offering to write something from a different perspective. I speak as someone who has perhaps made the journey almost the opposite way to their contributor.
The part of the article I was able to see picks up on a difference of opinion between the author and his previous church on how the Law applies after Christ’s coming and specifically on the Sabbath. So it is worth noting two things here. First that I don’t believe there is a uniform blanket position either within New Frontiers or the wider Reformed Charismatic movement. I can speak personally and say that I’ve heard differing views. Personally I hold strongly to the view that the Law continues to apply to believers, fulfilled, not abolished by Christ. Specifically I believe that the Sabbath (now the Lord’s Day) applies, although not in the legalistic manner approached by some.
However, it is also the case that pre and outside of Charismatic circles, there have always been different views within the Reformed tradition on how the Sabbath Law relates to the believer. It is rather misleading to make this a dividing point between charismatic and non-charismatic when it is not.
The other issue that gets an early mention is the Toronto Blessing. Again this was not specifically a New Frontiers phenomenon. It sounds like I’m a little older than Tom Allen as I was at University when it happened. I was a strong critic at the time of two things. First, there were the extreme behaviours, the barking etc. Secondly, I believe that there was a lot of manufactured and manipulated experiences. I’m sure that within NF you will find plenty of others who shared those concerns.
However, perhaps having witnessed it as an adult and been able to see up close and talk to people helped give another perspective. It was clear at the time that there were many people who experienced a fresh and renewing encounter with the Holy Spirit leading to a greater love of God and his word as well as passion for the lost. It is perhaps those things that an older generation look back longingly for.
It is worth remembering that the Great Awakening had its share of phenomenon, some aspects clearly unhealthy. The argument of Jonathan Edwards was that we don’t judge on the physical phenomenon.
Now there are key differences between charismatics and non charismatics either in theology with cessationists or in practice with non-charismatics who at least in theory are not cessationist. However, those are secondary issues, as is the matter above.
Therefore it is quite disturbing and deeply inappropriate for a Christian newspaper to be using the horrifically inappropriate language of escape from one part of the body of Christ.
I hope that Evangelical Times will make it clear that they do not endorse the comments of their contributor and allow a full response. I hope too that they will review their editorial policies.
Faithroots 
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