hy Do We Need Catholic Charismatic Apologetics?

Apologetics:  (Greek: apologia, apology, defense) The theological science which aims at explaining and justifying religious doctrine in order to show its reasonableness in answer to objections of those who deny the reasonableness of any religion, especially of a revealed religion, such as Christianity, and more particularly the reasonable grounds of the Catholic religion… Theologians today prefer to call the science fundamental theology, which explains the grounds of religion, revelation, Christianity, and Catholicity. (New Catholic Dictionary)

In 1985 Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) described for us what he called a “pentecostal season” in the Church.  This season of Pentecost became visible for him as he watched the “movements” including, but not limited to, charismatic renewal as they sprang up from the inner vitality of the faith, by the leading of the Spirit.  In them he saw a confirmation that the renewal envisioned by Vatican II was afoot but he noted that this renewal was occurring in the Church in a “subdued” way.    He wrote, “it does not yet have it’s full voice in the great debate of dominant ideas.  It grows in silence” (The Ratzinger Report, p. 44).  Many would agree that the insights that come with the charismatic dimension of the Church still do not have their full voice in the great debate of dominant ideas.  For this reason, for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for the sake of orthodoxy, for the sake of the full realization of the Second Vatican Council, we need a Catholic Charismatic Apologetic.

Acceptance of the charismatic dimension of the church is part of Catholic orthodoxy and yet, at this time, we often find that most of our apologetic work must be offered to our brother and sister Catholics.  We must maintain that, while one can be an orthodox Catholic and not join the Charismatic Renewal, one can’t be an orthodox Catholic and refuse to accept the charismatic graces (CCC 2003) nor the charismatic dimension of the Church, as it is “constitutive” of the Church.  Catholic orthodoxy protects the integrity of the charismatic dimension so that it can not be reduced to a spirituality that some people are “in to” and other’s “aren’t.”  No one would say, “I’m Catholic but I’m not really “in to” the sacramental graces because the sacraments are essential to Catholic life.  They cannot be reduced to a “sacramental spirituality” that some are “i

n to” and some “aren’t” because sacramental grace is part of the very nature of the Church.  The celebration of the Eucharist, for example, is called the source and summit of the whole Christian life.  The charismatic dimension is essential too, part of the nature of what it means to be the Church.

Here we proceed to construct apologetics for the charismatic dimension of our faith, keeping in mind that we proceed in communion with the Church ready to submit everything to her wisdom.  We should proceed with great conviction but also in humility.  We hope to evoke faith in Jesus Christ not to be critical or argumentative.  Also, because these pages have not been submitted to ecclesiastical authority they must be seen as a draft of a work in progress and open to correction by people with discernment especially our shepherds, the bishops of the Church.