A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library

A History of Christian Doctrine
they could conduct Charismatic prayer meetings or praise
services also. Some denominations eventually welcomed
the Charismatic movement as an antidote to the decline in
membership of liberal Protestants, for it attracted new
people and renewed the devotion of many who had been
drifting away. Some churches even began to conduct most
or all of their services in Charismatic fashion.
By century’s end, the Charismatic movement no
longer encountered opposition from the large Protestant
denominations, with the notable exception of two conservative
groups who were Evangelical in theology: the
Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod and the Southern
Baptist Convention. While these groups did not take an
official stand nationally, on the local and district levels
most Charismatics in these groups were pressured to
leave. A significant number still remained, however, particularly
among the Baptists. Usually, they had to hide or
minimize their distinctive beliefs. Most used the term “fulness”
instead of “Charismatic” to describe their experience.
James Robison (born 1945), a prominent Southern
Baptist evangelist, experienced healing and deliverance
in 1981. Thereafter he focused his ministry on gifts of the
Spirit, but he did not explicitly accept or reject the label
“Charismatic.”
In sum, the more liberal Protestant denominations
freely allowed the Charismatic movement within their
ranks. The most vigorous opponents were Fundamentalists,
Holiness churches, and some Evangelicals. For
instance, the conservative Wesleyan and Holiness churches,
such as the Church of the Nazarene, denied the validity
of speaking in tongues.
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