Bogoslovska smotra, Vol. 78 No. 2, 2008.
Original scientific paper
Church Movements in Light of Spiritual Differentation
Jakov Mamić
; Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Jesús Castellano
Abstract
In his research the Authors claim that Church movements today represent the most lively and most valid spiritual and pastoral pluralism in the Church. As they on the most part belong to the lay section of the Church the Authors conclude that in pre-Council and immediately after the Second Vatican Council spirituality at the level of the laity was lively and the Spirit was effective. They represent an unavoidable new reality in theology in general and pastoral practise in particular. They have greatly confirmed their entire dynamism and determined contextual currentness and discipline, freshness of their messages and liveliness of their proclamation, sober and reliable adherence to the Gospel and loyalty to existentiality. Apart from new movements setting up new forms of life, i.e. various forms of spirituality, they bring a new sensitivity and give birth to new events. They introduce new topics that contribute to systematic thinking about spirituality in its vital areas: in the field of the Church, the world, holiness, prayer, mission, acts of the Holy Spirit, places of Christian experience in theology etc. Contact with them gives birth to various effects: from periphery sympathy to levels of cultural information; from occasional participation to complete acceptance; from theological scepticism to pastoral disdain.
The aim of this research naturally is the unavoidable need for contemporary pastorale: to reach criteria that will serve as indicators to priests and pastoral workers and act as an aid for them to attain sufficient knowledge for vibrant cooperation with the carriers of certain charismas or, to show them a certain amount of caution.
In conclusion, this research imposes the following realisations: Church judgement-recognition of spiritual and Church movements are exceptionally significant for the Church on the whole, for pastoral workers as the immediate carriers of pastoral responsibility and for the actual carrier of the charisma of the spiritual movement but also for the spiritual movement as such. Namely, at the Church level we cannot accept anything or promote anything that is not ecclesiastically recognised or judged and to judge means with the strength of the Holy Spirit to reach into the content and fruits of certain spiritual/Church trends and to see their values and limits. Therefore, based on studied Church documents and as a result of research by renown authors, the Authors of our theological and Church reality recommend the following ecclesiastic criteria: togetherness with the Church; significance - confirmation of their fruits; ability to grow; direction towards systematic (organic) communion of the charisma in the Church.
Keywords
ecclesial movements; differential criteria; spirituality; pastorale
Hrčak ID:
28232
URI
Publication date:
12.8.2008.
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