As a point of reference, when I say "Experiential" I am referring to something along the lines of Azuza Street. When I say intellectual am referring to something along the lines of C.S. Lewis.
My question is what do you believe the roles are in these two categories in the Christian faith?
I know growing up in a Pentecostal church the Experiential was heavily emphasized. There was always an anticipation of not just going to church to learn about God or experience the fellowship of other believers, but you actually had the anticipation of experiencing the tangible presence and move of God...of God moving supernaturally in and through the service. You never knew what to expect. In a very real sense being in one of these type of meetings it felt like you were at the center of everything and in a sense you were because you would come into direct contact and experience the One who is the center of everything.
Because of the heavy focus on the experiential, the intellectual was secondary and because of this many of us at times experienced extreme teachings that could have a derogatory effect.
Contrast this with the tremendous amount of knowledge that has increased within the church through Study Bibles, new historical discoveries and access to theological commentary that was far more out of reach to most of us mainly because we didn't have the internet. We now have many more people who understand basic Christian orthodoxy and we also have many more people who challenge it and push the envelope of understanding and interpretation.
I just wanted to bring this up and hear what everyone thinks about this contrast. It almost seems to me that the experiential part has faded away or is now viewed as extreme or that those who are most ready to embrace it are Christians with a more simple understanding that can potentially be like pitching your tent in a land mine if they have dogmatic extreme beliefs.
About 10 years ago, one night I attended a fairly large Pentecostal church in a city about an hour away. They were full flag waving (speaking metaphorically) Pentecostals. I took my then girl friend to the meeting and she got offended at the preaching because the preacher was telling how the women needed to have long hair and wear dresses and no make-up and such. Of course I didn't buy into all of that, but I didn't pay it much attention either because the presence of God was so strong in the place that it was magnetic.
I contrast this with non-Spirit filled Evangelical type churches or even those who say they believe in the gifts, but it is pushed back into the back corner somewhere. No matter how many churches I attend like this I always leave filling like something is incomplete.
I guess I would like to know....is the experiential something that is steadily dying out? I find myself always missing it and longing for it, very much an inner thirst that just cannot be quenched with good teaching and Bible study.
My question is what do you believe the roles are in these two categories in the Christian faith?
I know growing up in a Pentecostal church the Experiential was heavily emphasized. There was always an anticipation of not just going to church to learn about God or experience the fellowship of other believers, but you actually had the anticipation of experiencing the tangible presence and move of God...of God moving supernaturally in and through the service. You never knew what to expect. In a very real sense being in one of these type of meetings it felt like you were at the center of everything and in a sense you were because you would come into direct contact and experience the One who is the center of everything.
Because of the heavy focus on the experiential, the intellectual was secondary and because of this many of us at times experienced extreme teachings that could have a derogatory effect.
Contrast this with the tremendous amount of knowledge that has increased within the church through Study Bibles, new historical discoveries and access to theological commentary that was far more out of reach to most of us mainly because we didn't have the internet. We now have many more people who understand basic Christian orthodoxy and we also have many more people who challenge it and push the envelope of understanding and interpretation.
I just wanted to bring this up and hear what everyone thinks about this contrast. It almost seems to me that the experiential part has faded away or is now viewed as extreme or that those who are most ready to embrace it are Christians with a more simple understanding that can potentially be like pitching your tent in a land mine if they have dogmatic extreme beliefs.
About 10 years ago, one night I attended a fairly large Pentecostal church in a city about an hour away. They were full flag waving (speaking metaphorically) Pentecostals. I took my then girl friend to the meeting and she got offended at the preaching because the preacher was telling how the women needed to have long hair and wear dresses and no make-up and such. Of course I didn't buy into all of that, but I didn't pay it much attention either because the presence of God was so strong in the place that it was magnetic.
I contrast this with non-Spirit filled Evangelical type churches or even those who say they believe in the gifts, but it is pushed back into the back corner somewhere. No matter how many churches I attend like this I always leave filling like something is incomplete.
I guess I would like to know....is the experiential something that is steadily dying out? I find myself always missing it and longing for it, very much an inner thirst that just cannot be quenched with good teaching and Bible study.
