I only have a minute, and it's not necessarily an objection to Charismatic teachings: I regard all Christians as charismatics, as they all recieve the gift of the Spirit. My objection can be summarised as an objection to Charismatic practice: choruses.
Yes, Choruses. Those amazing irritatingly repetitive things designed to fill our hearts with praise, but which in me just induce rage, tedium or nausea.
I know lots of people love them, but I can't stick em. Let me thunder out old hymns like Pilgrims Progress, Abide with Me or the like. I love them, thay make me feel something, and I love to sing them loud to the Glory of Our Lord.
If only I could find a Charismatic Church which would sing an occasional song more than fifty years old! I grew up with these hymns, and they are my way of expressing my love to God. I am pretty close in my heart to Charismatic Christainity, but the music has driven me away many times.
Actually I've nothing against choruses - they are just not me! They are a fine way of worshipping God, and at least as good as mine, but personal tastes...
I do actually have one small query on Charismatic practice: I have worked for years in psychical research, and people who speak in tongues are not limited to Christians, and some of the Toronto Experience style slaying in the spirit reminded me of other spirit cult religions; body movement, the falling, the ecstatic states. This leads me to a question of discernment: what lies outside of the natural, and is anything supernatural happening? And if there is, how can we tell it differs from other religions simlar spirit filled/possessed worshippers? How do we know if it is of God? And does it feature in worship historically before the 18th century when other spirit religions began to emerge in the New World?
cj x