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Panel
diagnoses dangers of Neo-Pentecostalism
Barcelona, February 14th,
2004 (ACPress.net).
A panel discussion organised
by three Bible Colleges and held recently in Barcelona discussed
the question of whether Neo-Pentecostalism is evangelical. The
three members of the panel - a theologian, a pastor and a historian
- concluded that it is not.
The panel, held annually to discuss a current or important issue,
is a joint exercise designed to increase fellowship between
members and staff of the three institutions (CEEB, IBSTE and
EBE). Bernard Coster looked at the historical angle from the
viewpoint that 'tradition is exhausted.' Any new movement begins
with a renewal which, if it proves fruitful, creates a new tradition
which can be updated whenever there are new ideas to do so.
Artificial modernisation is also a danger however, when the
tradition is modified due to reasons foreign to the character
of the tradition itself.
Coster concluded that Neo-Pentecostalism replaces biblical salvation
- through the eschatological work of Christ on the cross, Col.
3:3 - with emotional salvation experiences of power, blessing,
happiness and healing. Such teaching goes against the Biblical
base of the prophets and apostles, creates new doctrinal tendencies,
and is dominated by a syncretist pneumatology which does not
allow the spirits to be tested. All this separates this movement
from true evangelicalism.
Julián Mellado began by defining what is meant by 'evangelical',
going back to the tripartite motto of the Reformation: 'sola
Scriptura, sola gracia, sola fide.' He said Neo-Pentecostalismo
denies these three tenets of the faith, and is not even Pentecostal,
but rather a Christianised expression of metaphysics originating
in the 19th century, which seeks to impose a magic vision of
life expressed in Christian terms. Rather than having a theological
framework, Mellado believes the movement is one of 'new spirituality'.
He concluded by saying that Neo-Pentecostalism sees faith as
a power which influences God, grace as the recognition of the
internal power of the believer, and the Scriptures as merely
one more source of revelation. Therefore, it is not evangelical
but syncretistic, and mixes pagan concepts with Christian terminology.
Andreu Dionís examined the type of people who come to evangelical
churches from Neo-Pentecostalism, commenting that they are usually
Latin American immigrants. He said that to reach them he tried
to give them a clear understanding of the vision, mission and
covenant of the Church. Then he spoke about the need to judge
one's spiritual experience by the Word of God, and not vice-versa,
emphasising that spiritual warfare was primarily against one's
own sinfulness.
Dionis added that Christianity offers a Suffering Servant rather
than material prosperity, the authority of service rather than
office. After the panel members had spoken, there was an open
time of debate with the floor, from where some spoke of the
negative experiences they had had with Neo-Pentecostalism.
Source: Pedro Puigvert. Editing:
ACPress.net
Catholic family unit blames
sexual revolution for many ills
Barcelona, February 26th,
2004 (ACPress.net).
The Family Unit of the
Catholic Church says domestic violence is one of the consequences
of the sexual revolution, and is calling on Catholic lawyers
and judges not to get involved in divorce cases. This represents
a shift in official policy, as three years ago, they did not
connect violence with sexual 'liberation', and only recommended
the use of conscientious objection in abortion cases.
The policy document also warns that the spread of divorce, co-habitation
and homosexuality are a danger to the family, as are the increasing
social acceptance of abortion, sterilisation, euthanasia and
IVF treatment. It recognises the growing rejection of violence
within the family, the recognition that men and women are equal,
greater freedom in relationships and in the choice of marriage
partner, and the fact that children enjoy greater respect.
It blames the rise in pornography, including child pornography,
on the sexual revolution, as well as the increase in sexual
violence. On divorce, its tone is more conciliatory, recognising
that difficulties occur, that judges have to choose between
conscientious objection or merely cooperating materially, and
in the 2001 text, that separation is sometimes the lesser evil.
The recent document blames other family problems on the pressures
of work, and the cost of purchasing a home. It places the blame
for escalating house prices squarely on the artificial speculation
of banks, councils and building firms.
On sex before marriage, while rejecting it, shows it understands
the pressures; long courtships, the lack of a secure job which
makes people put off marriage, and social pressure to try so-called
'safe sex.' On abortion though, it encourages social action:
"the laws which allow and regulate the violation of the
right to life are extremely unjust and should not be obeyed",
though it appreciates the need for legislation to regulate unethical
behaviour.
Source: EL PERIÓDICO. Editing:
ACPress.net
While Protestant leader
blames Franco
Madrid, February 26th, 2004
(ACPress.net).
The above document (see
previous article), published by the Spanish Catholic bishops,
has not met with much approval. Blaming domestic violence on
the sexual revolution has not gone down well, nor has calling
Spain 'post-Christian', 'pagan' and 'more and more Pharisaical.'
All the main political parties have expressed their disagreement,
as has Protestant pastor and journalist, Juan Antonio Monroy.
The governing Popular Party said through spokesman Eduardo Zaplana
that it respected the bishops greatly, but diverged from their
analysis. The Socialist Party called the document "reactionary",
and a spokeswoman, Micaela Navarro, claimed "violence against
women continues because Catholic doctrine teaches female submission."
Harsher still was Ana María Pérez, Chairman of the Federation
of Separated Women's Associations, who said "The (Catholic)
Church should apologise to half the population for what it has
done to women."
Monroy, Honorary Chairman of the Churches of Christ in Spain,
commented that after 40 years of Franco, the Catholic bishops
held all the power in their hands. "The failure of religious
education is down to them." In 1958, the law read: "The
Spanish nation considers it an honour to follow God's Law according
to the teaching of the Holy Catholic, Apostolic, Roman Church,
the only true and inseparable faith of the national conscience,
which will inspire its legislation." Monroy observes that
"46 years on, Spaniards do not follow God's Law, nor Catholic
doctrine, nor do they have faith, nor are they interested in
the national conscience."
So it is not that Spain has become pagan now, but that this
"has been going on for centuries. What happened under Franco
was not Catholicism, even less was it Christianity, but the
forced submission to the political and religious commands of
a dictatorship. This is the mother of the paganism which we
are now experiencing in Spain."
Source: Protestante Digital.
Editing: ACPress.net
Spain among the worst 'sex
tourism' offenders
Madrid, March 2nd, 2004 (ACPress.net).
Spain has one of the
highest numbers of tourists who travel to have sex with under-age
girls, figuring among the 'top five' in the EU, together with
France, Italy, Belgium and Germany. According to data from 'Save
the Children', between 30,000 and 35,000 Spaniards visited Latin
America in 2001 to have sex with children.
The favourite destinations of these 'tourists' are the Caribbean,
South-East Asia, Africa and Central America. One of the reasons
why they prefer to have sex with under-age girls is the reduced
risk of catching Aids. 'Save the Children' condemns 'sex tourism'
as a form of child exploitation which, they say, is growing.
The World Tourism Authority says that 3% of all international
travellers have paedophilic tendencies. That amounts to over
3.5 million trips.
The International Network for the Eradication of Child Sex Exploitation
says that 5,000 under-age Spaniards are trapped in prostitution
rackets. There were 323 official complaints about the practice
in 2002, according to figures from the Interior Ministry. In
that same year, 8,401 cases of child disappearance were registered,
of whom 4,261 were girls. Almost half the child victims of sex
abuse are under 12, most of the aggressors are male, and 20%
of them also under-age.
Internet is the principal source of child pornography, due to
its anonymity and accessibility. 'Save the Children' estimates
there are about 4 million websites containing pictures of child
pornography. The organisation is calling on the government to
set up regional centres for victims and aggressors, to improve
the judicial treatment of cases by fast-tracking child abuse
cases, and by guaranteeing the child's protection while the
case goes through the courts.
Source: EL MUNDO. Editing:
ACPress.net
Government research unit
requests ACPress.net opinion
Madrid, March 2nd, 2004 (ACPress.net).
'Protestante Digital',
the on-line magazine of A.C.Press, has been selected by the
government's Scientific Investigation Council (CSIC) as one
of the sources in planned research on the sociological composition
of Europe.
The project is part of a wider investigation being carried out
across Europe and called 'Welfare Reform and the Management
of Societal Change', and one of the members of this team asked
Protestante Digital to help. In the letter sent to ACPress.net,
they said: "It would be very helpful for us to know the
opinion of your news agency with regard to the changes being
wrought in the system of social protection (ie. pensions, family
aid, etc.) in Spain."
The Director of Protestante Digital, Pedro Tarquis, will answer
questions on issues such as social policy and economics for
CSIC's research. CSIC is based in Madrid.
Source & Editing: ACPress.net
This generation has 'a fear
of freedom'
Madrid, March 2nd, 2004 (ACPress.net).
Evangelical writer and
historian, Mario Escobar, said in an interview with 'Protestante
Digital' that Christian undergraduates face the pressure of
conformity which comes from a fear of freedom. This leads people
today "to shield their decisions behind the dictatorship
of the majority, whether or not these decisions are morally
acceptable."
Asked what he considered the single most important event of
the 20th century, Escobar responded "the rise to power
of Hitler. I consider it the maximum expression of Western deterioration.
That such a mediocre person could dominate one of the most important
European countries and could only be defeated by enemy armies,
shows the decline of reason in civilised society." This
is why he feels there is today a fear of freedom, a need to
obey, which is the inheritance of totalitarian systems where
the majority do what the dictator tells them.
In today's universities, people believe "that Christianity
can be cured by knowledge", when in fact the opposite is
true; real Christianity rests on knowledge as well as faith.
Escobar added that History departments often transmit false
information about Protestant Christianity, especially in the
case of evangelical growth in Latin America. This is what led
him to start his own history magazine, to offer a correct perspective
on evangelical Christian history.
Escobar has written books about Spanish king, Philip III, and
Dr Martin Luther King, and edits an evangelical history magazine
as well as the Assemblies of God's in-house publication, 'Kerygma.'
He also writes a weekly column in Protestante Digital.
Source: Protestante Digital.
Editing: ACPress.net
Spanish youth know 'nothing' about religion
Madrid, March 2nd, 2004 (ACPress.net).
Spanish young people
"are completely ignorant" about religion, according
to twenty historians and Heads of Department of Ecclesiastical
Law who met recently to discuss the forthcoming legislation
on R.E. in state schools.
"The situation is a disaster because the (Catholic) bishops
have done what they pleased and they could not care less what
pupils learn, and students get to university knowing absolutely
nothing about ancient religion or history", says Ramón
Teja Casuso, spokesman for a study group on the history of early
Christianity.
In theory, many pupils of Catholic R.E. classes - given by teachers
selected by the Episcopate but paid by the state - should be
excellent, given that their grades are on average 40% higher
than those who opt for non-confessional classes. However, a
fair number of these Catholic 'high fliers' have failed every
other subject, which makes their R.E. mark look rather suspicious.
Teja has the answer: some diocese make their classes attractive
by offering high marks, whereas these are only obtained by studying
in the alternative Ethics option.
A wider debate also rages with regard to the legality of the
forthcoming Education Bill. Gustavo Suárez, ex-Minister of Education,
says it is "the worst possible interpretation of those
agreements (ie. those between the state and the Catholic Church,
signed in 1979, without taking the Constitution into consideration),
which never state that there must be an alternative option,
nor that R.E. should form part of the exam-evaluated syllabus."
Juan José Tamayo, excommunicated Catholic theologian, goes even
further and says the situation is worse than under Franco's
so-called 'National Catholicism': "They are trying to square
the circle: put confessional classes in a non-confessional state."
"It is not the same to teach a religious creed as to teach
the history of religions", adds María Victoria Escribano,
from Zaragoza University.
In a final statement, the group said: "We call on the authorities
to provide adequate means to study religions according to the
demands of a modern, advanced society, and to ensure the right
of all citizens to receive an integrated education."
Source: EL PAÍS. Editing:
ACPress.net
No cross at the local cemetery
Santander, February 26th,
2004 (ACPress.net).
The small, northern town
of San Vicente de la Barquera is all a-quiver, after its Mayor
has removed three crucifixes from public places: two from the
Town Hall, and the latest from the municipal cemetery.
Many local people have expressed their disgust at the Mayor's
action, but Socialist José Miguel Pardo defends himself from
the Constitution. While the Popular Party calls it "an
insult to the citizens of San Vicente", Pardo says the
cemetery is a civic place, and therefore "religious symbols
are inappropriate in the main entrance, so as not to exclude
people of other beliefs who should receive the same respect.
It is quite different what each person does with his own grave."
Pardo believes he is applying Article 14 of the Constitution
which says: "Spaniards are equal before the Law, and cannot
be discriminated against on the grounds of birth, race, sex,
religion, opinion or any other condition or circumstance, personal
or social." Opponents of his decision claim he is actually
being dictatorial and anti-democratic, and showing little respect
for the religious beliefs and customs of many of the townsfolk.
In fact, he is challenging the old argument which says Catholic
symbols can stay because 'the majority want them.'
Source: ABC. Editing: ACPress.net
Inquisition
Queen awaits papal decision on her sainthood
Madrid, February 26th, 2004
(ACPress.net).
Despite all the evidence
against her, the Spanish Catholic bishops are determined to
beatify Isabel I, and the report sent to the Vatican appears
to be favourable. All now hangs on the verdict of the Pope.
Luis Suárez, historian and lecturer, has been studying Queen
Isabel for 50 years. He admits that her expulsion of the Jews
from Spain was a "dreadful error", but says she was
under pressure to set Spain on a more European course. Suárez
refuses to comment on whether she should be given the status
of 'saint' (sic ), saying he is not competent to judge on such
an issue. However, he believes the report will be favourable
and says "she lived out Christian virtues to a degree we
cannot comprehend today."
Although the process is slow, it is now nearly finished. It
began in 1952! Many important people were asked to investigate
the case, and all now awaits the blessing of the Pope.
Source: LA RAZÓN. Editing:
ACPress.net |
