The Significance of "Baptism in the Spirit" and Life in the Spirit Seminars in many forms

When priests and lay evangelists come for missions to our Catholic parishes, it often includes teaching about life in the Holy Spirit, charismatic gifts, and prayer for the participants to be filled with the Holy Spirit. P Mihovil Filipovic is one of them. Another priest who regularly visits Sweden is p Dominic Valanmanal.  

To be filled with the Holy Spirit is the same as what in the Charismatic Renewal usually is called "being baptized in the Holy Spirit" (cf Acts 1:5). The concept of "Baptism in the Spirit" has been carefully investigated by theologians and should be understood in a figurative sense, not as a replacement or supplement to sacramental baptism, but rather as an actualization of the grace already given in baptism. Bishop Sam Jacobs, USA, states that the Baptism in the Spirit is normative for all Christians and not a special spirituality for a few:

"From the present document and from many other studies, it is clear that this grace of Pentecost, called the baptism in the Holy Spirit, is not reserved for any particular movement, but belongs to the whole Church. This is nothing new. It is, in fact, the same grace that has been intended for God's people ever since the first day of Pentecost in Jerusalem and throughout the history of the Church." (From the introduction to the scripture “Fanning the Flame from1990) 

Life in the Spirit seminars in the original form of a 7-week course developed by Charismatic Renewal leaders in the United States have been a common form of for instruction about life in the Spirit and being filled with the Holy Spirit. The term "Baptism in the Spirit" is by no means obligatory, but has come to be used as a natural consequence of the use of the idiom in NT - what is important is the underlying reality/experience that is referred to and which is just as normative for Christians today as in the early days of the Church - nor is it necessary to go through a 7-week course to take part in this, it can happen at any time if you are baptized, repent, and receive Jesus Christ as Lord in your life, and pray with an open heart for the gift.

Understanding what it is about is of course facilitated by teaching that can be given in more or less systematic forms. For example, the community The Risen Christ GALILEA gives a weekend course called New Life. It contains essentially the same teaching as the Life in the Spirit seminaries. On CHARIS internationals homepage is offered an internet course with video-recorded lectures and accompanying documents that are free of charge. It is called New Life and is a further adaptation of the Life in the Spirit seminars. A useful material for local groups and congregations. 

Baptism of the Spirit is not a culmination, but the beginning of a full Christian life in which we use our gifts for the building up of the Church, evangelization and Christian unity, to serve the poor and to promote the common good in society. 

Read more: [P Raniero Cantalamessa about the meaning of Baptism in the Spirit] Also Lillemor Hallins books in new editions (swedish) is good pedagogical teaching on charismatic renewal and the practice of the charismatic gifts. 

[The books can be ordered from CHARIS-Nordic's e-shop] 

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Guidance to the bishops regarding the movements of the Church and discernment of the spiritual gifts: In 2016, the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith issued a document, Iuvenescit Ecclesia addressed to the bishops as a basis for their contact with new spiritual movements in the Church. The document puts the charismatic gifts in a holistic perspective and describes their relationship to the hierarchical gifts (those related to the sacrament of ordination and the sacraments administered by the bishops, priests and deacons). Both types of gifts are an outpouring of one and the same Spirit.

The document summarizes in 8 criteria the assessment of charismatic gifts:

"a) The Primacy of the vocation of every Christian to holiness. Every entity that is born from sharing in an authentic charism must always be at the service of holiness in the Church and, therefore, of the increase of charity and an authentic movement towards the perfection of love. [68]

b) Commitment to spreading the Gospel. Authentic charisms “are gifts of the Spirit integrated into the body of the Church, drawn to the center which is Christ and then channeled into an evangelizing impulse”.[69] In this way they must be marked by “conformity to and participation in the Church's apostolic goals” and show “a missionary zeal which will increase their effectiveness as participants in a re-evangelization”.[70]

c) Profession of the Catholic Faith. Every charismatic entity must be a place of education in the faith in its fullness “embracing and proclaiming the truth about Christ, the Church and humanity, in obedience to the Church's Magisterium, as the Church interprets it”;[71] for this reason they must avoid venturing “beyond (proagon) the doctrine and the ecclesial community”. Indeed if “one does not remain within these, one is not united to God and Jesus Christ (cf. 2 Jn 9)”.[72]

d) Witness to a real communion with the whole Church. This requires a “filial relationship to the Pope, in total adherence to the belief that he is the perpetual and visible center of unity of the universal Church, and with the local bishop, ‘the visible principle and foundation of unity’ in the particular Church”.[73] This implies a “loyal readiness to embrace the[ir] doctrinal teachings and pastoral initiatives”,[74] as well as “a readiness to participate in programs and Church activities at the local, national and international levels; a commitment to catechesis and a capacity for teaching and forming Christians”.[75]

e) Recognition of and esteem for the reciprocal complementarity of other charismatic elements in the Church. From this arises a readiness for reciprocal cooperation.[76] Truly: “A sure sign of the authenticity of a charism is its ecclesial character, its ability to be integrated harmoniously into the life of God’s holy and faithful people for the good of all. Something truly new brought about by the Spirit need not overshadow other gifts and spiritualities in making itself felt”.[77]

f) Acceptance of moments of trial in the discernment of charisms. Because a charismatic gift may imply “a certain element of genuine originality and of special initiative for the spiritual life of the Church” and in its surrounding “may appear troublesome”, it follows that one criteria of authenticity manifests itself as “humility in bearing with adversities”, such that: “The true relation between genuine charism, with its perspectives of newness, and interior suffering, carries with it an unvarying history of the connection between charism and cross”.[78] Any tensions that may arise are a call to the practice of greater charity in view of the more profound ecclesial communion and unity that exists.

g) Presence of spiritual fruits such as charity, joy, peace and a certain human maturity (cf. Gal 5:22); the desire “to live the Church's life more intensely”,[79] a more intense desire of “listening to and meditating on the Word”;[80] “the renewed appreciation for prayer, contemplation, liturgical and sacramental life, the reawakening of vocations to Christian marriage, the ministerial priesthood and the consecrated life”.[81]

h) The social dimension of evangelization. It is also necessary to recognize that, as a result of the impulse of charity, “the kerygma has a clear social content: at the very heart of the Gospel is life in community and engagement with others”.[82] This criteria of discernment, which refers not exclusively to lay entities in the Church, underlines the necessity of being “fruitful outlets for participation and solidarity in bringing about conditions that are more just and loving within society”.[83] In this regard the “desire to be present as Christians in various settings of social life and the creation and awakening of charitable, cultural and spiritual works; the spirit of detachment and evangelical poverty leading to a greater generosity in charity towards all” are significant.[84] Reference to the Social Doctrine of the Church is also a decisive factor.[85] In particular, “Our faith in Christ, who became poor, and was always close to the poor and the outcast, is the basis of our concern for the integral development of society’s most neglected members”.[86] This cannot be lacking in authentic ecclesial entity."

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