Charismatic Christianity, Helen Collins

ANDREW LARKIN

Eucharisma 1, (Spring 2024), 79-82.

For those who think the Charismatic Movement lacks theological underpinnings, Helen Collins’ book, Charismatic Christianity, is a work which fills that void. Collins is Vice Principal and Tutor in Practical Theology at Trinity College, Bristol, and her previous books include, Reordering Theological Reflection: Starting with Scripture and Mary the Worshipping Mother.

Collins’ book is an attempt to introduce charismatic theology through the gifts of the Spirit, focusing particularly on the Pentecost narrative of Acts 2 and the teaching on spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12. Hence Collins writes, ‘I think it is precisely the Pentecost narrative, interpreted using a charismata/spiritual gift hermeneutic, that sets the precedent for my project, which is both contextual and transcultural.’¹ In order to do this, she focuses on seven emphases, using a threefold structure to describe each, followed by discussion around one of the gifts and how this works in practice. She then explores a doctrine that relates to this area–again, using a threefold structure to bring out themes that, on first blush, might seem contradictory. The dangers around each emphasis are examined, alongside a different gift which can help curb excesses and bring balance, followed by a fruit of the Spirit cultivated by the emphasis and gifts practised. Needless to say, this is a teaching tool to ‘aid analysis,’² given the ‘interconnectedness of the emphases, doctrines and gifts.’³ A helpful appendix can be found at the back with a table containing the Chapter Overview.

The book has four aims.  The first is ‘to give you a language and a framework to better understand and confidently speak about your tradition.’⁴ Whilst Systematic Theologies, like J. Rodman Williams’ Renewal Theology, have been written from a distinctively charismatic perspective, this book is doing something different. In Collins’ own words, ‘What makes this project a contribution, I hope, is my demonstration of the relationship of these familiar doctrines with the charisms and charismatic practices.  This means that the outcome is both discernibly Christian and authentically charismatic.’⁵ Rather than a book on doctrine that happens to be written by a charismatic, therefore, the blending of doctrine and practice gives the work a particular steer.

The second aim is ‘to show the distinctive contribution that charismatic theology can make to Pentecostal scholarship’⁶ recognising that there is a difference between Pentecostal and Charismatic theology, even though these are interconnected. Collins notes that people often do not see the charismatic movement as adding anything distinct to Pentecostal perspectives and that, generally speaking, Pentecostal writers have tended to have more respect in the academic world, given much charismatic literature is written at the popular level. That said, I was surprised not to see works by writers such as Jack Deere, Derek Mophew⁷ and Henry Lederle⁸ referenced, which show exceptions to the generalisation.

The third aim of the book is to provide ‘advocacy for charismatic spirituality as a theologically coherent contributor to global theological discussions,’⁹ whilst the fourth is to ‘highlight how and where the charismatic tradition needs renewal of its beliefs and practices [claiming the movement has] the resources necessary for its own self-correction.’¹⁰ Given the times we live in, this is an important feature.

There is much I liked about the book. There has been a need for this type of book—the other that comes to mind is Lederle’s book, although that is more a reflection and evaluation of key doctrines within both the Pentecostal and Charismatic movement—and Collins has more than achieved the first aim through the distinct contribution she aimed for. For any looking for a responsible discussion on the gifts of the Spirit and the interplay between these, the emphases of the charismatic movement and doctrines, this is the book to read. Collins is conversant with the literature on the subject and so the book helps the reader to understand different understandings around certain gifts, e.g., glossolalia. As such, Collins has, ‘mostly summarised and synthesised what others have already said’¹¹ which tends to prioritise breadth over depth, as she acknowledges,¹² but that is the right call for what this book is aiming to achieve.  

I appreciated the discussion of different gifts, particularly around prophecy and glossolalia. I found much which was wise and pastorally helpful. One example would be the chapter on Expectancy which focuses on the gift of prophecy. Noting that such an emphasis can come with the dangers of straying into heresy and an unhealthy prioritising of new things–something charismatics and, for that matter, our wider culture in general can be guilty of–Collins shows how teaching can frame expectancy in a helpful way which does not run asunder into those errors. The book is littered with helpful nuggets, one of them pertaining to this area, where Collins writes, ‘expectancy must be accompanied by the fruit of patience if it is to be from the Spirit of Jesus Christ…It is counterintuitive that we should grow more patient the longer we wait for God’s expected work of renewal. The reason for this is that as we wait expectantly, prophesying and teaching, we come to know better the relationality and sovereignty of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.’¹³ Such sentences show the interplay around emphasis, doctrine and gifts that makes this book rich.  

There are many other examples I could give but I will only mention two. One is around the insight of Brian Brock and Bernd Wannenwetsch that the gift of faith can act vicariously and so act as an encouragement to others and thus see faith increase in them. I have seen this to be true but had not connected the dots to the gift of faith in this way. Another concerns the commonly held idea, arguably going back to David Hume, that the supernatural involves breaking natural laws. Collins notes that the day of Pentecost saw the coming of the Spirit as being ‘accompanied by dramatic signs, but they are “natural” signs, entirely continuous with and authentic to the “natural” creation, and that mediate God to us.’¹⁴ A few pages later, Collins summarises Amos Yong who shows the ‘natural’ vs ‘supernatural’ or miraculous breaking ‘immutable laws’ leads to an inconsistent theology, which owes more to Enlightenment scepticism than biblical definition.  On the flip-side, however, I feel Collin’s definition of a miracle as a ‘sign or wonder that reveals God in the world in a particularly intense way’¹⁵ is too broad and open to much subjectivity.

There will be some areas people would want further discussion on such as the sacraments; the issue of women in leadership and how that pertains to debates around complementarianism and egalitarianism; and different stripes of charismatic theology and practice such as the emergence of ‘Reformed Charismatics.’ Given the focus of the book, however, which, to my mind, is almost a ‘mere’ Charismatic Christianity, I can understand why such subjects are best left for future works.  

I was surprised 1 John 4 was not examined when Collins discussed the discernment of spirits, and would have appreciated more comment on certain areas. For instance, Paul Cain is mentioned as an example of some wrong practices and excess in prophecy. This has been well-documented but my question would be, how do character flaws and mishandling of gifts interplay with the genuineness of much of Cain’s prophetic ministry? How do we go about the work of chewing the meat and spitting out the bones? Several people I know with a prophetic gift can sometimes be astonishingly accurate one day; vague and humdrum another; and other times just a bit weird or unstable. Why is that? How do we explain or handle that?¹⁶

I think those charismatics looking for “solid ground” upon which their theology works itself out in practice will be well served by this book. When considering the four aims at the start of the book and returned to at the end, I would suggest Collins has very much succeeded. As such, this is also a very helpful “way in” for those who want to understand more about charismatic theology, gifts of the Spirit and how these things can work in practice. Those in church leadership will be helped, both in terms of biblical and theological exploration of gifts but also the practice of how these work in sync.

It feels fitting to conclude with a note from Collin’s conclusion. The book begins with a testimony and ends with one, in the finest of charismatic traditions.  The end testimony talks about how, on becoming a mother, previous charismatic practices did not sustain her faith as they had previously. Fourteen years, three children and a PhD later, Collins has been able to reconnect with charismatic practices, but in a broader way, with new practices from “old” traditions and more life experience. Collins writes, “I have become more charismatic through the embrace of these new practices and insights, while not leaving my old ways behind.”¹⁷ I think this is a neat way of summarising the book and the current moment for much of charismatic theology and practice: an embracing of the newness of the old, bringing out old treasures which feel new, and increasing in maturity.  

1. Helen Collins, Charismatic Christianity: Introducing Its Theology through the Gifts of the Spirit, (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2023), 9. ↩︎
2. P. 188. ↩︎
3. Ibid. ↩︎
4. P. 2. ↩︎
5. P. 188. ↩︎
6. P. 3. ↩︎
7. For instance, Deere’s books, Surprised by the Power of the Holy Spirit, (Eastbourne: Kingsway, 1993) or Surprised by the Power of God, (Eastbourne: Kingway, 1996) and Morphew’s Breakthrough: Discovering the Kingdom, (Cape Town: Vineyard International Publishing, republished 1998).  Although such books were written for a more popular level audience, they are both academics.
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8. Theology with Spirit: The Future of the Pentecostal & Charismatic Movements in the Twenty-first Century, (Tulsa: Word & Spirit Press, 2010). ↩︎
9. P. 4. ↩︎
10. P. 5. ↩︎
11. P. 187. ↩︎
12. Ibid. ↩︎
13. P. 40. ↩︎
14. P. 47. ↩︎
15. P. 61. ↩︎
16. A starter for ten on such questions would be this article by John Piper at https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/why-some-spiritual-gifts-attract-unstable-people ↩︎
17. P. 201. ↩︎