“Why Are Charismatics So Weird?”: A Response to Justin Peters
follow me on social media to get updates on the process of researching, writing, new finds, and more!
Justin Peters is a popular reformed (Calvinist) Christian speaker and author who is well known for his discernment ministry Justin Peters Ministries. Peters self-identifies as a Cessationist (meaning he believes certain gifts of the Holy Spirit ceased after the apostles died). His video series Clouds Without Water, for example, is a criticism of the modern Charismatic movement.
Most recently, Peters has created a podcast entitled Why Are Charismatics So Weird?.
This is an interesting question, though the words “crazy”, “lunatic”, and “nuttery” (among others) are used regularly throughout the podcast.
In commenting on the title of the podcast, he states: “…the fact of the matter is, they just are.”
Peters agrees with the assessment of pastor John MacArthur that the majority of Charismatic Christians are deceived or involved in various demonic activities. Additionally, he believes that the criticisms that he and others involved in the Strange Fire conference (2013) received about painting with “too broad a brush” are unwarranted.[1]
In responding to the accusation that he is unfairly criticizing the wider Charismatic movement by using fringe examples, Peters argues that the Word of Faith movement[2] and the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) are “mainstream” representations of the Charismatic movement as a whole.[3] He further contends that the true “fringe” of the Charismatic movement includes Christians like John Piper and Sam Storms (both of whom share Peters’ reformed theology).[4] By this, Peters means that orthodox Charismatics are a minority (thus, “fringe”).
Whether Peters’ assessment about the statistics is accurate or not (he does not cite any proof of his assertion that the majority of Charismatics are part of these movements),[5] it is relatively clear that many of the examples he highlights in his segment would also be criticized by Pentecostals and Charismatics.
In one segment, for example, a woman is seen on the gameshow Family Feud repetitively singing “Holy Spirit activate” prior to answering the host’s questions. This clip is interpreted by Peters as an attempt to coax God into giving her supernatural knowledge in order to win. In another episode, Peters shows a clip of Sharon Gilbert claiming Jesus saved her from a sexual encounter with a reptilian demon masquerading as her husband.
Throughout the podcast, Peters stresses how the unbelieving world looks at these video clips in mockery and that “they make fun of them…rightly so.”
One particularly striking feature of the podcast is that, although Peters often criticizes those in the clips he reviews about their lack of theological knowledge and low view of Scripture, he rarely discusses biblical texts in his critiques, relying instead on the shocking and seemingly strange nature of the clips themselves to fuel his assessment.
The intent of the podcast does not seem to be about offering scriptural refutations or trying to parse through the oddities involved in the distinct language of those in the clips. Instead, the objective seems to be pointing at them as examples by which to criticize the wider Pentecostal and Charismatic movements.
I will offer a few comments on the method of the podcast at the end, but for now I would like to suggest some possible answers to the question Peters asks:
Why are Charismatics so weird?
1) Charismatics are sometimes weird because they serve a weird God. The word “holy” means “different” or “other”. Christians who seek to emulate a holy God are meant to look strange to the unbelieving world. This does not mean that we uncritically accept every testimony or miraculous claim. It also doesn’t mean that the weirder something looks the more likely it’s from God. And it surely does not mean that we ought to go searching for weird things so that we can stand out or seem more spiritually impressive. But it does mean that we should expect that the unusual character, methods, and miracles of God will translate into our human experience and can be viewed with disdain by onlookers.
2) Charismatics are sometimes weird because they are sometimes ostracized by the theologically adept. While many criticize the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements as being anti-intellectual, many others recognize that a host of well-respected Christian scholars, teachers, and pastors are Charismatic (e.g., Craig Keener, Sam Storms). Charismatics are sometimes approached with stinging criticism rather than discipleship, which can alienate those Christians from engaging in theologically saturated movements, creating a cyclical pattern of rebuke and distrust of cognitive-focused faith expressions.
3) Charismatics are sometimes weird because of a priori assumptions made by etic observers. Sometimes, something looks weird and is from God. The claim that a man survived in the belly of a large fish, for example, should strike us as odd and unbelievable. The weirdness of a story tells us nothing about its source or authenticity.
4) Charismatics are sometimes weird because they, like many other Christian denominations and theological guilds, sometimes live in an echo chamber of ideas. Without interdenominational dialogue and the willingness to forgo judgment on a situation without first hearing all sides, this can promote truly weird results. Such a symptom of the Charismatic movement is an unfortunate failing on both sides of the theological spectrum. Charismatics can be guilty of ignoring true biblical criticism while simultaneously Cessationists can be guilty of lacking the patience necessary to talk through complicated and ingrained beliefs.
5) Charismatics are sometimes weird because of peer pressure and spiritual abuse. In some Charismatic and Pentecostal circles, the presence of a perceived religious authority, the desire for attention or fitting in, and peer pressure from group dynamics can facilitate weird actions on behalf of members of these movements. In the same way an altar call at a Baptist Church may emotionally manipulate people into “accepting Jesus into your heart,” outward physical manifestations and actions may be the result of such ecclesiastical pressure.
6) Charismatics are sometimes weird because they have developed their own vocabulary. In the same way that reformed theologians talk about the “doctrines of grace” or being a “5-pointer,” Charismatics and Pentecostals have developed their own unique terms for various beliefs and phenomena. It is necessary, therefore, to explore the possible nuances and metaphorical meanings inherent within the language of such groups to determine if your criticism is valid. We cannot think the worst about a belief or activity based solely on the terminology used to describe it.
Finally, what are some things to keep in mind when creating a podcast of this nature?
1) What you look for, you will find: “Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to him who searches for it” (Prov 11:27).
2) We all come to Christ with different data sets of knowledge and cognitive capabilities. Approaching people with a humble and learning attitude is necessary to bring true biblical correction: “Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor” (Prov 3:34).
3) We should take seriously the words we apply to others we disagree with or who we see in true error: “Love is kind” (1 Cor 13:4).
4) Some of the people being criticized in these videos may be mentally ill or demonized. Jesus did not make fun of those suffering from disease or spiritual affliction, rather he had compassion on them: “When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick” (Matt 14:14).
Justin Peters is a brother in Christ, and I believe he wants people entrenched in deception to be free. Additionally, while I disagree with his Cessationist position, I believe that his words come from a place of deep reverence for the Bible and God’s character. Peters has spent time passionately researching these movements with the intent to help those within non-biblical sectarian movements. Yet, I do think that this current podcast is not necessarily helpful or earnest in its attempt to bring biblical correction. Consider the following comment on one of his podcasts: “Justin. This is too much. A good laugh, head shake and eye roll. They are very weird.” What profit does this bring to someone’s spiritual life other than a sense of superiority?
Discernment and making fun of people are not synonyms.
Blessings,
Merrill G. Greene
Notes
[1] The Strange Fire conference coincided with the release of John MacArthur’s book by the same title, which serves as a kind of sequel to his book Charismatic Chaos, and is a criticism of the modern Charismatic movement, prosperity gospel, and continuationism in general.
[2] On the origins of the Word of Faith movement, see H. Terris Neuman, “Cultic Origins of Word-Faith Theology Within the Charismatic Movement,” The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies, 12.1 (1990): 32-55.
[3] On a brief history of the NAR, see https://firebrandmag.com/articles/neocharismatic-christianity-and-the-rise-of-the-new-apostolic-reformation.
[4] See https://www.barna.com/research/is-american-christianity-turning-charismatic/ for some general numbers on the rise of the Charismatic movement.
[5] It is true, however, that the prosperity gospel has proliferated some countries such as Nigeria to a larger extent. See, for example, Efe Monday Ehioghae, “Prosperity Gospel and the Burden of Poverty: The Nigerian Conundrum,” Valley View University Journal of Theology 2 (2012): 31-36.