The Charismatic Experience in Orthodox Tradition

By Jerry Munk

Published in November 1978 in Theosis Newsletter

Throughout its history, the Orthodox Church has sought to respond to God as He reveals Himself to us, and we understand that the Lord speaks through Holy Tradition: the Old and New Testaments, the decisions of the ecumenical councils, the writings and sermons of the Church fathers, doctors, confessors, holy ascetics, and saints,  the hymns of our church, indeed the very history of the Orthodox Catholic Church. Through Holy Tradition, we come to understand something of the nature, will, and movements of God. Therefore, to examine the charismatic experience from and Orthodox perspective, we must look to this Holy Tradition. Obviously, within the confines of this article, I cannot hope to present anything close to the totality of Orthodox thinking on the charismatic experience, but I can touch briefly on a few sources that point to God’s intention: that those who have been born anew in Jesus Christ should personally experience the person and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The Spititual Gifts

In the twelfth chapter of I Corinthians, the Apostle Paul sets forth for us a list of the various charisms (gifts of the Spirit).

“To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.” (I Corinthians 12:7-11)

This list of charisms is repeated in many of the patristic writings. Gregory Nazianzen in his oration at the church of Anastasia (resurrection) cites this passage as he encourages his flock to “respect and keep this order” set forth in I Corinthians 12. (Nazianzan, ‘Oration XXXII’)

Similarly, Gregory Palamas uses this very list as he defends the various charisms as gifts from God.

“What then? Since to prophesy is greater than to speak in tongues, according to the apostles is not then the charism of tongues a gift of God? And since love is the most perfect of gifts, is only this a divine gift to the exclusion of all the other? Does one exclude prophecy, the gifts of working miracles, of helps, of governments, the charisms of healing, the words of divine wisdom and of knowledge and the discernment of spirits? Those who prophesy, those who heal, those who discern, and all those who in general have simply received the grace of the divine Spirit. All have charisms, greater or less great, in their own field. Thus Paul thanks God because he speaks in tongues more than all: but he who has the less greater has a gift also of God. ‘Seek earnestly’ the same apostle says, ‘the greatest charisms;’ therefore there must be lesser ones.” (Gregory Palamas, Defence des Saints Hesychastes, Triads II 2, II)

Spiritual Gifts – A Common Expectation

It is important to note the context of these quotations. In each the writer is addressing “common” people, members of the Church. This may appear odd to many Orthodox Christians. We tend to think of the spiritual experience being reserved for a few monks, ascetics, bishops, priests and other “holy” people. Yet this does not seem the expectation of the Apostle Paul, Saint Gregory Nazianzen or Saint Gregory Palamas; they strongly encourage all the faithful. The Apostle Paul goes so far as to say to the Corinthians “to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit.”

Looking a little deeper into Holy Tradition we see why this charismatic experience is not reserved for the few but should be the expectation of all. On the day of Pentecost when people first experienced the infilling of the Holy Spirit of God, the apostle Peter, drawing upon tradition himself as he quoted the prophet Joel, said

“And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; Yea, and on my menservants and my maidservants in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.” (Acts 2:17-18, emphasis mine)

This same theme is again taken up by Justin Martyr as he explains: “God imparts charismata from the grace of His Spirit’s power to those who believe in Him according as He deems each man worthy thereof.” (Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, emphases mine). St. Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem exhorts even the catechumens to receive the gifts of the Spirit: “The Holy Spirit is no respecter of persons, for He seeks not dignities, but piety of soul. Let neither the rich be puffed up nor the poor dejected, but only let each prepare himself for reception of the Heavenly gift.” (Cyril of Jerusalem, Mystagogic Lectures)

Lamentation of the Spiritual State

Perhaps this relegation of the spiritual gifts to only the exceptional stems from the lack of ongoing exercise of these spiritual gifts within Orthodoxy today. This very condition was lamented by Saint John Chrysostom in his commentary on I Corinthians 14.

“What now can be more awful than these? For in truth the Church was a heaven then, the Spirit governing all things…but the present Church is like a women who has fallen from her former prosperous days and in many respects retains the symbols only of that ancient prosperity…and I say not his in respects of (spiritual) gifts, for it were nothing marvelous if it were this only, but in respect also of life and virtue.” (John Chrysostom, On First Corinthians)

As Saint Seraphim was instructing his spiritual son N.A. Motovilov on the acquisition of the Holy Spirit, he also expressed his disappointment of the lack of charismatic experience during his time.

“In our times because of the almost universal coldness toward the holy faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, we have reached a state in which we may be said to have withdrawn almost entirely from the true Christian life. (St. Seraphim, Conversation With Motovilov)

In his paper on “The Holy Spirit and Parish Renewal,” Reverend Constantine Monios took up this lamentation of Saints John Chrysostom and Seraphim and showed its relevance for our personal lives today.

“Both Scripture and Holy Tradition support the reality of the Holy Spirit. The reality of his presence and his influence in our lives were known to us at least in theory. No one could dare say that this gift was a false one, no one could dare say that the Holy Spirit would be a dormant gift. If, then the Holy Spirit was not dormant then we were! Something was wrong with us!” (Rev. Costantine Monios, The Holy Spirit and Parish Renewal)

Receiving The Spirit of God

In response to this challenge of Father Monios we must ask ourselves the question, “How can I experience this power of the Holy Spirit?” As Orthodox Christians we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit at Chrismation. When the priest anoints us, the Spirit of God enters us in a special way and empowers us to live the Christian life. As already stated, the Holy Spirit is not intended to be a dormant gift. His power and grace actively work in our lives. Yet we may be dormant, not allowing the Holy Spirit – bound by our free will – to work freely in our lives.

In writing to Timothy, the apostle Paul addresses this condition in the life of his spiritual child. “Hence I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands: for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control.” (II Timothy 1:6,7)

St. Didymas the blind, who for over fifty years headed the Catechetical School of Alexandria, says it is our free will that dictates the release of the Spirit’s power in our life.

“The Holy Spirit is given to us providing we give occasion to receive him. For to obey God is optional, as is to believe. In those who have shared in the charismata, the Holy Spirit is given in proportion. In accord with this is ‘He will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (St. Didymas, Commentary on Psalm 36:9)

Finally, we turn to the writings of Saint Symeon the New Theologian who encourages us…

“Let us be like those who knock patiently and to whom the Lord opens the doors of His kingdom, according to His promise, and like those who seek and are given the Holy Spirit. It is impossible for a man who seeks with all his soul not to find the Holy Spirit and be enriched by His Charismata.” (St. Symeon the New Theologian, Catachesis 22)

Conclusion

It becomes obvious as we look at these writings that the Lord, through His great mercy, has provided for His children a special power to live the Christian life and to attain union with Himself. He has given various gifts of the Spirit for the upbuilding and encouragement of His church. Although the charismata are not currently as widely practiced as originally intended, it remains the will of God for all the faithful to ask them of God, believing that He is true to His Word.

Let us then evaluate our own experience in light of Holy Tradition – not limiting the Lord with our smallness of spirit. Rather, let us expect our own experience to be a reflection of His will a, making personally relevant the words of the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 11:2, “I commend you because you…maintain the traditions even as I have delivered them to you.”