Beyond Our Lights and Shadows : Charism and Institution in the Church

What inspires the human spirit to hope for more? What nurtures men and women to risk to make the world a better place, even in small incremental ways? When we hear another speak or observe them act, what signals to us that they are in touch with something deeper in life, some special spirit which reaches into our innermost, and at times, inexpressible needs, hopes and dreams? We might say, "She has a gift for this. " or "He has a calling. " However we express it, we imply the source of what we observe comes from more than effort and practice, something easily proven through cause and effect; rather, it stems from a deeper intangible origin. In the Christian life we refer to this as a charism. Traditionally in the church, charism is a gift of the Holy Spirit given for the good of the church. Pope Francis in an interview with La Civilta Cattolica remarks, "... the charism of religious people is like yeast: prophecy announces the spirit of the Gospel. " 1 Pope Francis connects charism to that element of announcing the gospel that every Christian is able to offer through their person and behavior. Charism is more than a personality characteristic or style of acting; it is a capacity to put people in touch with the power of the Gospel. In contrast to "God talk" charism communicates more than words, it denotes the spark that attracts and the posture that evokes second thoughts about the meaning of our everyday encounters. Charism is also recognized in the church as something which can be institutionalized, as the charism of a religious congregation. Today religious congregations are concerned that their charism is passed on to the next 16 “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying of hands by the council of elders” (1Tim. 4:14). Members of the church today can comprehend Paul’s sentiment to Timothy. While not all ordained, all baptized Christians have experienced the laying on of hands in baptism. They have been touched by that mysterious mix of charism, initiated into the Body of Christ through the Holy Spirit, as well as launched into life with Christ through the institution of the Church with all its concreteness, ambiguity, sinfulness and goodness. Through the lens of Christian theology, along with the sociology of Max Weber in his study of charism and institution in modern society, Judith A. Merkle analyzes the interaction and tautness between the concept of powerful grace through baptism and the institution in the life of the modern church. Weber asserts that freedom and creativity in modern society only become manifest within social relations. Since these highly valued modern experiences do not exist outside the institutional framework, they exist in tension with the constrictive and creative aspects of the institution. Judith A. Merkle offers the reader perspective on this contemporary experience in the church. FC Half title Title Copyright Dedication Contents Documents Cited and Abbreviations Used Introduction Part 1 Foundations 1 Charism and the Christian Life: One Movement or Two? 2 Charism and Institution: Max Weber, Alienation, and the Spirit in Christian Life 3 Beyond Our Lights and Shadows: Community and Transformation in the Church Part 2 Charism in the Church 4 Primary Charisms: Calling and Postmodern Society—A Church in Transition 5 The Restructuring of Ministry and Spirituality: Groups and Communities 6 Christian Identity and Charism: Beyond Ideology Part 3 Charism, Institution, and Society 7 Globalization: The Stirring of Charism in a New Church 8 A New Lens on Charism: Sacramentality, Mediation, and Community Bibliography Index Foundations -- Charism and the Christian life: one movement of two? -- Charism and institution: Max Weber, alienation and the spirit in Christian life -- Beyond our lights and shadows: community and transformation in the church -- Charism in the church -- Primary charisms: calling and postmodern society-a church in transition -- The restructuring of ministry and spirituality: groups and communities -- Christian identity and charism: beyond ideology -- Charism, institution and society -- Globalization, multiculturalism and technology-the stirring of charism -- A new lens on charism: sacramentality, mediation and community Foundations Charism and the Christian life: one movement of two? Charism and institution: Max Weber, alienation and the spirit in Christian life Beyond our lights and shadows: community and transformation in the church Charism in the church Primary charisms: calling and postmodern society-a church in transition The restructuring of ministry and spirituality: groups and communities Christian identity and charism: beyond ideology Charism, institution and society Globalization:the stirring of charism in a new church A new lens on charism: sacramentality, mediation and community.