The Place of Critical Reflection in Pilgrimage

I apologize for being so slow in starting to post here again. I have struggled to get back to this 'theological blog' after my 'fast' as quickly as I intended partly because of the busyness of the season and partly because I have been unsure exactly what step to take next. Having been clear in my last post on what I can celebrate from my pentecostal heritage, I actually wrote a long post on some of my frustrations, concerns and criticisms of it (theological and practical), but felt it was in danger of being too negative. It could almost seem that what I had given with one hand I was taking a way with the other (so I didn't post it). Then I thought more about my hesitancy.

I recognise that there is a challenge and a tension between honouring our heritage and idolising it. When I began to shift in some of my perspectives and beliefs a few years back, I remember praying to God to help
me embrace my future without dishonouring my past. Critical reflection on a movement or tradition that I still identity with is right at the core of that challenge, and so this post is about that. Sadly, there are some who will meet any attempt at critical reflection with resistance and the assumption that it is automatically dishonouring and disloyal. I can do little about that but hope that most who read this blog will understand I am trying to negotiate the tension with good intention (pun intended!) We must accept there is a need to reflect critically on  a movement/tradition  in order to learn, grow and develop. It is fair and necessary to try to identify weaknesses as well as strengths so that we can move forward on the journey. Critical reflection is not disloyalty.  It is the recognition that every spiritual movement (also true of every church, network, group etc.) that involves imperfect people (and I don't know of any other type, do you?) will have both strengths and weaknesses, insights and errors, both helpful and damaging emphases. Part of my critique of charismatic-pentecostals as a popular movement is that it has not done this kind of critical reflection well, in my experience. That may partly explain my hesitation. But if a movement is going to continue to move - or at least leave a legacy that can then be shaped into something new in future generations - then it will require this kind of critique. Readers can decide for themselves whether my critique is helpful and if they disagree with it. I suggest it is the right of anyone who has been a part of this movement to reflect on it and to offer those reflections for others to consider. I don't suggest that mine are the best or especially insightful, but I  just want to be part of such a conversation. I genuinely hope others will challenge my evaluations, and respond with their own. That's the nature of critical reflection and the constructive conversation of pilgrims.

Like many revivalist movements, Pentecostalism has its origin in a grass-roots, popular context. There is nothing wrong with this and actually adds to its strength and vitality. But one of the dangers is that it tends to prioritise experience and action, and leave little or less room for reflection. It is true that too much reflection and little experience/action can lead to an overly academic and intellectualist approach to faith, to what has rightly been called the idolatry of the mind. I certainly want to avoid that! But too little reflection can lead to all kinds of other problems e.g. shallow and overly-simplistic approaches to faith, unquestioned assumptions, elitism of those with the accepted experiences, defensiveness to challenging and fresh perspectives, marginalising of those who want to engage in such reflection etc. Overall I think that the Pentecostal-charismatic movement is strong on the experience/action and could do with a little more on the reflection. And some are doing it in the academic arena if not so much in the popular. It need not take away from the vitality of our spiritual experience or active engagement with the Church's mission; but I think both spiritual experience and engagement with mission can be deepened, strengthened and enriched by such reflection. This critical reflection involves the willingness to evaluate our beliefs, assumptions, influences, experiences and legacy to genuinely consider their validity, strength, relevance and continuing helpfulness and determine what we can learn and what we may need to change. Such seems to me to be essential for any real progress in the journey. It is certainly a part of my journey right now. 

I intend to post fairly quickly again to identify two areas of critique and reflection I want to focus on in the coming weeks. Hope you'll come back and join me!