From a profoundly influential social theorist comes a posthumously published analysis of the deepest level of crisis in our culture. “A compelling diagnosis of our condition.” —The Wall Street Journal According to Rieff, the contemporary notion of charisma—the personal magnetism of political leaders or movie stars—is a tragic misunderstanding of a profoundly important concept. Charisma originally meant religious grace and authority transferred through divine inspiration, before it evolved into little more than a form of celebrity stripped of moral considerations. Rieff argues that without morality, the gift of grace becomes indistinguishable from the gift of evil and devolves into a license to destroy in the name of faith or ideology. Offering brilliant interpretations of Kierkegaard, Weber, Kafka, Nietzsche, and Freud, Rieff shows how certain thinkers attacked the very possibility of faith and genuine charisma and helped prepare the way for a therapeutic culture in which it is impossible to recognize anything as sacred.

This book is a scripturally balanced look at the person and work of the Holy Spirit. And will equip you to avoid the extremes surrounding the subject of the Holy Spirit and arm you with solid biblical teaching. Pastor Chuck believers that the Holy Spirit does work in the lives of Christians today and he offers a sane, scriptural approach that will encourage all believers to look to the Holy Spirit for guidance.

Founded by David Yonggi Cho, Yoido Full Gospel Church is the world's largest church. This book discusses the factors responsible for its phenomenal growth and expounds on the roles of leadership, the Holy Spirit, prayer, preaching, cell groups, and creativity in promoting church growth. It focusses on God's grace (charis) and inspiring leadership (charisma) as the two essential factors for church growth, and in this context examines the part David Yonggi Cho's personal charisma and his ideas and principles have played in causing growth. The purpose of the book is to present a model for church growth worldwide.

"Founded by David Yonggi Cho, Yoido Full Gospel Church is the world's largest church. This book discusses the factors responsible for the phenomenal growth of this church. The book expounds the role played by leadership, the Holy Spirit, prayer, preaching, cell groups and creativity in promoting church growth, with particular reference to Yoido Full Gospel Church. It focusses on God's Grace (charis) and Inspiring Leadership (charisma) as the two essential factors for church growth and, in this context, examines the part David Yonggi Cho's personal charisma and his ideas or principles play in causing growth. The purpose of the book is to present a model for church growth worldwide"--P. [4] of cover.

This book traces the history of the word 'charisma', and the various meanings assigned to it, from its first century origins in Christian theology to its manifestations in twenty-first century politics and culture, while considering how much of the word's original religious meaning persists in the contemporary secular understanding.

Founded by David Yonggi Cho, Yoido Full Gospel Church is the world's largest church. This book discusses the factors responsible for its phenomenal growth and expounds on the roles of leadership, the Holy Spirit, prayer, preaching, cell groups, and creativity in promoting church growth. It focusses on God's grace (charis) and inspiring leadership (charisma) as the two essential factors for church growth, and in this context examines the part David Yonggi Cho's personal charisma and his ideas and principles have played in causing growth. The purpose of the book is to present a model for church growth worldwide.

Secularism and unbelief threaten today to sweep away all Christian influence in society and blind people to eternal salvation in Christ. This aggressive agenda is gaining ground everywhere: in education, politics, medicine—even marriage and family.

The Case for Charismatics was written to provide a biblical case for charismatic beliefs and it was written in response to noncharismatic teaching.E The doctrinal differences that distinguish charismatic from noncharismatic Christians are addressed in light of nine questions. Each chapter addresses one of these nine questions. Baptism with the Spirit: Is it Normal to Receive at or after Conversion? Speaking in Tongues: Demonic, Psychotic, Learned Behaviour, or God's Gift? Church History: Does History Record that Miraculous Gifts Ceased?, Miraculous Gifts: Did They Cease upon the Completion of the New Testament Miracles: Were they Only to Confirm the Apostles? Revelation: Does God give revelation today? Healing : Can We Solve the Conundrum? Charismatics: Are there Abuses that Need Correction Receive: What Can You Do to Receive?

The rapid growth of the charismatic renewal in the Catholic Church has brought with it both controversy and confusion, and it has raised a number of important theological questions. Is it an authentic renewal movement? Exactly what is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? How should we understand the gift of tongues? What is prophecy? Does God really heal by supernatural means? One by one, Francis Sullivan takes up these controversial points in one of the most thorough theological investigations yet undertaken into the Catholic charismatic renewal. 'Charisms and Charismatic Renewal' is a scholarly analysis of this dynamic renewal movement for those who want to know more about its history, its theological and scriptural bases, its present impact on the church, and its probable future course.

The authority of charisma entails a "devotion to the exceptional sanctity, heroism, or exemplary character of an individual person." In the sociology of religion it has long been held that the authority of institutions is legitimated by their identification with charismatic personalities. However, in this book which examines the construction of St. Paul's public image, Anthony J. Blasi argues that charisma "comes as much from us as it is projected by the personages." It is a work of the collective imagination and a fulfillment of a social need. Thus, the charisma of St. Paul is shown to emerge as much or more from the dynamics of early Christianity's institutionalization as from the person of Paul. While acknowledging the importance of certain features of Paul's actual biography, the principle focus of the book is on how Paul became an important personality in Christian tradition in the decades immediately following his death. The ability of the charismatic personality to make acts and creeds religiously legitimate is usually thought of by sociologists as producing normative organizations such as churches, but here it is shown that Paul's charisma was consciously fostered and promoted by the incipient Christian church. The book is divided into segments that examine the social construction of charisma; the role of St. Luke in fashioning Paul's posthumous image; the 'traditions and legends that grew up around Paul after his death (including inauthentic "Pauline" letters written in his name); and the dynamics of constructing the image in the religious and historical context of the time. The author concludes with a reconsideration of what is meant by charisma and how it is created. This is one of the few studies which takes advantage of the methods of literary criticism to explore the social processes at work in early Christianity. "Making Charisma "will be of interest to sociologists of religion and a wide range of scholars interested in the history of religion.