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172
Perspectives
on Koinonia lacks the total dimension of koinonia
by which the Christian
community
is described in
Scripture. Fellowship, brotherhood and inner
disposition
of
goodwill,
toward other members of the
group among
other
things
is all well and
good,
but what Acts 2:42 says
is not
simply
that there were
good relationships
within the com- munity.
The
passage
in Act 2:42 is not
speaking
about a brief
idyllic moment in the
early
life of the church.
Thus, “invisibilist”
concepts which see all true Christian
spiritually
united in Christ and are
missing the more concrete
bonding
of Christ’s
body,
lack the total
“Perspectives on Koinonia.”
Luke’s
perspective
in Acts 2 and 4
was
the
understanding
of the Christian koinonia that had been at the
very
heart of Paul’s
ministry.’For Paul the
goal
is
equality (2
Corinthians
8:13-15)
and the method is commonality
of
goods (Acts
2 and
4). Therefore,
koinonia means “partnership,”
as in a common business venture. More than a feeling of fellowship,
it involves
sharing goods
as well as
feeling.
It is a total sharing
that includes the material as well as the
spiritual.
Total
sharing
is only possible through perfect
obedience.
Dr. Jesse
Miranda,
District
Superintendent Pacific Latin
American
District
Assemblies of God
645 S. Fifth Avenue
La
Puente,
California 91746
Perspectives
on Koinonia: A
Response
The
report “Perspectives
on Koinonia” marks the end of the third five year phase
of the Roman Catholic-Pentecostal
dialogue (1985-1989).
It is more a
catalogue
of
differing perspectives
than the record of an emerging
consensus or a statement of agreement. Indeed some substan- tial differences remain. From the
beginning,
the
primary purpose
of the discussions has been to develop a climate of mutual
understanding (5). But the fact that for the first time several of the Pentecostal churches sent officially appointed representatives
to participate in the dialogue indicates a
growing acceptance
of the
dialogue by
the worldwide Pentecostal community (4).
The choice of the
topic
koinonia was a most
happy
one, for
it raises the ecumenical
question
of Christian
unity.
As the report recognizes, the theme of koinonia has
proved especially
fruitful in the
on-going
reflec- tion of the various churches on their own identities and self-understand- ings (9).
A footnote observes that the Lutheran World Federation after its
Eighth
General
Assembly
in
February
1990 now describes itself as “communion of churches,” (10) a term which also
captures
the self-
.
1
173
‘ . –
.
”
understanding
of the Roman Catholic and the
Anglican
communions as well as that of the churches
represented by
the Consultation on Church Union
(COCU).
The theme of koinonia is also a
happy
choice because it raises the fundamental
ecclesiological questions
that are so much at issue between Roman Catholics and classical Pentecostals. The
report
cites Acts 2:42 as
expressing
a biblical
understanding
of koinonia that is
important
to both Roman Catholics and Pentecostals
(10).
But this text also
brings up precisely
those areas in which Roman Catholics and Pentecostals have been most divided,
namely, authority
and doctrine
(“the apostles, teaching”), ecclesiology (“fellowship”),
and
worship (“the breaking
of bread and the
prayers”).
It was in these three areas that I found . the greatest
differences between Roman Catholics and Pentecostals in the report. –
1. Authority and Doctrine. While Roman Catholics
place emphasis
on the faith of the entire church and on a collegial teaching authority, Pente- costals show a strongly individualistic
tendency
in matters of
authority and doctrine. In
discussing
the
interpretation
of
Scripture,
Pentecostals acknowledge
their
“skepticism
on
any
claim that the whole
body
of faithful cannot err in matters of belief.” Instead,
presupposing
the clarity of
Scripture, they
believe that “each Christian can
interpret Scripture under the
guidance
of the
Spirit
and with the
help
of the
discerning Christian
community” (26).
Pentecostals have a
point
when
they
note their doubt that Roman Catholic church order
satisfactorily expresses
what koinonia
demands, particularly
in
restricting
full
power
to the
hierarchy (87).
Catholics at present
are
struggling
to make the
way authority
is exercised in their church more inclusive.
On the other hand, the lack of a
strong teaching authority
and the emphasis
on private
interpretation
has left the Pentecostal churches seri- ously
divided
among themselves,
as the report
recognizes
in pointing to the “Oneness” or “Jesus Name” Pentecostals
(29,
note
6)
who in
being opposed
to a Trinitarian formulation of faith
depart significantly
from the historic Christian tradition. The
report acknowledges
that an individual- istic
emphasis
on a direct,
personal
relation to the Spirit makes it difficult for
many
Pentecostals to submit to ecclesial
authority (75)
and to recog- nize that the
Spirit
dwells within the entire
community (76).
2. Ecclesiology. Citing the fact that the Pentecostal Movement is less than a century
old,
the Pentecostals
acknowledge
not
having
a developed ecclesiology (11). Perhaps
there is a connection between this lack and their
ready acceptance
of denominationalism
(34),
as well as the dis- interest
many
Pentecostals have shown in the
past
for the ecumenical movement.
But in
arguing
that the distinctions between the visible and invisible dimensions of the church should not be used to
justify separation between Christians
(35)
and in
stating
that the
“present
state of visible
2
174
of the
unity
into which we
separation
in
Christianity
is a contradiction
are called
by
Christ”
(37),
the
report implicitly
endorses the ecumenical
movement.
in
recognizing
that a real
though
imperfect costals, Catholics
The
report
also makes
progress
koinonia
already
exists between Roman Catholics and Pente-
common faith
.
grounds
for each tradition. For
Pentecostal
Lord’s
Supper, exercising
ings
of
worship well.
though
it rests on different
it is based on their
recognition
of a common
baptism
done in the name of the
Father,
Son and
Holy Spirit (54).
Pentecostals
recognize that a real
though imperfect
koinonia with Roman Catholics is
implied “to the extent that Pentecostals
recognize
that Roman Catholics have this
in and
experience
of Jesus Christ as Lord”
(55).
However the
language
here seems to
imply
that this
imperfect
koinonia is depen- dent on a Pentecostal
recognition
of the Roman Catholic faith
experience as authentic.
3. Catholics and Pentecostals still have
very
different
understandings of what constitutes Christian
worship.
For
Catholics, worship
is liturgi- cal and sacramental. The
report speaks
of participation in baptism, con- firmation and Eucharist as constitutive
approach
is
kerygmatic;
worship
is the
preaching
of the Word.”
Participation
the charismata and
sharing personal monies are
secondary (96).
This section
points
to differing understand-
which are not
just theological,
of the church for Catholics. The for
them,
“the central element of
in baptism and the
testi-
but
psychological
as
Beyond
this
primary
difference,
there are other differences of
theology and
practice.
The treatment of Eucharist is disappointingly brief and not very specific (70).
Pentecostals do not limit the celebration of sacra- ments to the ordained
(85). They
continue to exclude the veneration of
relics, icons,
and the saints
( 101 ).
Catholics, while defending
‘
(41),
what
emerges close to a sacramental
(cf. 50).
When
properly
adminis-
The treatment of
baptism
is
quite
extensive
(39-72).
The
majority
of Pentecostals
practice
believers’
baptism
rather than infant
baptism (45).
infant
baptism
in some
cases, point
out that adult
baptism
is now the
primary theological
model
(61). Though
some Pentecostals consider
baptism
as an “ordinance” rather than a sacrament
in the Pentecostal convictions about
baptism
comes
understanding
tered,
baptism
is not to be repeated (58).
While
Perspectives
on Koinonia
brings
into focus the
many
differ-
and substantial, which still remain between Roman Catholic and Pentecostal Christians, it reflects a growing
respect
It also
implicitly
affirms the ecumenical
ences,
both
perspectival
and mutual
understanding. movement.
logue
be continued into
is that it recommends that the dia-
and that other
dialogues
divisive
Perhaps
what is most
significant
a fourth
quinquennium
take
place
on national and local levels ( 109). With so many
traditionally
in a new context of mutual
respect
and –
issues,
now
placed
3
175
understanding by
the
report,
Roman Catholics and Pentecostals have much to discuss
together. Hopefully, they
will continue to do so.
Fr. Thomas P. Rausch, S.J. Professor of Theology Loyola Marymount University Los
Angeles,
CA 90045
Response
to
Perspectives
on
Koinonia
.
.
In
responding
to the
document, Perspectives
on
Koinonia,
I am
reminded of the first
quinquennium
of the Catholic-Pentecostal
dialogue
which took
place
in 1972-1976. In these first
sessions,
it seemed that
the Catholics were
mainly
interested in
gaining
a rudimentary under-
standing
of what Pentecostals and charismatics believed and
practiced.
The two
papers
I presented in those
years
dealt with the
subjects
of
bap-
tism in the
Holy Spirit (in
the Catholic
mystical tradition)
and the Pente-
costal views on the
gift
of
speaking
in
tongues.
Catholics were intent on
understanding
what Pentecostals understood and believed about these
crucial
matters.
David du Plessis and Kilian McDonnell
ably
led the
dialogue
teams in
exploring
these and other
topics
which were basic to an
understanding
of the
phenomenon
of pentecostalism in both the Classical Pentecostal
churches and the mainline charismatic renewal movements. In this first
.
. round of talks, there were about
equal
numbers of Classical Pentecostals .
and mainline charismatic renewal
theologians.
In this latest
quinquennium (1985-1989),
it seemed that the
emphasis
had shifted to the other
side, i.e., Pentecostals were now
learning
what
the Roman Catholic tradition had to
say
to the Pentecostals on
many ,
important
and often controversial
points.
In a sense, these two areas of
discussion
expressed
the
strengths
of both
traditions,
i.e.-the Pente-
costals’
experience
and
understanding
of the
gifts
of the
Spirit (Charis-
mata),
and the Catholics’
experience
and
understanding
of
corporate
community
life
(Koinonia).
. If dialogue is indeed a two
way street,
then these
cycles
illustrated the
fact that in these
dialogues
Pentecostals and Catholics were
“sharing
treasures”
(to
borrow a phrase from Kilian
McDonnell)
from their own
respective
traditions. The latest
quinquennium
also saw the
changing
of
the
guard
in the Pentecostal
leadership.
David du
Plessis, known as
“Mr.
Pentecost,”
had been the
major
influence in organizing and
carry-
ing
out the first two
cycles
for the Pentecostals. After his
passing
in
1987,
his
brother, Justus,
continued the work on the same ‘
high
level set
by his
illustrious brother.
Another
important
difference was that in the
original dialogue,
most of
the participants on the Pentecostal side were
theologians
from the main-
‘
.
.
.
_
4
