Thesis submitted in accordance with the requirements of the University of Chester for the Degree of Doctor in Philosophy. Yacob Godebo.

Transcription

1 The Impact of the Charismatic Movement and Related Tensions on the Traditional Lutheran Worship of the South Central Synod of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus Since 1991 Thesis submitted in accordance with the requirements of the University of Chester for the Degree of Doctor in Philosophy By Yacob Godebo August 2011

2 Declaration This work is original and has not been submitted previously in support of any application for another degree or qualification of this or any other university or institute of learning Signed... Date... This thesis contains 76,720 words ii

3 Content Page Abstract Acknowledgement Abbreviation Chapter 1: Introduction and the Methods of the Research Introduction of the thesis The methods of the research work 9 Chapter 2: Historical Background of Charismatic Experiences in the History of the Church The meaning of the term charisma, charismata and charismatic Charismatic experiences in the early church ( ) Charismatic experiences in the Medieval church ( ) Charismatic experiences in the Reformation and Post-Reformation church ( ) The rise of the charismatic movement in Ethiopia and in the EECMY/SCS 67 Chapter 3: Reappearance of the Charismatic Movement and the Beginning of its Impact on the SCS Traditional Worship Reappearance of the charismatic movement in Ethiopia Tensions in the traditional worship structure Tensions in the traditional worship prayer Tensions in the traditional worship song and music Tensions in the traditional worship sermon 120 iii

4 Chapter 4: Some of the Perceived Root Causes of the SCS Worship Tensions The Influence of Lutheran pneumatology The form, content and context of traditional worship structure The influence of contemporary cultural changes 159 Chapter 5: Some of the Perceived Strengths and Weaknesses of the Charismatic Movement in the SCS Context Strengths Spiritual and theological contributions 170 Physical and social contributions Weaknesses The experiences of inauthentic manifestations 192 Disintegration of the congregations 205 Chapter 6: Lessons to be Learned from the Impact of the Charismatic Movement The need to reconsider the traditional belief, teaching and practice about the gifts and activities of the Holy Spirit The need to integrate charismatic worship The need to reform the structure of worship in the light of the context The need to shift pastoral and leadership activities to well-educated people 238 Chapter 7: Conclusion 249 Bibliography 254 Appendix A 273 Appendix B 276 iv

5 Abstract This research is based on the contemporary worship life of the South Central Synod (SCS) of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY). The worship life of the SCS congregations has been disrupted since 1991 because of the impact of the charismatic movement on the traditional Lutheran worship of the SCS and related tensions. The EECMY is the church that was founded by the European Lutheran Churches. Therefore, it adheres to the Lutheran theological tradition, which limits religious authority to Scripture and emphasizes the New Testament s teaching of conversion, new birth, and justification by grace through faith. Lutheran theological tradition does not emphasize the necessity and possibility of the charismatic gifts as part of faith practice. Any tendency to receive and experience charismatic gifts outside of Scripture and sacraments has not been addressed for traditional Lutheran worship. Rather, such experiences were strongly rejected by Lutheran confessional documents (SA III: viii). Being one of the units of the EECMY, SCS was founded on this theological tradition and assumes it for its theology and practice. The SCS traditional worship, therefore, does not recognize charismatic worship and experiences of related manifestations as necessary parts of faith practice. Since 1991 the charismatic movement has introduced the congregations to traditionally neglected charismatic worship and experiences of charismatic gifts such as prophecy, revelations, speaking in tongues, physical healing, discerning spirits and miracle working. The receiving and experiencing of these gifts have become almost a normal part of worship in the congregations. This has impacted the congregations to the extent that they consider their own traditional worship structure as contradictory to devotional worship and deeper spiritual experience. Yet the traditionalists of the congregations reject charismatic worship and related experiences of the manifestations. These distinct views have caused tensions and disruption between the members those who want freedom of worship and changes to the traditional formalism, and those who wish to maintain the traditional form of worship. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore this situation and the history that has brought it about. Having examined this, the research discusses the nature and impact of the charismatic movement and its effects on traditional Lutheran worship in the SCS, together with offering some potential contextually appropriate proposed solutions. v

6 Acknowledgements First and foremost I want to acknowledge the help and guidance of God the Almighty without whose provision all these would have been impossible. For he alone is the provider and builder of everything all the way through (Heb. 3: 4). His is the praise, power, glory, and majesty now and forever! My profoundly felt gratitude and thanks goes to All Saints Parish Church Hoole for their generous grant of scholarship. Particularly by providing a family scholarship and by bringing my family over here to UK, All Saints Church has provided me with the most stability I needed to keep up with my study. My family s being by my side has incredibly contributed to the fast completion of my study. I would also like to express similar gratitude to the University of Chester, especially to the Vicechancellor, for the generous bursary over the three years of my doctoral study and for making it possible for me to pursue doctoral degree study. For both All Saints Church and the University of Chester have done an exceptional fovour by conferring on me the honour of a doctorate degree of Philosophy. I owe a great debt of especial gratitude to them. I would like to express my immensely especial gratitude to Professor Ruth Ackroyd for her vision and commitment to support the EECMY by training its personnel, as part of which she has facilitated my doctoral study. She has played a very key and decisive role by inspiring both All Saints Church and the University of Chester to facilitate the scholarship for me. She has also offered me an invaluable and continued academic support all the way through the three years study. Indeed, without her vision, commitment, and support this study would have been impossible. In short, I cannot thank her enough, and owe a great debt of gratitude to her. My special and deepest gratitude goes to my supervisor Professor Tom Greggs for his multiple supports. His constant availability and expert supervision have immensely helped the completion of the thesis. His insightful comments on the content of the thesis have been extremely useful. He has been inspirational, not only insupervising, but also in helping me to produce and appropriate academic ideas and arguments. His insightful comments, corrections and remarks have enabled the thesis to take its current shape. This work would have not effectively completed without his expert guidance. Professor Tom has not only been my supervisor, but also my friend and support. He has constantly made himself open to me, even to the extent that sometimes our friendship discussions used to go beyond the level of advisor-advisee relationship. I cannot thank him enough. vi

7 The Department of Theology and Religious Studies of the University of Chester has been incredibly supportive throughout the course of my graduate and postgraduate study. I want to express my heartfelt thanks to the Department and the staff there. My heartfelt thank also goes to the Library and Information Support Desk of the University of Chester for the unfailing support it has provided me ever since I joined the University. The staffs of the library have been extremely helpful in providing me with relevant literature both from within and outside of the University of Chester during the course of my graduate and postgraduate study. I want to say a special thank you to them both individually and as a team. There are some other people to whom this work is indebted. I have received invaluable help from a number of friends and relatives, whose hearts, minds and hands have contributed to the successful completion of my study. They have provided me with various kinds of support that have been incredibly helpful in giving me relief, couragement, and insight in order to pursue my studies over the three years. Special thanks and a debt of gratitude are due to Vicki Bulgin for her provision of accommodation of free of charge, and patience through many inconvenient circumstances she has endured during the period of our stay in her house. I am especially grateful to those friends, particularly Dr. Elaine Hemmings, who read my thesis and made linguistic and grammatical corrections. Without their expertise corrections, the text of the thesis would not have made the sense it does now. I am deeply grateful to them. Many thanks are also owed to all my respondents for their patience and sincere contribution during the course of my fieldwork. I am grateful to all of them. I am also deeply grateful to my parents-in-law Ato Ayele Asele (Abiye) and Wro. Beletech Kelboro (Emiye) for their continued prayer and encouragement. I have continually received their encouraging voice in our local language, ayzoh berta, dillu yanta naw which means keep on, be steadfast, yours is the victory. I want to say a special thank you both to the SCS and EECMY who have been incredibly supportive of my study abroad during the three years study. I would like to thank most specially my wife Demewoz Ayele and my children Israel, Loza, Tekledilot, and Aksan, without whose love, prayer and support this work could have not been done. My most special thanks and appreciation goes to my wife Demoz. She has endured many rigorous and bitter challenges in life, which we encountered from different fronts at different times, during the course of these three years. She has been a constant force to get me back on track and constant source of relief and encouragement through her soothing words of ayzoh... berta... geta yashagrehal, which means keep on, be steadfast, the Lord is by your side. vii

8 Abbreviations AC Ap BC ECFE EECMY EECMYHQ FC FCE FCSD LC LCS LW LWF MYS SA SC SCS SCSCD SCSED SCSHQ SCSND SCSSD SCSWD Augsburg Confession Apology Book of Concord Evangelical Churches Fellowship of Ethiopia Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus Headquarters Formula of Concord Formula of Concord, Epitome Formula of Concord Solid Declaration Large Catechism Lutheran Confessional Statements Luther s Works Lutheran World Federation Mekane Yesus Seminary Smalcald Articles Small Catechism South Central Synod South Central Synod Central District South Central Synod Eastern District South Central Synod Headquarters South Central Synod Northern District South Central Synod Southern District South Central Synod Western District viii