It is not always easy when first approaching a troubled person to know the source of their distress. For instance, how does one differentiate between demonic possession and demonic oppression? Is ...there a difference? This article contends that there is a difference, and an explanation of this will be presented in this chapter. The article will probe the differences between demonic influence and psychological disorders because they can present with similar symptoms. It will also highlight the importance of considering the possibility of prior occultic involvement by seemingly mentally ill persons during counselling. In this article, attention will be given to the central and indispensable role of the Holy Spirit in discerning the presence of demonic activity in any given situation. Certain key occultic terms and practices will be unpacked to inform and empower helpers in their bid to facilitate the deliverance of occult dabblers from bondage, with special consideration given to witchcraft due to its unfortunate prevalence in the African context. In this article, a literature review methodology is employed.
The doctrine of the Holy Spirit is the primary teaching that distinguishes the Pentecostals from the Evangelical churches. The Pentecostals emphasise the postconversion filling of the Holy Spirit as ...evidenced initially by speaking in other tongues. Pentecostal spirituality penetrated many mainline churches when some evangelical Christians adopted the Pentecostal teaching of Baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Pentecostals, since the 1970s, have made inroads into and impacted the Mission churches in Nigeria. Therefore, this paper examines the positive and negative influence of Pentecostal teaching on the baptism of the Holy Spirit in mainline churches. The paper adopts a historical and phenomenological approach to trace the historical development and the influence of the Pentecostal doctrine of the Holy Spirit. It uncovers that the Pentecostals' vibrancy in worship has led to a change of attitude towards liturgical celebrations in the Nigerian mainline churches. Its spirituality has awakened some Nigerian Christians' eagerness for sound spirituality and vibrant prayer life. However, there is an overemphasis on vision and prophecy at the expense
of Bible doctrine, spiritual pride, and gifts at the expense of character. The leadership of the duo Christian sects are implored to hold fast to biblical teaching and guide
against errors, excesses, and abuses when and where these manifest.
In this essay, I explain why I agree with Angela Knobel’s judgement that, despite recent claims to the contrary, Aquinas did not jettison from his mature theology the distinction of ‘human mode’ and ...‘superhuman mode’ of action in articulating his understanding of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and their relationship to the virtues. However, I disagree with Knobel’s claim that, in his mature thought, Aquinas saw the infused virtues as inherently part of the superhuman mode. Rather, I argue that, in Aquinas’s mature thought, the infused virtues have an inherently human mode of operation, even if they can be elevated to the higher superhuman mode, when they operate in unison with the Gifts. I also diverge from Knobel in as much as I argue that the infused virtues have a default operation that is distinct from the Gifts, whereas a gift never operates without the co-operation of an infused virtue.
God's call can be surprising and unexpected. This article evaluates theologies of vocation in light of this potential for surprise. Contemporary Protestant theological interpretations of vocation are ...critiqued as incomplete due to their tendency to present vocation as the expression and utilisation of innate abilities without giving sufficient account of how an individual might be called to something totally new and surprising. It will be suggested that this arises from a focus on creation as the dominant theological lens for interpreting vocation. An alternative focused on eschatology and pneumatology will be proposed in which both natural talents and new abilities are recognised as gifts of the Spirit given for the purpose of anticipatory proleptic participation in the coming Kingdom of God.
The impact of trauma is pervasive, multi-faceted, and longstanding, impacting the mind, body, and spirit. Trauma can unfold with a cascading effect throughout every stage of life, leaving its mark on ...brain development, stunting social, emotional, and cognitive functioning, promoting risky health behavior, and increasing vulnerability to chronic disease, and ultimately leading to early death. Consistent with this reality, recovery from trauma is a gradual, iterative journey of reshaping or reparenting the brain over time. Trauma is also endemic to the Christian faith and to Christian communities, with its signs and effects persisting after divine and/or conventional healing. This was also the case with Christ, who bore scars and memories of his crucifixion in his post-resurrection body. The substantial though partial and imperfect nature of healing from trauma reflects the dynamics of the already-but-not-yet Kingdom of God in which the world remains in darkness and God’s Kingdom remains incomplete. This reality coexists, however, alongside genuine signs of the eschatological Kingdom that is dawning and an invitation towards Christian community and accompaniment—perhaps the greatest gift of the Holy Spirit for healing and recovery. This paper is part of a special issue on the topic of the Holy Spirit and the healing of the body.
In faith and practice, Pentecostals put emphasis on practical issues as well as spiritual experience in their theological understanding and doctrinal teachings. The Pentecostals take their doctrine ...from certain empirical events. One of the spiritual experiences often underlined is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In interpreting the Book of Acts, Pentecostals tend to emphasise the theological character of the narratives and seldom their historical uniqueness. That is why Pentecostals stress the normative theological intent of the historical record for contemporary Christian experience. This article therefore examines critically Pentecostal paradigm of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, deriving examples from the Acts of the Apostles. It is concluded that the practice of the baptism of the Holy Spirit carried out by Christians today, arguably, has no biblical basis. This is because, there is nowhere the Bible commands people to seek baptism in the Holy Spirit. The observation is that, all the events or experiences of Christians baptised in the Holy Spirit in Acts are not necessarily universal normative for every Christian and for this reason, there is no need to be dogmatic.Contribution This article challenges the practice of the baptism of the Holy Spirit in church today. This study supports the fact that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not a universal experience for every Christians and there is no need to be dogmatised.
