Wohlstandsevangelium

Mein Freund Cristiano hat mich mehrfach auf die komplizierte Situation der protestantischen Kirchen in Südamerika aufmerksam gemacht. Gute evangelistische Aktivitäten vermischen sich leider oft mit Geschäftemacherei und skurrilen Erscheinungsformen des Wohlstandsevangeliums.

Milton Acosta, Schüler von John Stott und derzeit Professor für Altes Testament am Biblical Seminary of Colombia (Kolumbien), hat für CT einen aufrüttelnden (und trotzdem ausgewogenen) Artikel über einige neo-pfingstliche Bewegungen in Südamerika geschrieben:

The future of Latin American theology concerns some theologians for three reasons: faulty theology, divisionism, and the proliferation of sub-international-standard theological institutions along with a cheap »degree fever.«

Some descriptions of neo-Pentecostalism are puzzling. For example, Latin American church historian Arturo Piedra argues that non-Catholic Christianity in Latin America is evangelical and neo-Protestant. But when he details a new movement called »apostles and prophets« in these churches, he says this is a kind of injerto (»grafting«) done by people who have no knowledge of or respect for »the principles of the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century.«

René Padilla schätzt die Lage ganz nüchtern so ein:

They reduce their biblical message, if they have one, to a minimum, and their view of discipleship is extremely limited. For these reasons, Padilla holds that these non-Catholic churches are an expression of evangelical popular religiosity. He calls it a form of Protestantism »closely related to a light culture of postmodern times. With those characteristics, it is hard to imagine how these big churches could be of any significant influence in preaching the message of the kingdom of God and the practice of justice in our continent.«

Hier der vollständige Beitrag: www.christianitytoday.com.