Archive for August, 2009

PROF BAUMERT SJ ON ‘CHARISMA’, ‘BAPTISM’ AND ‘SPIRIT BAPTISM’


Since 1992 we have a special chair ‘Theology of Charismatic Renewal’ at the Free University in Amsterdam. Over the years many young theologians and pastors from a variety of churches have been helped by this ecumenical chair to reflect ‘at university-level’ on charismatic renewal. This chair fosters the exchange of sound materials and insights, by teaching, websites (see below) and publications. The next program of this chair can be visited easily from abroad. Prof. dr. Norbert Baumert SJ from Vienna will teach two days: lectures on ‘charisma’, ‘baptism’ and ‘Spirit baptism’. He published very sound books on these topics, but only in German. The lectures in Amsterdam will be translated from German into English.

Fr. dr. Norbert Baumert his specialisation is New Testament and at the moment he is writing a series of books with a new German translation of the letters of Paul with his commentary. Knowing the now-a-days charismatic renewal he discovered many new aspects in the Greek texts of the letters of Paul.
 
Fr. Baumert has been chairman of the theological committee of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in Germany for many years. This committee produced several booklets (see www.erneuerung.de <http://www.erneuerung.de/> ). He now lives in Vienna. His first personal experience of the baptism in the Holy Spirit was in 1957 during a ignatian retreate, 15 years before he heard about charismatic renewal. He also was a member of the dialogue between the Papal council for Unity of Christians and the Pentecostals*.
 
September 17th-18th Amsterdam
Prof. dr. Norbert Baumert SJ will give on Thursday 17 and Friday 18 September 2009 at the Free University in Amsterdam four lectures, organized by the special Chair “Theology of the Charismatic Renewal” and the Department of Theology. The language spoken will be German, and translation will be provided into English.
 
Content
About these lectures, prof. Baumert writes: ‘The rise of the charismatic renewal of the churches in the 20th century calls forth many theological questions. One of the fundamental questions is that of the relationship between the general gift of the Spirit and the personal gift and calling. Or to put it in another way: what is the relationship between “Baptism” and “Spirit Baptism”, between “Sacrament” and “Charisma”. What do we mean with these terms? What are the answers the Bible gives, and how have these terms developed in history up till now?
            On the one hand we will study these terms. In the second part of each lecture we will study the text of 1 Corinthians 12-14 as a whole. We will discover many new aspects that result from close analysis of the text, but also form many experiences in the Charismatic Renewal. In the fourth lecture we will draw consequences from what we have learned in the previous lectures for the charismatic renewal of the churches. What directions does it point out to us and how do we translate it to the present practice?’
 
Registration and travel
This lectures will be in Amsterdam (address: De Boelelaan 1105, Amsterdam), at the Vrije Universiteit (Free University) close to the airport Schiphol. Price for participation: 85 euro, to pay in the first lecture. Registration before is needed. Mail to kees@stucom.nl. (Also if you need help to find a sleeping-place and the train stations. Cheap meals are in the University.)
 
Scheme for the lectures
The lectures will each consist of two parts of 45 minutes each, with a break of 30 minutes in between.
Lecture 1. Thursday 17 September 2009 15.00 – 17.00
            a. Analysis of the term “charisma”, as it developed since the New Testament
            b. We read and study 1 Corinthians 12
 
Lecture 2. Thursday 17 September 2009, 19.00 – 21.00
            a. Analysis of the term “baptism” and its development
            b. We read and study 1 Corinthians 13
 
Lecture 3. Friday 18 September 2009, 10.30-12.30
            a. Analysis of the term “Spirit baptism”, as it developed over time
            b. We read and study 1 Corinthians 14
 
Lecture 4. Friday 18 September 2009, 14.30-16.30
a. and b. Consequences for the practices and development of the Charismatic Renewal in the Churches.

More from Baumert:
In English:
- 0274uk on www.stucom.nl <http://www.stucom.nl/> : “Charism” and “Spirit-baptism”, Presentation of an analysis.
In German:
- 0274de on www.stucom.nl <http://www.stucom.nl/> : “Charisma” und “Geisttaufe”, Norbert Baumert, Präsentation einer Analyse.
- http://www.sankt-georgen.de/leseraum/index.html#baumert <http://www.sankt-georgen.de/leseraum/index.html#baumert>  
In Nederlands:
- 0278, 0280 en 0279 (De begrippen ‘çharisma’, ‘charismatisch’ en ‘doop in de Geest’, Prof. dr. C. van der Kooi over prof. dr. Norbert Baumert)
 
*The Catholic-Pentecostal dialogue produced in 2007 and excellent new document, ‘On becoming a Christian’, including a long chapter on baptism in the Holy Spirit. See on www.stucom.nl <http://www.stucom.nl/>  0203uk (the whole report of 100 pages), 0227uk (section on Baptism in the Holy Spirit) and 0228uk (Baptism in the Holy Spirit – Two Catholic Schools of Theological Interpretation).

 
Kees Slijkerman
kees@stucom.nl <mailto:kees@stucom.nl>
Birkastraat 29
3962 BM Wijk bij Duurstede
The Netherlands
tel. 31-343-578814 (office with recorder)
      31-343-576946 (home)
[Till August 17th, 2009 I will nearly never be in my office]