I thought I would share some more notes from the excellent book 2000 years of charismatic Christianity. It was great to see it on the book store at the Kings Arms church when I visited recently. I must remember to recommend some great books on healing and miracles to the church when I come back off sabbatical.
In the last part things ended pretty badly with the official church part of the Roman Empire under Constantine. However, as always there are pockets of spirit filled believers doing this stuff if only you know where to look, in this case in the monasteries. Individuals had previously separated themselves from the largely immoral or lukewarm Christian community and become ascetics, living as hermits to pursue the power and presence of God. Around A.D. 320, "they began to gather together in communities where they lived a totally self-sufficient lifestyle." p 38.
Antony 251-356 AD
After his affluent parents death Antony was about 18 he went to live in a cave. People came to him for deliverance and healing. Others were inspired by him to gather into groups and do the same so he "is usually considered the founder of monasticism" p39. He died, in good health (odd as that might sound) at the ripe old age of 105.
Pachomius AD 292 to 346
Probably inspired by Anthony, he lived as a hermit until an angel told him to gather others like him into a community. The result was the first monastery in about A.D. 320 at "Tabennisi on the east bank of the Nile". Pachomius worked miracles and spoke miraculously in other languages.
Athanasius A.D. 295 to 373
"Known as the father of orthodoxy", Athanasius the "Bishop of Alexandria in Egypt", was "best known for his writings against Arianism" (Jesus is a created being). This lead to him being exiled five times before Arianism was finally rejected by the church. He wrote about many of the miracles performed by Anthony and even new bishops that worked miracles.
Hilarion AD 305 to 385
Hilarion visited Anthony and decided to follow the example of his life style and devotion to God. He too was known for performing miracles, including healing a paralysed man. Miracles continued at "the site of his death in Cyprus and at his tomb in Palestine". p42
Ambrose AD 340-397
Ambrose shared the gospel with Augustine and in A.D. 387 baptised him. He wrote about "gifts of healings" in the present tense showing that he was aware of the supernatural ministry of the spirit.
Jerome 347-420
Sometime after Jerome became a Christian in A.D. 360 Jesus appeared to him and encouraged him to focus his great academic ability on the Bible rather than on classical studies. This he did living as a hermit until he became head of the monastery in Palestine where he produced a number of works including the Vulgate. He wrote about miracles performed by Hilarion and gave "no hint in his writings that he expected miracles to cease" rather that they are accessible by faith to all who believe.
Augustine 354-430
Augustine was of the opinion, one point in his life, that "the holy spirit's presence is no longer known by miracles, but by the love of God in one's heart for the church" p 44. In later works however he talks about miracles performed in the name of Christ and describes healings, deliverances and resurrections that he is personally aware of. At one point he writes " I am so impressed by the promise of finishing his work that I cannot record all the miracles I know". p45 He also talks about "jubilant" speech which is probably tongues.
Sadly, many picked up on Augustine's earlier statements and he is probably largely responsible for Cessationism, the view that miracles ceased with the closing of the Cannon.
Benedict AD 480-547
In about A.D. 500, shocked by the immorality around him Benedict left his education and retired to a cave to live as a hermit. He later founded a monastery and became renowned for "power in prayer and facilitating miracles", including healing, deliverance and raising the dead p46. He also operated in the gift of prophecy and at one point, after predicting his imminent death and got his disciples to dig his grave. He died six days layer.
Gregory the great 540-604
Well educated and the son of wealthy parents, he gave away his fortune and entered a monastery. He became Pope in A.D. 590 and writes about miracles including someone successfully commanding caterpillars to leave their garden! (that's a good place to start stepping out but I wonder what the neighbours would think). He emphasises it was " holy men of God who performed ...miracles" p47 in line with "the mediaeval tendency to associate miracles with the ascetic and saintly lifestyle." p48.
Conclusion
Sincere believers pulled away from the mainstream church to follow God more fervently and subsequently saw more of the miraculous. While it could be that a moral and holy life dedicated to prayer produced the miracles, it could also be that these were the guys with genuine faith. To believe God for miracles and not to draw close to him and pray would be something of an oddity. To have faith for supernatural and yet live a life of immorality would be bizarre. Interestingly enough, at the conference on the supernatural that recently attended, intimacy with God was emphasised as the context for stepping out in supernatural gifts. Weather there is a connection is probably not that important as both intimacy with God and his supernatural power are both to be sought and eagerly desired. If I seek intimacy with God for the purpose of increased effectiveness in the miraculous then I run the risk of using God. Knowing God love is far better than operating in his power and is a secure base from which to serve and obey him.
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