Program in Christian Counseling: Pentecost: Common Belief of Protestant and Catholic?

Christian Counselors and Pentecost

This week we celebrated Pentecost Sunday.  What does it mean to Christian Counselors?

For Christian Counselors, one of the most important gifts of the spirit is counsel.  The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, mentioned in Scripture, are individual charisms or gifts given to a baptized individual.  These gifts manifest most notably when the person is born again, or in Catholic terminology, confirmed.

The apostles were the first to receive this gift on Pentecost Sunday.  They awaited the coming of the spirit as Christ had promised them.  Upon reception, they became soldiers of Christ and truly began to carry on the work of Christ in the infant Church.

Protestant Theology

In Protestant theology, the gifts of the spirit are especially emphasized in worship.   Each person possesses a special gift to contribute to the life of the church.  While some branches take this to extremes in cases of tongues and snake handling, most main stream Protestant churches view these gifts in a less charasmatic fashion.  In Protestant theology, the reception of the spirit is not confined to a ceremony but is upon belief in Christ as Savior and continues to manifest throughout the person’s life.

Catholic Theology

Pentacost is the birthday of the Church and the institution of the sacrament of Confirmation.  The sacrament is the vehicle for receiving this grace formally.  Through the sacramental grace of the Holy Spirit, the soul becomes a soldier for Christ.  Catholicism also believes that the spirit manifests throughout the life of the Christian.  One minor note is that Catholicism believes that Mary was present during Pentacost, while Protestants differ due to no biblical reference to her presence.  Catholics tend to focus on the tradition of the apostles and early church fathers who state she was there.  This is a minute point and should not be a point of argumentation.

Despite slight differences, both theologies share common features regarding the inner working of the spirit with the soul.  While Protestantism does not have a sacramental formula, it does believe in the coming of the Spirit which in essence is the same ideal found in Catholicism.

Let us pray that through the Holy Spirit, all Christians will continue to manifest their gifts as the apostles did on Pentecost.

If you are interested in Christian Counseling, then please review the program.  Our program in Christian Counseling is a comprehensive program with multiple courses required for certification.  If you have any interest in learning more about our program in Christian Counseling, then please let us know.

Mark Moran, MA