The Toronto blessing : an expression of Christian spirituality in the charismatic movement

Abstract

Spirituality is a word in frequent use in contemporary society. In a broad sense it refers to the 'raison d'etre' of our existence, the meaning and values to which we ascribe. Everyone embodies a spirituality in this wider sense, whether it be nihilistic, materialistic, humanistic or religious. The present study evaluates the phenomenon of the Toronto Blessing in the light of spirituality in general and Christian spirituality in particular. By means of a broadly-based phenomenological methodology, the manifestations accompanying the Toronto Blessing are evaluated firstly, with respect to the Bible; secondly, with respect to the Hindu experience of 'Kundalini awakening'; and thirdly, in terms of neuroscience and certain psychological processes, such as hypnosis, mass hysteria, and the role of body and mind in creating spiritual experiences. Although Charismatics claim that the Toronto Blessing has a sound biblical foundation, no evidence to support this claim has been found. However, striking similarities are found between the manifestations of the Toronto Blessing and the techniques used in the 'Kundalini awakening' for the transference of energy. Finally, the major findings of this study support the conclusion that the Toronto Blessing is largely the result of psychological techniques. The possibility of Godly intervention is not totally excluded, but caution is urged, so as to be aware of extraneous factors that create similar manifestations. While it is agreed that the Toronto Blessing can be seen as an expression of spirituality in a broad sense, nevertheless it cannot be viewed as an expression of Christian spirituality in the Charismatic Movement.