The meeting “Charismatic Christian movements as new religious movements” was held on May 3rd in which Prof. Reinhold Bernhardt, professor at Basel University in Switzerland and Dr. Baqer Talebi Darabi, Head of the Study of Religion Department presented lectures.

A the beginning of the session which was part of Dr. Talebi’s class for the students of the Study of Religion, Prof. Bernhardt expressed happiness to be back at the University of Religions and Denominations and called it his home.  

He stated that being charismatic is not limited to Christianity and pointing to his trips to Africa and particularly Ghana, he said Islam is also getting charismatic in Africa.

Illustrating the religions getting charismatic, Dr. Talebi described it as a belief of followers of a religion in manifestation of Divine Grace in a person and getting attracted by that.

Following that, Prof. Reinhold Bernhardt explained the development of charismatic movements in all Christian branches and introduced Christian reformist movements like Quakers, Baptists and Reformists as its origin. 

He also recited and explained some parts of the Bible about the Holy Spirit and Pentecostal beliefs, one of charismatic Christian branches, and stated that the origin of these beliefs is the Bible. He introduced annihilation in Holy Spirit as an old Pentecostal belief and mentioned performing emotional deeds is of the features of new charismatic movements.

At the end, students participated in a questions and answer session with Mr. Bernhardt