Cessationism versus Continuationism

Cessationism versus Continuationism is a Christian theological dispute concerned with the question whether the charismatic gifts are currently in operation.

An important problem in the dispute between continuationists and cessationists is the difference in understanding key concepts relevant to the dispute, such as concepts related to the ministry of a prophet, i.e. 'prophet,' 'prophecy,' 'revelation,' etc. Further, there are different understandings of charismatic gifts, e.g. certain cessationists interpret some of the gifts, such as 'prophecy', 'the word of knowledge', 'the gift of faith' in natural terms, while others attach a supernatural character to all charismatic gifts.

Another important question is whether the principle of sola scriptura would be violated if the charismatic practice were followed. Given the significant difference in conceptual frameworks that are in play, there is a difference in understanding the logical relation between the principle of sola scriptura and the continuationist thesis: is this a relation of compatibility? Moreover, some continuationists, e.g. Charismatic Roman Catholics, do not subscribe to sola scriptura; there would not be much shared common ground for such continuationists and the principled cessationists. As such, the dispute would lose much meaning, since the whole principled cessationist rationale for the denial of continuationism would be begging the question. Appealing to sola scriptura, in the context of the discussion with a charismatic Roman Catholic, is question begging. A Charismatic Catholic would ask, "Why should we accept sola scriptura in the first place?"

Disputes of interest about charismata may therefore be cut back to those in which both disputants accept sola scriptura. Also of interest, however, are those disputes where cessationism is founded upon grounds of principle and not on empirical observations of counterfeit miracles, fake prophecies and similar. Proving that some cases of miracles are counterfeit does not show that all cases of miracles are inauthentic.

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