What to Make of the Asbury Revival

Perhaps you’ve heard of the religious spiritual phenomena—or should I call it a religious experience?—that occurred at Asbury University from February 8^th to the 21^st just a few weeks ago, referred to as the Asbury Revival .  You can read about it here.  I’m not sure what to make of it.  Let me say up front that I tend to be skeptical of even Catholic supernatural events.  (I’m sorry, but I find it impossible to believe that Padre Pio bi-located.)  Did the Holy Spirit come to the Protestant college to bring about this awakening?  I’m not going to say no, but my natural skepticism doesn’t let me dive right into this belief. 

It should be noted that Asbury University is associated with the Methodist and Wesleyan-Holiness tradition, which believes in personal holiness and sanctification.  Wesleyan Protestantism was in many ways antithetical to the Lutheran and Calvinist notions against works for salvation.  John Wesley agreed with Protestant Arminianism, which denounced the predestination of the Calvinists.  On this theological issue Jacobus Arminius and John Wesley were heading back toward a Catholic notion of sanctification and salvation.  So if these students at Asbury University were practicing spiritual holiness, I could see how they may have tapped into something mystical. 

Still I don’t know how much is this self-induced spirituality, which is what I see in Pentecostal experiences, both Protestant and Catholic Pentecostalism.  I’m not saying anyone at these Pentecostal (again both Protestant and Catholic, and I’ve been to at least one Catholic Pentecostal Mass with follow-on healing service) events are faking their experiences.  I just think there is a psychological state these people put themselves in that feels like they are receiving direct interaction with the Holy Spirit.  And to clarify, I’m also not saying they aren’t receiving any graces from the Lord in that state.  They may well be.  The evidence of grace will be the fruits of their lives.  But are they really responding to the Holy Spirit? 

Now here’s an interesting little detail from the Wikipedia entry on 2023 Asbury Revival.  When you look into the background of Asbury University and revivals, the “University has a history of revivals, dating back in 1905, 1908, 1921, 1950, 1958, 1970, 1992, and 2006.”  What?  This is the ninth revival in 120 years at the same college?  Is the Holy Spirit then singling out Asbury University or is the college campus subculture one where there is a predisposition for revivals from identity to its heritage?  Now this doesn’t mean the phenomena is not legit.  The Holy Spirit is more likely going to come to those who ask, but it does raise questions.

Enough of my skepticism.  There is a Catholic response to the Revival and it’s not skepticism.  I’ve seen positive comments across the Catholic world, and I can’t say I’ve seen any skeptical.  Apparently even a Catholic priest or two partly participated during the thirteen days it went on.  Here is the EWTN news show, In Depth, reporting and interviewing on the phenomena.  Only the first fifteen minutes concern the Revival.

And then I found a “Catholic Response” to the Asbury Revival, specifically from Fr. Ignatius Schweitzer, O.P..  Let me say I happen to tangentially (I haven’t met him in person yet, only through Zoom) know Fr. Ignatius.  He is the Provincial Priest of the Province of my Lay Dominican chapter.   Now in my opinion he strikes me as a bit different than your typical contemporary Dominican priest.  He is much more into the mystical tradition than the stereotypical Dominican philosopher.  The Dominicans do have a mystical tradition, but it mostly goes back to the 14^th and 15^th centuries (St. Catherine of Siena, Meister Eckhart, Henry Susso, and others).  If you search on YouTube for Fr. Ignatius, a number of videos will come up put out by the Dominican House of Prayer with Fr. Ignatius explaining the mystics and their works.  So this spiritual phenomena is part of his expertise.  Here is Fr. Ignatius’ Catholic Response to the Asbury Revival.

 

He reminds me more of a Carmelite than a Dominican, and he brings up Carmelite saints often.  Let me also add, if you wondered, that he is definitely orthodox and not one of the liberals trying to change the faith.  I was also surprised to find him interviewed on Edify today.  Coincidences again!  Edify is a conservative Catholic podcast associated with Catholic Vote, with a focus on news and cultural issues.  Today’s episode, “Revival through the Eucharist,” host Mary FioRito interviews Fr. Ignatius. 

 

Now, I’ve given you my more skeptical view of the Asbury Revival, and I’ve given you the more endorsing view by Fr. Ignatius.  What do you make of it?  Any thoughts?