A critical analysis of the book of Benny Hinn's book “Good morning, Holy Spirit!” In the light of the dogmatic teaching of the Orthodox Church

Abstract

using the example of Benny Hinn's book “Good Morning, Holy Spirit!”, triadology, Christology and the “ascetic” teaching of the charismatic Pentecostals were considered. The article does not set out to defame or somehow denigrate the Charismatic movement, but only to look at the creed of this religious group from the point of view of Orthodox dogmatics. In the triadology of Benny Hinn, three main theses were identified. Firstly, according to the teachings of this author, the property of omnipresence is inherent only in the Hypostasis of the Holy Spirit. Secondly, according to hypostatic properties, the Holy Spirit differs from other Persons of the Most Holy Trinity not only in His origin. Thirdly, according to the author, the Son and the Father do not have direct communication, but “the Holy Spirit is the contact between both personalities”. In the Christology of Benny Hinn, three main theses were also identified. Firstly, his teaching forms a kind of Nestorianism. Secondly, according to the author's teaching, the Holy Spirit is also the father of Jesus Christ. Thirdly, Jesus Christ was capable of sin. Also in Benny Hinn's “asceticism”, three theses were highlighted. Firstly, according to the author, we should not follow Christ, but the Spirit. Secondly, a person on this earth needs nothing but a meeting with the Holy Spirit. Thirdly, according to the author, the victory over sin is not a joint action of man and God, but a gift of the Holy Spirit. Undoubtedly, the teaching should be considered heretical and does not correspond in any way to the teaching of the Orthodox Church.