NEW WINE AND FRESH SKINS

The emergence of the new ecclesial movements must be seen within the context of the whole Church and within the context of our times. What is often said of them is that they are not simply human efforts to do something in and for the Church, but they have emerged as a work of the Spirit of God. They are testimony that the Holy Spirit poured out on the Apostles at Pentecost is still a present and active force in the Church, blowing where he will. The new movements are one of the "surprises" of the Spirit. This extraordinary action of God in our time confirms the words of the Prophet Isaiah: "Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?" (Is. 43:19-21) Many ask about the place of the new movements in the Church. Are they a completely new reality or is there an historical precedent? How does the Church view the movements? This book examines the emergence of the new movements in the Church in recent times and their significance for the life and mission of the Church. Julian Porteous is Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney, Australia and served for six years as Rector of the Seminary of the Good Shepherd. He has been an advocate of the New Evangelisation called for by Pope John Paul II and was involved with the early development of communities in Sydney. He continues to have an association with a number of ecclesial movements.