In some ways, nineteenth century materialism, rationalism and new trends in science have led western secular society into a context of relative hostility to the concept of a Christian God. Simultaneously, and somewhat contradictorily, post-modernism’s endorsement of religious pluralism has opened a door to all other versions of spiritual mysticism’s and world-views. However, despite – or, some would say, because of – this hostility in the twentieth century context, some parts of Christianity appear to have undergone three waves of spiritual growth and awakening.
The first of these began in 1905 with Pentecostalism. The second wave began in the 1960s with Charismatic Renewal. The third wave began in the early 1980s. If the ‘Toronto Blessing’, or the ‘Refreshing’(as it is often called) had to be categorised, it would be most appropriately placed as the central experience in the third wave.
This third ‘wave’ of spiritualism gathered momentum throughout the early 1990s, and, according to the media, climaxed in 1994 at the Toronto Airport Vineyard Christian Fellowship. Like many Christians, members of this church had experienced all aspects of the Charismatic Movement. However, the spiritual experiences that those present on 20th January had were different from before: they were multiplied in abundance, accelerated in intensity, diversified in their nature, and increased in their behavioural side effects. Members of the congregation began to laugh uncontrollably, appear intoxicated, jerk, shake, fall to the floor and rest prostrate, weep, or even act like particular animals. The repercussions of their experiences also had similar elements such as inner healing, spiritual refreshment, and renewal of appreciation and awareness of God.
News of what was happening at Toronto Vineyard spread like a highly infectious virus. In the first eighteen months it was estimated that 100,000 church leaders had swarmed to Toronto to observe or to experience these fascinating goings on. In addition to the church’s usual meetings, services have had to be held six nights a week. They started at 7:30pm and often did not finish until five or six hours later.
This particular wave has affected Christians in the UK, Canada, the USA, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, Holland, Sweden, France, Germany, Cambodia, South Africa, and Russia, to name but some.

What are these spiritual experiences like?

(a) Immersion into the experiences

New Zealand Baptist Sandra Weir, described how she initiated one of her experiences: “It’s in the yielding. If you don’t yield to God, God won’t touch you.” However, a few individuals, are immersed into this altered state of consciousness without any prior intention of being so. A Christian City Church Pastor Hamish Divett described what happened to him when he was asked to speak to a crowd of 4,000 in Australia:
I got within about six inches of the microphone and my hand sort of slid past it. I passed out completely, collapsed on my side on the floor, rolled onto my back and began to laugh and laugh and laugh. Rolled around on the platform just laughing! . . . And here I am, a dignified, conservative, very emotionally inhibited man - don’t even like dancing or anything like that - just making an absolute total idiot of myself.

(b) The Experience

The significance of the physical behaviour varies. In some situations the physical phenomena is quite central to the event. On other occasions the physical manifestations can be entirely irrelevant. The individual becomes so focused on the spiritual events that any consciousness of the physical world disappears. Some people remained in trance-like states for over twenty four hours, externally motionless, but apparently experiencing a continuation of spiritual communion. One account is that of John Mullis, a Roman Catholic layperson and Director of Christian Advance Ministries:
I had been slain in the spirit before, but this was somehow different. I lay there in a state similar to general anaesthetic recovery, vaguely aware of the noise and movement around me, cocooned in a warm orange light, and intensely aware of God’s personal love for me. My body felt heavy, and I knew if I tried to move or get up, I knew I would be unable… Two hours later, feeling peace-filled but weak, I stood worshipping God, only to find the front of my shirt was wet with tears, as the Holy Spirit pierced the depths of my soul, and brought healing from sorrow and grief deep within. It was glorious!

(c) Emergence from the experience

Returning from the altered state of consciousness is often a much slower process than the immersion into it. Many, though not all, individuals experience a euphoric afterglow for a time. The behaviour exhibited during individuals’ return to their more normal state include one, and sometimes some or many, of the following: loss of co-ordination, slowing of physical reflexes, a loss of inhibitions, a heightened perception of humour, an inability to concentrate on conversation or daily tasks, and memory loss.

How the ‘Blessing’ Affected People

(a) In the immediate

Most of those who have ‘encountered God’ through it, claim the ‘Toronto Blessing’ has been a self-validating experience. It has provided individuals with a reaffirmation of the validity of their Christian faith, and provided a greater sense of God’s presence and love for them. A deeper love for God, desire for intimacy with God, and a perception of faith as “freedom”, have been the most fundamental internal transformations according to those who have experienced it. The main negative effect was on a community level. The peculiar nature of the “Blessing” has caused the gap between those in disapproval of Charismatic experience in general, and those in approval, to widen in some places. There were some churches who experienced conflict in interpretations of the move and this has led to hurt and division.

(b)And now? Four years later?

The ‘Toronto Experience’ is now uncommon, even in those churches which were swept by it a few years ago. The general assessment from the churches where the experience occurred has been positive. Many participants continued to experience growth in their Christian life. An atmosphere of enthusiasm continues to echo in congregational life although in more indirect forms. In some churches the contrast between now and five years ago, before the ‘Blessing’, is quite striking.
Sometimes churches who originally embraced the move with open arms still exhibit its hallmarks. Holy Trinity Brompton, London is an example. The fervour has diminished. The laughter and unusual noises are rare now. However, a definite afterglow remains in many churches. Westside Christian Centre, Melbourne, for example, experienced a ‘metomorphis’ or ‘maturing’ of the energy surrounding the move. People’s enthusiasm was retained but stabilised. Pastor Paul Kellock sees one example in the dramatic increase in the laymembers' involvement in community care projects, such as the churches projects working with people addicted to drugs and constant crime offenders. The wave of spirituality provided the energy and motivation for church going and community care.

Disapproval, Debate, Controversy, and Interpretation

The criteria for evaluation of the experiences is therefore going to be largely determined by whether the evaluator is standing in the sphere of participation or the sphere of the inexperienced. My research found no person who had experienced the ‘Blessing’ regretted it. Other’s opinions range from approval to deep opposition to the move.
Many alternative interpretations exist. The psychologist Sargent would label it auto-hypnosis. Many sociologists would call it heightened suggestibility. Some conservative evangelicals have labelled it unscriptual. The Revd Alan Morrison, the Baptist minister whose video on it was widely viewed, claimed that it was occultic-gnostic-evil-New-Age Meditation that allowed the individual to become infested with the Hindu Shakti power.
The most popular opposing interpretation during the mid 1990s was hypnosis. There are points of similarity between some states of hypnosis and intense spiritual experiences characteristic of those which occur with the “Toronto Blessing”. Two hypnotic states are relevant here. The first is passive somnambulism, which has many similarities to a person doing ‘carpet time’. The second state is active somnambulism, in which excessive physical excitement is generally exhibited. It becomes easy to make the individual shout with laughter or shed tears. These hypnotic states have similarities between “carpet time” and a couple of the other manifestations. However, hypnosis does not involve a perceived internal experience of God. Nor does it typically renew, revive and heal participants.
It can be argued that even if hypnosis were being used in some strands of the movement this would not necessarily eliminate the possible ‘authenticity’ of the spiritual experiences – hypnosis can be regarded as the means of access to an experience, rather than the experience itself.
One apparently appropriate method for evaluating the “Blessing” is exegetical. However, applying isolated proof texts to the phenomena is not fruitful. For example, verses that refer to “shaking” usually carry connotations of fear. However, the absence of specific Biblical references to these sorts of experiences does not prove that the new move is contrary to Christian scripture.
Although the ‘Toronto Blessing’ has been experienced in some contexts where the theology might seem questionable, it is often found in the context of orthodox Trinitarian belief. Thus, this wave of spiritualism is not a revolution in the framework of Christianity despite its peculiar characteristics. Those who experienced it claimed that it validated and refreshed what ever type of Christianity they were already practising.

Anne-Marie Skegg

Anne-Marie Skegg recently completed a dissertation on the Toronto Blessing at the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. She has prepared this article for Pointers readers based largely on that dissertation. Anne-Marie is currently the administrator at Trinity College Theological School, Melbourne.