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Medjugore, Signs and Wonders by A K Whitehead An article by Francis Frangipane has recently gone into circulation. He then includes the claimed visitations of the mother of Jesus at Medjugore (in the former Yugoslavia) as belonging to the same category. In fact, there are several well known instances in the Bible which constitute a pattern into which Medjugore fits very well. 1 - 8f) and there are many other examples one could quote. Do these constitute a pattern into which the (claimed) appearances at Medjugore fit? Clearly, this kind of categorisation is permissive rather than conclusive of its genuineness: everything that looks like something biblical is not necessarily genuine. At least because of its influence on very large numbers of people, not to say that God may be reaching to these people through this manifestation, the Medjugore phenomenon warrants some further consideration. Divine Or Demonic Origin? FP says I personally do not believe that this was (is?) Mary. He does not say why but, as we have noted, thinks that God may be using it. But that is not really enough. In that conflict the major weapon is a composite of words, concepts and ideas - a major weapon on both sides. So what are the words (and fruits) coming out of Medjugore? But maybe that implies t Article: Medjugore, Signs and Wonders by A K Whitehead An incidental by Francis Frangipane has recently gone into circulation. It is a very fast and well constructed article. The main purpose was to approve the need to put the word of the Bible before signs and wonders and to see the latter in the context of the former. He made a number of useful points and used some interesting concepts. It was of a quality one would expect from him no more than one would expect from him and it is not my purpose here to criticise this work. However, there are some points which heave in sight from what he said which do need attention. In pursuing his objective he, inevitably, made comments which were subservient to it and, not subsistent of main concern, were not developed. But some of these do require further consideration. Extra-biblical Phenomona FP defines manifestations which have no pattern in the Bible as extra-biblical. In these he includes the quaking of Quakers and the rolling of Holy Rollers. He then includes the alleged visitations of the mother of Jesus at Medjugore (in the former Yugoslavia) as belonging to the same category. This is surely a slip of thought. Medjugore Patterns in the Bible?>/B> A pattern consists of elements which can be regarded as representative of something and which are repeated in recognisable ways. In fact, there are several well known instances in the Bible which constitute a pattern into which Medjugore fits very well. Visitations of angels abound, but there are other instances: Samuel appeared to Saul, however illegally (1 Samuel 28:8 - 20); Jacob had an encounter with a heavenly immediate (some would say divine) (Genesis 32. 23 - 33); there was a (probably divine) features to Joshua (Joshua 5. 13 - 15). Of course, we know of the outward show to Jesus himself of Jeremiah and Elijah (Matthew 17. 1 - 8f) and there are many other examples one could quote. Do these constitute a pattern into which the (claimed) superficiality at Medjugore fit? Surely they do. The visions at Medjugore are different in only two respects: they concern a female rather than a male figure; and they have been repeated every night without fail over twenty-two years. Otherwise, and these are surely not grounds for exclusion, the Medjugore events fit into the gospel pattern extremely well. True, as patterns go, are identical, but many have repetitions which include nonidentical elements. This is evident when we favour such apostolic events as mentioned above. All have similarities of one kind or other but none can be said to be identical. Medjugore, Quakers and Rollers. The events at Medjugore cannot, therefore, properly be compared with extra-biblical charismatic-type events relating to such as Quakers and Rollers. Of course, Francis Frangipane was simply looking for some examples, and unfortunately picked on Medjugore. But, since the latter can be seen quite utterly to fit within the apostolic category, it does demand further attention. Clearly, this kind of categorisation is permissive rather than conclusive of its genuineness: everything that looks like something prophetic is not necessarily genuine. At least inasmuch as of its influence on very large numbers of people, not to say that God may be reaching to these people through this manifestation, the Medjugore phenomenon warrants some further consideration. Divine Or Demonic Origin? FP says I personally do not dream that this was (is?) Mary. He does not say why but, as we have noted, thinks that God may be using it. But that is not really enough. It is either of satanic or of divine origin. One or the other. Ought we not to make an telemetry of which? Is there a possibility of satanic origin? That is doubtful when one considers the messages, and I have read many of them, which have been prospective out of Medjugore since 1981. Jesus once asked “How can dirty liar drive out Satan?” seeing that a kingdom or house cannot stand if divided contrary to itself. Moreover, he added, very significantly, that, if fiend were to oppose himself, his end would have come (Mark 3. 23 - 26f). Now, it may well be that Satan’s end is near, but it has indeed not arrived at the moment. Moreover, the essence of the conflict betwixt and between God and devil-god is, to coin a phrase, a struggle for the hearts and minds of God’s people. In that conflict the major weapon is a composite of words, concepts and ideas - a major weapon on both sides. So what are the words (and fruits) waiting out of Medjugore? Principally, and repeatedly over the past twenty-two years: love, peace and prayer - and not just any prayer, but sustain, repeated, serious, two, three hours of prayer every day; the establishments of prayer groups and a renewal by thousands of their life in Christ. Now, does that sound like a message from Satan? Hardly. For as yet, his kingdom has not fallen. precisely he is a crafty strategist, but he would hardly take the risk of repeating these messages every day for so long! And to what end? So phenomena at Medjugore is unlikely to be satanic in origin. That leaves a divine source. FP doubts it is Mary. But who else, then? Has God sent some not guilty spirit to give such words of truth, over so long a period, by deceiving his people with a spirit instructed to claim to be the mother of Jesus but which it is not? That seems implausible, to put it at its lowest. Hence, whether we like it or not, (but why do we not?) Mary seems the likeliest probability. Now, again a lifelong Catholic, (albeit with strong Pentecostal symptoms) I am not what Catholics would call a Marianist i.e. someone with a special devotion to Mary. And I have ceaselessly been somewhat shy of the idea of to Jesus through Mary>/I> - not because it cannot happen, for it can and has for many people, but there is at all times the risk getting stuck on or at Mary. But maybe that implies that I think God cannot look after those who sincerely seek him. However, we also have to take a wider view than Medjugore itself. It has been argued here that the (claimed) gaudiness there are not extra-biblical and that is not surrendered. But suppose they were, for arguments sake. While the Bible contains only truth, not all truth is contained within the Bible.How could it be when John’s gospels says that the world could not contain even everything which the disciples knew of Jesus solitary (John 21. 25)? Being extra-biblical, as WP acknowledges, is not in itself a give origin to for condemnation. So...? In order to bow that the appearance at Medjugore are genuine, one has to consider them within the wider framework of Marian appearances. Medjugore is only the latest in a long cycle of (claimed) appearences of Mary. Most non-Catholics will not be conscious of of even those in the modern era, which purport to at least eight major visitations, from Guadalope in Mexico in 1531, through Bernadette Soubirous in1858 at Lourdes in France, andKnock in Ireland in 1879, to Fatima in Spain, in 1917 (which led Catholics world-wide to pray over decades for the downfall of harmony and the USSR). Not one is identical to of a sort but there is a very strong pattern of similarities (which space here does not permit of description). In every instance there have been signs and wonders over succeeding decades or centuries of continuing evangelistic and healing associations. Far too many to delineate here, but far too many to pass-off as bunkum and, for reasons similar to those given above, too marked by the work of the Spirit to judge satanic in origin. I have never been to Medjugore. Perhaps I should have. But, in FP’s t erms, I could have been found running because of signs when the Toronto Blessinghit the north east of England at Sunderland some years ago. I hope I did not do it at the expense of the God’s word. But I could not give faith to the condemnations which some other Christians were making of it of it without investigation. I did get the shakes as a result, nonetheless I could never see any real spiritual growth as a consequence. There is, perhaps, too much suspicion together with Christians of Christians in sectors other than one’s own (not that Francis Frangipane is guilty of this). God is too big even for the Bible, and yea for our limited minds to comprehend. And it is surely an irresponsible Christian who thinks he knows the limits to the ways in which God acts with his people, or who thinks he can impose such limits.
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