Charismatic Catholicism, Pentecostal Prophetism and the Question of Influence in Nigeria: Ejike Mbaka as Case Study

There are notable operational and theological similarities between Pentecostalism and the Charismatic movements in Nigeria. This has led to many studies about the influence between the two. With regard to similarities between Pentecostals and Charismatic Catholics in Nigeria, such studies often assume the former as influencing the latter. In this paper, however, we demonstrate that the similarities and difference between the two movements in Nigeria have more complex origins than just one copying from the other. The cultural environment and a shared New Testament Canon in spite of the varied hermeneutics between Catholics and Pentecostals explain a good deal of the similarities. The doctrinal and liturgical frameworks of Catholicism and Pentecostalism explain the difference especially with respect to the understanding and function of prophecy among these Christian groups. Despite the complexity in the explanation of influence between the two movements, we note that an undeniable influence of Pentecostalism on the Catholic Charismatic movement, theologically and operationally represented by Ejike Mbaka, is the use of the charism of prophecy to influence political affairs.