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Christopher Landau writes: These are testing times for anyone even loosely connected with charismatic life within, or adjacent to, the Church of England. To discover that a figure whose ministry was widely celebrated ‘used his spiritual authority to control people and that his coercive and controlling behaviour led to inappropriate relationships, the physical wrestling of youths and massaging of young male interns’ is proving seismic. The severe impact of Mike Pilavachi’s actions and behaviour has been underlined in the last few days, through the release of Matt and Beth Redman’s Let There Be Light documentary, and a poignant statement from Tim and Pete Hughes. 

There are many important areas for reflection in this tragic situation: the support offered to victims; the silence of certain leaders, churches or movements; the Church of England’s safeguarding and disciplinary processes; and questions about complicity in notions of ‘Christian celebrity’ and the power of platforms. All these are important. But for me, working for a charity that champions renewal in the Holy Spirit, I have been reflecting in particular on some of the theological questions. In essence, to what extent does Mike Pilavachi’s disgrace negatively impact the charismatic theology he championed?

There are some initial observations which I feel are unavoidable. One is to note the barely disguised glee of some who clearly have no enthusiasm for informal worship or charismatic spirituality, using this episode as a convenient excuse to criticise a part of the church they already dislike. Perhaps naively, I continue to believe in the value of cross-pollination between the traditions of the church. Many of us had plenty to learn from Soul Survivor about engaging with the faith journeys of the young people who are so markedly absent from much of the Church of England.