Rachel Evans
Amy Coney Barrett, a federal judge on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, is a self-proclaimed faithful Catholic. Her Catholic faith came under scrutiny in 2017 when she was nominated for the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. During her confirmation hearing, she was questioned about her beliefs and her affiliation with the People of Praise, a charismatic covenant community. The group, which has been referred to as a cult, blends Catholicism and Protestant Pentecostalism, with practices like speaking in tongues. Barrett's father and husband are also members, and her father is a leader in the group. While Barrett has not spoken about her membership, her beliefs and association with the group have raised questions about the potential influence of her religious views on her judicial decisions.
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What You'll Learn
Amy Coney Barrett's association with the People of Praise
Amy Coney Barrett, a federal judge on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, is a member of the Christian parachurch community People of Praise. People of Praise is a charismatic "covenant community" that is associated with the Catholic charismatic renewal movement but is not formally affiliated with the Catholic Church. The group emerged from the Catholic charismatic movement of the 1960s, which blended Catholicism and Protestant Pentecostalism. Barrett's association with the group has drawn attention due to its secretive nature and claims of a highly authoritarian structure.
People of Praise has been referred to as a “cult” by some, and there have been concerns about the influence of its leaders over members' lives and finances. The group's literature encourages communal living and the sharing of finances among unmarried members. Members are expected to donate 5% of their income to the organization, and married women count their husbands as their "heads" or spiritual advisors. Barrett has served as a women's leader within the group, a position once termed "handmaiden."
Barrett's Catholic faith and her affiliation with People of Praise came under scrutiny during her confirmation process for the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in 2017 and her nomination to the Supreme Court in 2020. Some have questioned whether her religious beliefs would influence her judicial decisions, particularly on issues like abortion and the Affordable Care Act. Barrett has stated that her religious beliefs would not impact her duties as a judge.
While Barrett has not publicly spoken about her membership in People of Praise, her picture appears in a 2006 edition of the group's magazine, and her father and husband are also known members.
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The Catholic charismatic movement
Judge Amy Coney Barrett, a Catholic, was appointed a federal judge in 2017. During and after her confirmation process, questions were raised about her faith and her affiliation with a group called the "People of Praise". People of Praise is a charismatic "covenant community" that emerged out of the Catholic charismatic movement of the late 1960s, which blended Catholicism and Protestant Pentecostalism.
The movement initially took hold in the United States in the 1960s. During a 1967 prayer meeting at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, a group of students and professors spoke about special "charisms," or gifts, received through the Holy Spirit. Similar experiences of the Holy Spirit were later reported at prayer meetings at the University of Notre Dame and the University of Michigan. From these beginnings, the Catholic charismatic movement has spread throughout the world.
The nine charismatic gifts considered extraordinary include: faith, expression of knowledge, expression of wisdom, miracles, speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, prophecy, discernment of spirits, and healing. These gifts are related to the traditional seven gifts of the Holy Spirit described in Isaiah 11:1–2 (wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord).
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Pentecostalism and its influence
Judge Amy Coney Barrett, a Catholic, was appointed a federal judge in 2017. During and after her confirmation process, questions were raised about her faith and her affiliation with a group called the "People of Praise". People of Praise is a charismatic covenant community that emerged out of the Catholic charismatic movement of the late 1960s, which blended Catholicism and Protestant Pentecostalism.
Pentecostalism is a movement within the broader evangelical wing of Protestant Christianity that emphasizes direct personal experience with God through "baptism with the Holy Spirit". The term "Pentecostal" is derived from Pentecost, an event that commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ. Pentecostals believe that all Christians should seek a post-conversion religious experience called "baptism with the Holy Spirit", which is believed to be accompanied by a sign, usually "speaking in tongues". This is considered one of the nine gifts of the Spirit.
Pentecostalism has had a significant influence on the Christian church, particularly in the 20th century. It has recast and revised the public worship of the church, with a focus on exuberant praise and the exercise of various gifts by the congregation under the influence of a freewheeling Spirit. It has also promoted ecumenicity, transcending denominational and confessional boundaries, and has influenced the practices of other Christian denominations.
The movement has shifted the focus of the gospel from the reception of forgiveness of sins to the Christian's ineffable experience of God and power for ministry. It has also emphasized the importance of faith healing, which has been both praised and criticized.
In conclusion, Pentecostalism has had a significant influence on Christian worship and doctrine, particularly within the Catholic and Protestant churches. Its emphasis on direct personal experience with God and the gifts of the Holy Spirit has shaped the practices and beliefs of many Christians, including those within charismatic communities like the one Amy Coney Barrett is associated with.
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The People of Praise as a cult
Amy Coney Barrett, a federal judge on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, is a self-proclaimed "faithful Catholic". Her faith came under scrutiny in 2017, during her confirmation process, when questions were raised about her affiliation with a group called the "People of Praise". People of Praise is a self-described "charismatic Christian community" that encompasses a variety of churches, including Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Episcopalians, and Methodists. The group emerged from the Catholic charismatic movement of the late 1960s, which blended Catholicism and Protestant Pentecostalism. Pentecostalism in the US began on Azusa Street in Los Angeles, where African American pastor William J. Seymour led a congregation that claimed to have received miraculous gifts from God.
People of Praise has been referred to in the media as a "cult". Former member Coral Anika Theill described alleged abuse, torture, shunning, and shaming that she experienced within the group. Other critics claim that the group has a "highly authoritarian" structure, with leaders exerting undue influence over members' lives and financial decisions. The group has also been criticized for its practice of calling leaders "heads" and "handmaidens", which some consider a form of mind control.
The People of Praise community encourages communal living and the sharing of finances among members. Members are expected to financially support one another, and unmarried members often live together in shared households. The group also emphasizes the importance of submitting to the direction of designated authorities and following a "basic code of Christian conduct".
While the group does not publicly disclose its membership, it is known that Barrett's father and husband, Jesse Barrett, are also members. Barrett has not spoken about her involvement, but her picture appears in a 2006 edition of the group's magazine, documenting her participation in a Leaders' Conference for Women.
In conclusion, while the People of Praise community may provide a sense of belonging and support for its members, there are concerns about the level of control and influence it exerts over its members' lives. The experiences of former members and the group's practices raise questions about whether it exhibits characteristics of a cult.
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The influence of charismatic Catholic groups on The Handmaid's Tale
Judge Amy Coney Barrett, a devout Catholic, is a member of the covenant community "People of Praise", a charismatic Catholic group. The group emerged from the Catholic charismatic movement of the 1960s, which blended Catholicism and Protestant Pentecostalism. Members of the group are expected to financially support one another and donate at least 5% of their earnings to the group. People of Praise has been referred to in the media as a "cult", with critics pointing to the undue influence leaders have over members' family decision-making and the pressure on children of members to commit to the group.
Margaret Atwood's novel, The Handmaid's Tale, is set in the fictional Gilead, a theocratic regime where women's bodies are governed and treated as property of the state. Atwood has acknowledged that she was inspired by a charismatic Catholic group, although she has never specifically mentioned People of Praise as her inspiration. Atwood came across a news story about a Catholic parish in New Jersey that had been taken over by a sect called the People of Hope, in which women were called "handmaidens" and were relegated to the home. This influenced her creation of the world of Gilead, where handmaids are used for their fertility as punishment for transgressions.
In The Handmaid's Tale, extremely pro-life Christians are among the good guys, with Baptists, Catholics, and Quakers named as part of the underground resistance movement. They fight, risk their lives, and help women escape from Gilead. Atwood's depiction of the resistance in the book has been interpreted as consistent with the historical behaviour of these Christian groups. For instance, the Catholics and Quakers take a pacifist approach, running underground resistance organisations, while the Baptists engage in armed guerrilla warfare.
The influence of charismatic Catholic groups like People of Praise on Atwood's depiction of the oppressive Gilead regime in The Handmaid's Tale is clear. The novel reflects the real-world concerns about the undue influence of religious groups on women's autonomy and reproductive rights. Atwood's novel serves as a warning of the potential consequences of such influence, highlighting the importance of resisting the erosion of secular values and advocating for the separation of church and state.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Amy Coney Barrett is a Catholic. She attended St. Mary's Dominican High School, an all-girls Roman Catholic high school in New Orleans.
Yes, Amy Coney Barrett is a charismatic Catholic. She is a member of the covenant community 'People of Praise', which is a charismatic "covenant community".
Charismatic Catholics practice forms of Pentecostalism that embrace the belief that individuals can receive gifts of the Holy Spirit. Practices include speaking in tongues, communal living, and sharing finances.
Amy Coney Barrett and her husband are members of the People of Praise. Her father is also a member and a leader in the group. Barrett has attended a Leaders' Conference for Women and her picture has appeared in the group's magazine.
