The Holy Spirit The Church And Pneumatological Renewal

This book applies a novel method of critical reading of Lumen Gentium and Mystici Corporis in combination with redaction-historical analysis to channel the Second Vatican Council’s modest attempts at pneumatological renewal into a more open and receptive faith practice and theology.

This book sets out to change the starting point for theological conversation about the work of the Holy Spirit. Protestant theologians have associated the Spirit's work almost entirely with believers and/or the church. The Spirit's role is to apply Christ's atoning work to God's people. In contrast, early Christian reflection saw the Spirit's main role as bringing about the eschatological rule of God, which reaches beyond individuals or even the church and extends to all creation. This volumes explores the shape pneumatology takes when we develop the theology of the Holy Spirit within an eschatological framework that has a universal scope and an unlimited history. When we do so, we find that pneumatology deriving from questions about what the Spirit doesfor us needs to give way to pneumatology that derives from questions about how the Spirit can draw us into the saving history of the triune God.

"While belief in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is at the very core of the Christian faith, the significance of the Spirit in particular is sometimes overlooked in faith practice and theological reflection, resulting in what theologians call Geistvergessenheit. In this context, Lumen Gentium, one of the most important documents of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), is usually praised for its pneumatological renewal. The current volume, however, argues that this renewal is no more than modest. The Holy Spirit is still conceived of predominantly as an adjunct to Christ. To substantiate that claim, Jos Moons has developed a novel method of close reading on the basis of which he compares Lumen gentium's conception of the Spirit to that of Mystici corporis (1943). He also analyses the redaction-historical development of the former and concludes with a plea to envisage the Spirit more boldly: as actively guiding the church, especially by means of the sensus fidelium, its charisms and the discernment of spirits"--

This volume is a meticulously researched text on pneumatology which puts the major pneumatological issues together without confining to the traditional way of dealing with the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. Although pneumatology has been a neglected field in theological discussions of the past, there is a renewal of interest among theologians on pneumatology today. This renewal of interest has led to the formation of this work on the role of the Holy Spirit in the Protestant Systematic Theology. Through highlighting the role and significance of the Holy Spirit in the whole divine action, this volume contends that pneumatology is not a dull theological locus, but rather an essential theological disposition relevant for today. The detailed arguments found within challenge and inspire the contemporary pneumatological discussions as it relates to all the facets of theological reflection and action.

Renewal Theology: Salvation, the Holy Spirit, and Christian Living is the second volume in Part 2 of the Great Themes of the Book series -- and a great book on its own. Renewal Theology deals with the full range of Christian truth from within the charismatic tradition. It is an expression of theological revitalization. As a theology, this work is an intellectual achievement, but it is much more than that. The author is concerned for heart in the church's task of theology: the task of theology requires that everything be done in an attitude of prayer; there must be a deepening sense of reverence; there must be an ever-increasing purity of heart; theology must be done in a spirit of growing love; al lwork in theology must be done for the glory of God. - Publisher.

How does the Spirit of God relate to the Bible, to the Christ, to the human person, to the church and to the world? This volume probes these questions in light of the recent worldwide revival of pneumatological reflection and debate.

The revival of 1904-05 had a profound effect not only on Wales, but also on many other nations. This volume of academic papers from the centenary conference in 2004 explores the local and International Impact of the revival as well as previous eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Welsh revivals. Contributors include David Bebbington and Mark A. Noll.