Renewal Theology Systematic Theology from a Charismatic Perspective PDF
Preview Renewal Theology Systematic Theology from a Charismatic Perspective
Renewal Theology Systematic Theology from a Charismatic Perspective Three Volumes in One J. R W ODMAN ILLIAMS CONTENTS Cover Title Page Renewal Theology: God, the World, and Redemption Renewal Theology: Salvation, the Holy Spirit, and Christian Living Renewal Theology: The Church, the Kingdom, and Last Things About the Publisher Share Your Thoughts Volume One Renewal Theology God, the World, and Redemption CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS PREFACE 1. Introduction 2. The Knowledge of God 3. God 4. The Holy Trinity 5. Creation 6. Providence 7. Miracles 8. Angels 9. Man 10. Sin 11. The Effects of Sin 12. Covenant 13. The Incarnation 14. The Atonement 15. The Exaltation of Christ BIBLIOGRAPHY ABBREVIATIONS AB Anchor Bible BAGD Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich, and Danker, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament BDB Brown, Driver, and Briggs, Hebrew-English Lexicon of the Old Testament EBC Expositor’s Bible Commentary EDT Evangelical Dictionary of Theology EGT Expositor’s Greek Testament IB Interpreter’s Bible IBC International Bible Commentary IDB Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible ISBE International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised Edition JB Jerusalem Bible KJV King James Version LCC Library of Christian Classics LXX Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) MT Massoretic Text NASB New American Standard Bible NBC New Bible Commentary NEB New English Bible NICNT New International Commentary of the New Testament NICOT New International Commentary of the Old Testament NIDNTTNew International Dictionary of New Testament Theology NIGTC New International Greek Testament Commentary NIV New International Version RSV Revised Standard Version TDNT Theological Dictionary of the New Testament TNTC Tyndale New Testament Commentaries TOTC Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries TWOT Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament UBS United Bible Societies WBC Word Bible Commentary WBE Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia ZPEB Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible PREFACE Renewal Theology is a study in the Christian faith. It deals with such basic matters as God and His relationship to the world, the nature of man and the tragedy of sin and evil, the person and work of Jesus Christ, the way of salvation, the coming of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, and the Christian walk. These and many other related areas will be carefully considered. The present volume will climax with the study of the person and work of Christ as set forth in the Incarnation, Atonement, and Exaltation. The writing of Renewal Theology is first of all against the background of teaching theology since 1959 at three institutions: Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Austin, Texas; Melodyland School of Theology in Anaheim, California; and presently Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In each of these places it has been my responsibility to cover the full round of theology: the basic doctrines of the Christian faith. Accordingly, what is written in Renewal Theology comes largely from classroom experience: the regular preparation for teaching, interchange with students, and dialogue with faculty colleagues. In recent years much of the material now found in Renewal Theology has been used in classroom instruction and bears the marks, I trust, of living communication. My concern throughout is to present Christian truth in such a way that it will be conversational—a kind of speaking in writing. In an earlier book entitled Ten Teachings (1974), which grew out of both preaching and teaching, I made a much briefer preliminary attempt. It is now my hope that all who read these pages in Renewal Theology—whether they are theological students, pastors, or laymen—will recognize this personal address to them. The other aspect of the background for writing Renewal Theology is my participation since 1965 in the spiritual renewal movement in the church early described as “neo-Pentecostal” and more recently as “charismatic.” Many who are involved in this movement today speak of it simply as “the renewal.” In past years I have sought to deal with certain distinctives in the renewal through three books: The Era of the Spirit (1971), The Pentecostal Reality (1972), and The Gift of the Holy Spirit Today (1980). In Renewal Theology my concern is much broader, namely, to deal with the full range of Christian truth. It will nonetheless be “renewal theology,” because I write as one positioned within the renewal context. Renewal Theology is in one sense an expression of revitalization. When I came into the renewal in 1965, “God is dead” language was abroad in the land. What happened in my case and that of many others was God’s own answer: a powerful self-revelation. In The Era of the Spirit I wrote: “He may have seemed absent, distant, even non-existent to many of us before, but now His presence is vividly manifest” (p. 10). John Calvin had long ago declared about God that “the recognition of him consists more in living experience than in vain and high- flown speculation” (.Institutes of the Christian Religion, 1.10.2, Battles trans.). Now that there was an enhancement of “living experience” in my life, there came about a fresh zeal for teaching theology in its many facets. As I said later in Era, “A new dynamic has been unleashed that has vitalized various theological categories” (p. 41). Renewal Theology is an expression of theological revitalization. In most of the pages that follow there will be little difference from what may be found in many books of theology. This is especially true of the present volume where the topics generally follow traditional patterns. However, what I hope the reader will catch is the underlying excitement and enthusiasm about the reality of the matters discussed. The old being renewed is something to get excited about! But Renewal Theology also represents an effort to reclaim certain biblical affirmations that have been largely neglected or given insufficient attention. In line with the setting of this theology within the contemporary renewal, there is also a deep concern to relate relevant renewal emphases to more traditional categories. Since it is my conviction that church tradition and theology have generally failed to treat adequately the aspect of the work of the Holy Spirit that may be called “pentecostal” and “charismatic,” there will be an earnest attempt to bring these matters to light. Volume 2 will deal particularly with this area; however, in many other places in Renewal Theology there will be pentecostal/charismatic input. Finally, the concern of Renewal Theology in every area of study is truth. This is not an attempt to advance a particular cause but to understand in totality what the Christian faith proclaims. It is not only a matter of individual doctrines but also of the full round of Christian truth. With this in mind, it has been my prayerful desire that “the Spirit of truth” at every point will lead “into all the truth” (John 16:13). I extend my gratitude to various colleagues on the Regent University faculty who have read the material in whole or in part and have offered many valuable suggestions. I am especially grateful to Dr. John Rea and Dr. Charles Holman of the Biblical Studies faculty for their help in this regard. I also offer many thanks to Mark Wilson, Regent University assistant, for his initial editing of all the material. Appreciation is likewise extended to graduate assistants Helena O’Flanagan and Cynthia Robinson for reference work and to typists Ruth Dorman and Juanita Helms. In bringing this material to publication I also greatly appreciate the fine, cooperative relationship with Stanley Gundry, Ed van der Maas, and Gerard Terpstra of Zondervan Publishing House. Most of all, I am profoundly grateful to my wife, Jo, for her encouragement and help throughout the long process of bringing this work to completion. I close this preface with the challenging words of Paul to Titus: “As for you, teach what befits sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1). By God’s grace I trust that what is found in the pages to follow will be “sound doctrine.” I have no desire to teach anything else.
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