The Spirit of God Transforming Life: The Reformation and Theology of the Holy Spirit

208 Pages·2009·2.97 MB·English

by  Paul S. Chung (auth.)

The Spirit of God Transforming Life
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The Spirit of God
Transforming Life
The Reformation and Theology
of the Holy Spirit
Paul S. Chung
THE SPIRIT OF GOD TRANSFORMING LIFE
Copyright © Paul S. Chung, 2009
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2009 978-0-230-62027-8
All rights reserved.
®
First published in 2009 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN in the
United States - a division of St. Martin’s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue,
New York, NY 10010.
Where this book is distributed in the UK, Europe and the rest of
the world, this is by Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan
Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998,
of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS.
Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above
companies and has companies and representatives throughout world.
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Palgrave and Macmillan are registered trademarks in the United
States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries.
ISBN 978-1-349-38267-5 ISBN 978-0-230-10346-7 (eBook)
DOI 10.1057/9780230103467
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data.
Chung, Paul S., 1958–
The spirit of God transforming life : the reformation and theology
of the Holy Spirit / Paul S. Chung.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
ISBN 978-0-230-62027-8
1. Holy Spirit—History of doctrines—16th century.
2. Reformed Church—Doctrines. I. Title.
BT121.3.C57 2009
′
231 .309031—dc22 2009013908
Design by Integra Software Services
First edition: December 2009
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
In Gratitude to Jane, Beth, and Heidi, my life companions
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Contents
Foreword by Craig L. Nessan ix
Acknowledgements xiii
Abbreviations xv
Introduction 1
Spirit of Life: Spirituality and Ethical Life 5
Martin Luther 6
John Calvin 11
Organizational Themes in the Study of the Spirit of God:
Spirituality and Ethical Life 17
1 The Spiritus Creator 21
The Spirit, Life-Giver 23
God Seen in Light of Natural Knowledge 27
Reformation and Natural Theology 29
2 The Spirit of the Triune God 37
Luther and the Doctrine of the Trinity 38
Calvin’s Theology of the Trinity 44
Luther and Calvin: Hypostatic Union in Jesus Christ 46
Trinitarian Theology in Ecumenical Context 52
3 The Spirit and Christ-Union 71
Martin Luther and Union with Christ 74
John Calvin: Christian Life in Christ-Union 81
Calvin’s View of Election 88
Karl Barth’s View of Election in Luther and Calvin 90
4 The Spirit and Evangelical Freedom in the Law 97
Luther’s Principle of Law and Gospel 97
Calvin’s View of the Threefold Use of the Law 102
viii Contents
Critical Review of the Third Use of the Law 107
Theology of the Word of God in Luther and Barth 113
5 The Church in the Power of the Spirit 119
Luther: Church as Creature of the Gospel 119
Universal Priesthood and Social Economic Diakonia 124
Calvin: Church as Mother of Believers 132
Calvin and Economic Justice 137
Conclusion 143
Eucharistic Theology in Lutheran-Reformed Dialogue 143
Controversy on Real Presence 145
Luther in Dispute with Roman Catholicism and Zwingli 148
Luther: God’s Promise in the Sacrament 150
Calvin’s View of the Substance of Christ’s Body 152
For Sacramental Unity: The Universal Church and Promise of
Eschatology 155
Afterword: Max Weber’s View of
Reformation and Capitalism 159
Notes 169
Bibliography 187
Index 193
Foreword
The Spirit of God transforms life! This assertion is made emphatic
on every page of this book. Whereas the heritage of the Reforma-
tion left many with the impression that the Holy Spirit had been
ignored, necessitating Pentecostal revival, Paul Chung demonstrates
how potent is the force of the Spirit already in the thought and writ-
ing of Luther and Calvin. What has been left too often implicit about
the work of the Reformers is here made powerfully explicit. The Spirit
stirs up flames of passion!
“I believe that by my own understanding or strength I cannot
believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, but instead the Holy
Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts,
made me holy and kept me in the true faith, just as he calls, gathers,
enlightens, and makes holy the whole Christian church on earth and
keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one common, true faith.” Luther’s
explanation of the Third Article from his Small Catechism concisely
names several strong dynamics of the Spirit’s work within Reforma-
tion theology. This book can serve well as a primer or refresher course
on the central themes of Reformation theology. Chung considers the
energy of the Spirit as the Spiritus Creator within the natural world,
the Spirit’s place in the Trinity, the role of the Spirit in election, the
controversial question of the third use of the law, and the effects of
the Spirit for the life of the world. In addressing these and many other
issues, the author clearly and carefully describes the fundamental shape
of Reformation thinking. The main concepts of Reformation theology
are outlined deftly and consequentially. Thus the book contributes
admirably to the purpose of introducing the reader to what was and is
at stake in the Reformation’s insistence on the centrality of the gospel.
It was this commitment to the gospel of justification by grace
through faith that united Luther and Calvin in a shared Reforma-
tion theological perspective. Many discussions of the relationship of
Calvin to Luther have emphasized those aspects of their thought that
appear to diverge, for example, on the third use of the law or the
nature of Christ’s presence in the Lord’s Supper. Chung’s research