Who Is the Holy Spirit?: A Walk with the Apostles (A Paraclete Guide) [Paperback]

This is my fourth review of Paraclete Press`s series of guides on the Holy Spirit. The other books I reviewed, each of the authors seek to articulate their understanding of the Holy Spirit from their own theological tradition (Jewish, Orthodox and Protestant). While the author of Who is the Holy Spirit?, Amos Yong, is deeply formed by the Charismatic and evangelical tradition this book examines the Holy Spirit by providing a close reading of the book of Acts and supplemented by material from Luke. The effect is that Yong is able to draw out some of the social and political implications of who the Spirit is and his activity in the world.

Right now, some of you may be saying, "the Holy Spirit I know, but who is Amos Yong? Why do I need to read this book?" Amos Yong is one of the most well known and respected Pentecostal scholars working today. He is the J. Rodman Williams Professor of Theology at Regent University School of Divinity in Virginia Beach (as a graduate of Regent College, we call this the other Regent). Because Regent University was founded by Pat Robertson some may be tempted to write it off as a `rightwing institution' but Yong's analysis has implications for people on both the right and the left[note: I actually have no idea what Yong's politics are, I just want to make sure you don't think you know what he's gonna say before you read the book].

This book came to fruition when the acquisitions editor at Paraclete Press read an article by Roger Olson in Christianity Today entitled, "A Wind that Swirls Everywhere: Amos Yong Thinks He Sees the Holy Spirit Working in Other Religions Too[note: the back of the book mistakenly attributes the article to Yong, but it is an article about Yong]." In response to this idea, Amos Yong went to work on exploring the material on the Spirit in Luke and Acts for a Sunday School class at his church. Who is the Holy Spirit? is divided into 39 chapters covering all of Acts and selections from Luke, and a discussion guide for each chapter.

Acts has been fertile ground for Charismatic reflection. Personally I have read through Acts to see evidence of the Spirit, miracles, to discover how to do (be) the church and to explore missional implications. What sets Yong's book apart is that he focuses not only on where the Spirit is invoked, but what the Spirit evokes. He doesn't just point out the Spirit's presence but he asks us to open our eyes to discover that the scope of the Spirit's work is bigger, more inclusive than we sometimes imagine. Yong writes:

I now believe that the Spirit is at work not just at the level of the individual but also at the level of society and its various political and economic structures; not just the otherworldly, spiritual level but also at the this-worldly level of the material and concrete domains of our lives; not just in and through the church but also in and through wider institutional, cultural and religious realities. In other words, I now think the world of the Holy Spirit is much wider than I'd guessed, and that the work of the Spirit is to redeem and transform our world as a whole along with all of its interconnected parts, systems and structures (x).

And so, Yong sets out to answer the question of Who is the Holy Spirit? not by giving us doctrinal formula and propositional truth, but by paying careful attention to the narrative of Luke-Acts and showing us the Spirit's work. He explores how the Spirit brings and is bringing about the full promise of the Kingdom of God, how the Spirit overcomes divisions of language, ethnicity, nationality, gender and class, and how the Spirit brings about new freedom and liberation. This isn't a denial of the Spirit's individual and personal work within the human soul, but he probes the narrative also for wider socio-political implications. Acts provides rich fodder for reflection as he explores how the church is born through the Spirit's work in overcoming divisions of language and culture at Pentecost and the Spirit keeps impelling their witness outward from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. Each chapter explores a text (or set of texts), discovers what it is saying, the implications of the Spirit's work, and explores the implications for our own context.

I found this book refreshing! Too often confessional scholars examine spiritual realities in the text while critical scholarship focuses on the political aspects of the early church. It is exciting to read a Bible study which explores both of these poles. Yong's bibliography, while only showing the references he deems `accessible,' displays his willingness to tackle the issue and draw on a wide range of scholarship. As this is not a scholarly book, there are no footnotes. Most people probably like this better, but I missed them and my reading would have been enriched by knowing where he drew various aspects from and being able to chase things back. But lucky for me, this isn't the only thing Yong has written on the topic, and I will get my chance.

Yong's critics (even Olson) point out that his views weaken the need for evangelism by de-emphasizing Christian particularity and paving the way for pluralism and syncretism. This seems hardly fair. By rooting his reflections in the book of Acts, Yong is able to affirm both the continuities and discontinuities between other religions and the gospel. Yong says:

If the work of the Spirit brought about renewal, restoration and re-appropriation of all that was good and true in the social, cultural, and religious spheres of human life, it could also be seen from another perspective that the coming of the Spirit turned the world upside down in each of these domains of human endeavor. Continuity or discontinuity, when and how? These are questions that require ongoing discernment of the Spirit's presence and activity(160)

This has implications for how we engage in mission. We do not dismiss other religions out of hand as utterly false; we do look for evidence of where the Spirit is at work (like Paul in the Aeropagus).

This book would be great for personal reflection, or as a curriculum for a small group Bible Study. I certainly think it would inspire a rich discussion of the Spirit's role, presence and work in our lives and in the church. I am not sure that Yong answers, or intends to give us a firm answer to the question: Who is the Holy Spirit?. Instead through his calling to attention the widening scope of the Spirit's work, he helps us to see that the Spirit is bigger and more wonderful than we have previously imagined.

Thank you to Paraclete press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for this review.

Although not an academic treatise, this book written by Amos Yong, a distinguished Pentecostal theologian, is deeply rooted in solid scholarship. Deftly handling the Lukan texts (Gospel and Acts) he offers his response to the question: "Who is the Holy Spirit?" The book is organized around Acts 1:8, in which we hear Jesus commission his disciples to be his witnesses to the world, once the Spirit comes upon them. Beginning in Jerusalem, and then continuing outward to Judea and Samaria, and then to the ends of the Earth, the message of the Kingdom will go forth, carried by those whom the Spirit empowers. According to Yong, this verse does not speak of a "generic witness" to Jesus, but has a clear destination in mind - the center of the Empire - Rome. Thus, " not only does the Spirit empower the disciples' witness to the kingdom teachings and realities of Jesus, but the Spirit does so in order to establish the kingdom amid the present imperial rule of Caesar and his regional governments" (p. 5). The message inherent in this commission is "subversive of the empires of this world" (p. 6).

With the expansion of the kingdom of God in the world in view, a movement of the reign of God that undermines human empires, the book is broken into thirty-nine chapters that are organized into eight parts. These eight sections lead the reader outward from Jerusalem to the ends of the Earth. By alternating chapters that look at the Gospel of Luke with those that look at Acts, Yong is able to connect the ongoing ministry of the church to the ministry of Jesus. That is, the work of the church is rooted in the ministry of Jesus. For Luke, the key is the restoration of the kingdom, and this is linked to the work of the Holy Spirit. It is a work of the Spirit that begins with Jesus and then extends to his followers. This work of the Spirit not only has spiritual or religious implications, but social, economic, and political implications as well.

This purpose of God is made clear in the Pentecost story, where, according to Yong, the covenant promises of Israel are restored through the "constituting of a new people of God." This new people of God that is emerging does not replace the Jewish people (supersessionism), but rather it includes both Jews and Gentiles. As this new people of God is constructed it comes with new social structures and relationships, which brings with it the empowerment of both men and women, and equalizes the relationship of slave and free. Thus, it overturns the social status quo. The manner in which this new people of God will be called together is revealed in Peter's sermon on Pentecost and its aftermath. When asked what they should do in order to be saved, and thus included in this new people of God, Peter declares that the way forward requires repentance and baptism, which brings to the persons forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is a message that goes back to the preaching of John the Baptist (Luke 3). This will be the foundation of a message that will continue to be developed as the gospel moves outward to include Samaritans and eventually Gentiles. It will embrace a new way of living together where the needs of others are met, through the sharing of one's lives and possessions with the others.

The outward movement of the Spirit, which begins in Jerusalem, continues to work its way, through the ministry of Paul toward Jerusalem. As it does it brings Gentiles into this new work of God, which is designed to bring into existence God's realm. It is an inclusive movement that brings in the disabled (the Ethiopian Eunuch), the outcast (the Samaritan), and the one far from the kingdom (the Gentile). It is a movement that calls for repentance, so that those who hear and respond can be drawn out of the system of the world.

As the kingdom movement moves beyond Jewish and even Samaritan regions it encounters other religious traditions and philosophies. We see this in Ephesus where Paul encounters the worshipers of Artemis and in Athens where he debates philosophers. In his examination of these encounters, Yong, the Pentecostal/evangelical scholar, notes that Paul engaged other faith traditions with deep respect. Yes, there are power encounters with demonic forces, but that is something different from religious faith groups. Where these encounters occur they do so because the people are being held captive by systemic forces, including economic ones, that are oppressive. Thus, the problem with the Ephesian situation is that the worship of Artemis has gotten entangled in the economic/political realities. Yong notes that Paul didn't engage in evangelistic efforts there that disrespected the Ephesian religion - that is, Paul's focus was positive - on the gospel - not on the negative, tearing down the Ephesian religious tradition. Thus, the disturbances that broke out there resulted from the fact that the conversions to Christianity disrupted the religious economy. Something similar occurred as Jesus cleared the Temple in Jerusalem. Yong is very perceptive about the interfaith relationship, even if he is committed to sharing a conversionary faith with people of other faiths. Returning to the economics of religion, Yong asks whether or not Christian faith itself has been even more "compromised by the capitalist system than was the cult of Artemis or the Jewish temple economy of the first century? (p. 169).

There is much to commend about this well written and readable guide to the Lukan understanding of the Holy Spirit. It embraces political, economic, and interreligious issues. It suggests that the purpose of the messianic movement that begins with Jesus and continues on in the ministry of the church, which goes forth into the world empowered by the same Spirit who is present in Jesus, is the renewal of Israel. But this envisioned renewal is broad enough that includes not only Jews, but Gentiles as well. In fact, it includes the disabled and women as well as men. It is an expansion of the kingdom that seeks to overcome the barriers that separate people. As it turns our focus to the contemporary situation, for Yong is not content to leave us in the first century, he finds, rightly so, in the very open-endedness of the book of Acts a word for today. The fact that the Book of Acts ends in chapter 28 with Paul still alive in Rome "suggests that the work of the Holy Spirit begun in the life of Jesus and among the early church continues to the present" (p. 189). Thus, the power of the Spirit available then remains present today. That is, of course, the chief claim of Pentecostalism. The Spirit is still working!

I recommend this book highly to anyone who wishes to understand the movement of the Spirit today. The study guide found at the end of the book makes will make this an excellent resource for groups wishing to explore the work of the Spirit in the modern world.

The review copy of this book was provided by Paraclete Press.

Who is the Holy Spirit by Amos Yong (Paraclete Press)

This new volume in the Paraclete Guide series is designed to take the reader on a journey through the book of Acts in step with the activity and person of the Holy Spirit. The author, Amos Yong, Professor of Theology at Regent University in Virginia Beach, carries the reader on a very insightful, practical, and thoughtful journey through Acts.

Instead of just harboring on a few aspects in the book of Acts (Pentecost, Paul's speeches, etc.), Yong dives into the cultural milieu that the apostles dealt with as they proclaimed the good news throughout the region. For this reason, Who is the Holy Spirit makes a definite point that the message of the kingdom the apostles bore witness to was radically opposite of the prevailing class structure of the Roman Empire. Yong writes in the first chapter, "The Acts of the Apostles are also the acts of the Holy Spirit in the church, acts that are subversive of the empires of this world" (6). Part of his point in laying out this specific statement is that the political, social, and religious structures of the Roman Empire were not friendly to the kinds of people that the early Christians befriended. The social classes excluded those who could not provide material wealth and advantage. In essence, the system was rigged for the upper echelon. The ethic of the kingdom that Jesus inaugurated was counter cultural. Yong writes, "A new people of God was emerging that transcended the common divisions of the first century, brothers and sisters who acknowledged the same Father as did Jesus, as inspired by the Holy Spirit" (74).

In examining the details surrounding Paul's encounter with the slave girl at Philippi, Yong traces the effects of the Spirit's work amongst people that Paul encounters. In a summary statement, Yong writes, "The Spirit is interested not only in saving souls for eternity but in forming new communities of healing and reconciliation from out of entire households that embrace the good news of Jesus and the kingdom" (152). Why is this so important? Well, for one, if the message of the Jesus and the kingdom is to be transformative for the people we encounter, it must meet the needs people face living in a broken and reckless world. Yong is hinting at the vertical and horizontal work of the Holy Spirit in relation to God and people. The Spirit draws men unto God by the application of Christ's work to their lives and yet this change carries with it the obligations to live before others through a life of forgiveness, a life of sacrifice and service. I really think Yong is right here to not divorce the spiritual impact of the Spirit from the social and ethical implications for God's people to act rightly in the world.

One aspect of Yong's book that I was pleased in reading was his chapter on the Spirit and the Eucharist. In talking about the feeding of the five thousand, Yong writes, "...Jesus' blessing, breaking, and giving of the bread and fish is but part of the larger sequence of events in which the disciples are involved in serving the crowd" (182). Although I am not sure we can make the jump from this statement to the next one regarding open table fellowship (I am not opposed to open table fellowship, but this is not the text to build on), I do think the message of service is key to the text. Not only were the disciples called to serve but they were called to meet the needs of the people in both tangible (material needs) and needs pertaining to the heart. Certainly, the feeding of the five thousand should be seen as another example of Jesus' service to the people (to those in the in-crowd and those out), while also realizing that the power of God is on display through this miracle pointing the reader to the special origin of Jesus.

Yong indicates throughout the whole book that the mission of Jesus is closely tied to the renewal and redemption of Israel. Although I think there is partial truth in this statement, I would also add that Jesus embodied in his ministry, sufferings and death the fulfillment of promises of Israel. It would even suffice to say that Jesus was the `true Israelite' in that in his life and ministry he fulfilled the covenant stipulations and commandments given by God in the Old Testament. Even more, in his very ministry he embodied the goal and hope of Israel, to be light to the nations (ex. Jesus' meals with sinners, Samaritan woman, excluding no one). Luke interacts with the idea that Jesus is the heir to the Davidic throne and therefore carries out the mission of Israel in his ministry to Jew and Gentile. The redemption and renewal of Israel brought upon by Jesus was even greater in its political and ethical scope than Jews of the first-century could imagine, for it realigned every relationship according to Jesus being Lord over all things.

Overall, I thought the book was a good work in engaging the reader with the book of Acts and Luke's Gospel in connection with the Holy Spirit. This is a book that provides many good discussion points and healthy interactions for its readers.

Thanks to Paraclete Press for the review copy of this book.