The Holy Spirit (Contours of Christian Theology) [Paperback]

Sinclair B. Ferguson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Contours of Christian Theology | Publication Date: January 23, 1997

The Holy Spirit, once forgotten, has been "rediscovered" in the twentieth century--or has he? Sinclair Ferguson believes we should rephrase this common assertion: "While his work has been recognized, the Spirit himself remains to many Christians an anonymous, faceless aspect of the divine being." In order to redress this balance, Ferguson seeks to recover the who of the Spirit fully as much as the what and how. Ferguson's study is rooted and driven by the scriptural story of the Spirit in creation and redemption. Throughout he shows himself fully at home in the church's historical theology of the Spirit and conversant with the wide variety of contemporary Christians who have explored the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. Foundational issues are surveyed and clarified. Hard questions are explored and answered. Clarity and insight radiate from every page. Here is the mature reflection of a Reformed theologian who will summon respect and charity from those who disagree.

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About the Author

Sinclair B. Ferguson is senior minister at First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, South Carolina, and serves as professor of systematic theology at Westminster Seminary in Dallas, Texas.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: IVP Academic (January 23, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830815368
• ISBN-13: 978-0830815364
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #50,538 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding and Necessary, December 8, 2003

By 

J. F Foster - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Holy Spirit (Contours of Christian Theology) (Paperback)

This book by Ferguson is now 7 years old, but it remains an essential treatment of the Holy Spirit from a Reformed perspective. As Ferguson aptly notes early on, fascination with the work of the Holy Spirit has greatly increased in the last 100 years in Christian circles, but knowledge and understanding of the Spirit Himself remains more elusive than ever it seems. This book is a wonderful remedy to this starvation.

Ferguson takes a very mild mannered tone throughout his presentation. Even the section of the book where he registers his sharpest theological disagreement (in this case, with Grudem), he is charitable and properly recognizes the importance of theology's role to increase understanding and knowledge, but also the depth of Christian community.

As is to be expected from a book written by a professor from Westminster Seminary, the reader can expect to get a healthy dosage of Vos/Ridderbos Biblical theology in here. Ferguson adopts the favored Westminster view that the New Testament needs to be seen within the context of redemptive history, and particularly eschatology. As a result, Ferguson's treatment of the presence and work of the Holy Spirit is seen within an eschatological context that stresses His role in the 'already/not yet' period of the coming of the Kingdom. What this means is that a reader who picks up this book who is enamored more with a systematic theological approach will find a different approach undertaken here. Particularly in Ferguson's treatment of the ordo salutis, the scholastic approach is mostly spurned in favor of a Biblical Theological approach that stresses the believer's unity in Christ within redemptive history as the predominate motif of the Spirit's work.

Ferguson's early detail on the Person of the Holy Spirit is highly informative and a needed premise to analyzing the work of the Holy Spirit. In this respect, Ferguson does retain elements of a more traditional systematic theological approach, but also employs a literary approach as well which is the latest thing in theological formulation. In addition, Ferguson's section on sanctification is outstanding and should aid believers in the perennial dilemma of what to make of the old self/new self imagery in the Bible, as well as the inner personal struggle we experience that frustrates and even perplexes us at times. Lastly, Ferguson's section on the Spirit's ministry gifts is outstanding. He comes to this discussion from a cessationist perspective, but is very charitable in his critique and seeks not to minimize or dismiss personal experience, but to incorporate such experience within what he believes is a Biblical framework.

Overall, this book is definitely a worthy successor to Kuyper's work a century ago, and is a book that is much needed in Reformed circles to regain the appreciation and dependence we should be feeling toward the Holy Spirit in all phases of our living. Highly recommended.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Rich and Sumptuous Theological Feast, May 10, 2008

By 

Brian G Hedges (South Bend, Indiana) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Holy Spirit (Contours of Christian Theology) (Paperback)

Sinclair Ferguson's biblical-theological treatment on the Holy Spirit is a rich and sumptuous theological feast for any serious-minded believer who wants to know more about the so-called "shy member of the Trinity." In eleven meaty chapters, Ferguson gives a comprehensive, if not exhaustive, biblical overview of the person and work of the Holy Spirit, all along the way drawing on historical theology and charitably interacting with perspectives different from his own.

Chapter one, "The Spirit and His Story" surveys the Old Testament's more shadowy teaching on the Holy Spirit with a careful biblical-theological approach. "The Spirit of Christ" (chapter two) is an exceptionally rich chapter on the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus. Christ is seen as the quintessential "Man of the Spirit." Because his entire life was lived in the Spirit's power (Ferguson starts with his conception and moves through the various aspects of Jesus' life all the way to exaltation), Jesus is now the "Lord of the Spirit" (2 Cor. 3:18) - the One who sends the Spirit to his church to reproduce the "human holiness" of which he (Jesus) is the pattern.

This moves into the next two chapters, which focus on "The Gift of the Spirit" and "Pentecost Today?", exploring the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost and its significance in redemptive history and for believers today. "The Spirit of Order" (chapter five) discusses the ordo salutis (order of salvation) and how the Spirit applies the redemptive work of Christ to the individual believer. This is an excellent chapter which focuses on union with Christ as the central motif for understanding how the Spirit applies salvation in our lives. Throughout both this chapter and the entire book, Ferguson writes with a solid understanding of the inaugurated eschatology of the New Testament, allowing the "already/not yet" tension to inform his treatment of the various aspects of the ordo salutis (i.e. justification, regeneration, adoption, sanctification, glorification).

"Spiritus Recreator" (chapter six) discusses the Spirit's role in the new creation, while the next chapter, "The Spirit of Holiness," explores his role in sanctification. These were two of the most helpful chapters in the book for me personally. Ferguson maintains the Christ-centeredness with which he began the book as he shows how the Spirit reproduces the image of Christ in believers through his definitive act and progressive work of sanctification. Also very edifying is chapter eight, "The Communion of the Spirit," which deals with the personal ministry of the Spirit in the life of the believer as seal, firstfruits, and earnest/guarantee.

Chapters nine and ten talk about "The Spirit and the Body" and "The Gifts of the Spirit," the former discussing the role of the sacraments under the Spirit in the life of the church and the latter addressing the issue of spiritual gifts - with Ferguson taking a firm, though gentle, cessationist position. His critiques of Wayne Grudem deserve careful reflection from all who hold a continuationist perspective. The final chapter, "The Cosmic Spirit" discusses the Spirit's work in what we might call common grace and points us forward to the eschatological fulfillment of the Spirit's work in the world.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and learned much from it. Ferguson's articulation of a Reformed view of the Holy Spirit is intelligent and persuasive. Theologians, biblical scholars, pastors, and serious layreaders would all benefit from this book.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent synthesis of biblical and sytematic theology., March 23, 2000

By 

Paul - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Holy Spirit (Contours of Christian Theology) (Paperback)

Ferguson provides a refreshing study of the person and work of the Holy Spirit. His approach is neither topical nor controversial, but rather a biblical-theological development of the Spirit as He is revealed in Scripture. Unlike so many speculative studies of the Holy Spirit, this book evidences a balanced exegetical approach. Highly recommended.