Gift and Giver
Subtitle: The Holy Spirit for Today
Publisher: Baker Academic
Published: May 1, 2001
Language: eng
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 224
ISBN-13: 9780801022661
Subjects: Christian theology; Religion; Theology - Holy Spirit; Christian Theology - Pneumatology; Religion / Bible / General; Theology: Systematic Theology: Pneumatology; Gifts, Spiritual; Christian Theology - General; Christianity - Theology - General
First sentence: Christians agree on much of what the Bible teaches about the Holy Spirit, such as the fruit of the Spirit and the Spirit's work in salvation.
Description: In Gift and Giver, a substantial revision of his 3 Crucial Questions about the Holy Spirit, prolific author Craig Keener takes a probing look at the various evangelical understandings of the role of the Holy Spirit in the church. His desire is for Christians to "work for consensus, or at least for unity in God's work despite our differences on secondary matters."

Employing a helpful narrative approach and an ample number of stories, Keener enters into constructive dialogue with Pentecostals, moderates, and cessationists, all the while attempting to learn from each viewpoint. He seeks to bridge the gap between cessationists and Pentecostals/charismatics by urging all Christians to seek the Holy Spirit's empowerment. His irenic approach to this controversial issue has been endorsed by charismatics and non-charismatics alike.

Sure to provoke helpful dialogue on a topic that has caused unfortunate divisions within the church, Gift and Giver will be a valuable addition to college and seminary courses on pneumatology. It will also be helpful to lay readers interested in a balanced discussion of spiritual gifts.