The Kingdom and the Power, reviewed by Jon Ruthven
Second, if one unpacks the unbiblical and philosophically flawed concept of “miracle” upon which cessationism depends, the doctrine collapses of its own weight. Third, against the oft-repeated charge that nowhere does the Bible explicitly teach that spiritual gifts are to continue, one can offer at least 20 passages. I do not think Kingdom and the Power exploited these passages systematically enough.
It is fair to say that never before has a single book defending the continuation of spiritual gifts assumed such a breadth, depth and scope of argument. Kingdom and the Power deserves a far greater place at the table than it has heretofore received. I would strongly recommend that this work receive consideration as a text in Pentecostal or charismatic theology, or, if one is using traditional evangelical texts in systematics: here is a badly-needed supplement to the bland, deficient diet one finds in some noncharismatic theology.
Reviewed by Jon Ruthven
Most chapters from The Kingdom and the Power have been reprinted serially in Pneuma Review.An earlier version of this review appeared in Pneuma 20:2 (Fall 1998) and is reprinted here with permission.