In the recent work, From Nothing: A Theology of Creation, Ian McFarland aims to defend and develop the classic doctrine of creation ex nihilo by arguing that the doctrine of creation from nothing is best understood in a Trinitarian framework. The author asserts that God alone is uncreated and that all creatures outside of Him find their existence in Him. Further, through Jesus, the incarnate Logos, all of creation has been drawn into the life and love of the Trinity.

This work is primarily ordered around two main parts, “Exitus” (chapters 2-4) and “Reditus” (chapters 5-7), but also includes a considerable introductory chapter (chapter 1) and a brief conclusion (chapter 8). The argument he asserts in support of his position begins in his first chapter through surveying exegetical, historical, and contemporary issues relevant to the Christian doctrine of creation. McFarland explains that the doctrine of creation from nothing is essential to agree with Scripture’s assertion that there is one God who is the lone source of all things. Further, the author concludes that examining what God does is inseparable from knowing who God, which has implications for the doctrine of creation. For this reason, Christians cannot talk about creation apart from Christology. Thus, for McFarland, Christology is central for a doctrine of creation as it guarantees that God’s power is not understand as totalitarianism or whim (p. 23).

McFarland then turns to the first part of the book, focusing on the claim that the world is embedded in the life of God. Taking from the statement, “God creates from nothing”, in part 1 McFarland constructs his first three chapters exploring “God”, “Creates”, and “Nothing”. In chapter 2, God is characterized as transcendent, living, productive, and present. These attributes all function within the understanding that God is ultimately defined by the love shared relationally between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Therefore, this framework makes it fitting that God should create, “since creation is simply the act by which God, who is already intrinsically living, productive, and present, determines also to be living, productive, and present to that which is not divine” (p. 57). This leads to the third chapter where the author affirms on the one hand that creatures reflect the Logos, but are on the other hand entirely distinct from it. McFarland argues for the seemingly incongruous notion that finite creatures are utterly dependent on and yet not less thoroughly discontinuous with God by stating that the unity of creation can only be established in the Logos, thus God not only created the world, but created it from nothing. Chapter 4 then builds on this idea by way of the doctrine of the incarnation. For McFarland, the incarnation is the “definitive exemplification” (107) of the principle that nothing limits God, and is the key to a Christian understanding of creation from nothing. Through the incarnation, God has chosen to include creation within God’s own life and through extension, the works of redemption and glorification.

In Antipas Harris’ book, Holy Spirit, Holy Living: Toward a Practical Theology of Holiness for Twenty-First Century Churches, the author aims to broach the topic of holiness by writing an academically informed work that is accessible and beneficial to the everyday Christian (xv). Although this work is academic in nature, non-academic readers will be able to enjoy the author’s work due to the book’s readability. The book is divided into two parts each containing four chapters. Part one explores and addresses the meaning of and need for biblical holiness, and the part two is largely a proposal on how to walk out holiness from day-to-day. This book is located within a Wesleyan Pentecostal perspective on holiness, although it refreshingly explores both the strengths and weaknesses of the overall tradition.

Antipas Harris

Chapter one lays a foundation for the whole of the book by showing the need for a practical theology of holiness for the twenty first century. The author does this by showing how this call to a holy life lies within the pages of scripture and touches on the fact that there is a middle way between lawlessness and legalism. Chapter two further develops this middle ground by giving further definition to how to live “in the world but not [be] of the world”. According to Harris, holiness at its core is forsaking the world and identifying with Christ (p. 25), yet responding to the call to be missional in the world (p. 33). In this chapter, it becomes more apparent that for Harris, holiness is a lifestyle and a “distinctive way of living in the world” (p. 37).

Chapter three serves as an overview of the scriptural content that speaks to the issue of holiness and sanctification specifically. Here the author looks at various elements that speak to holiness in the Old Testament including the Torah (pp. 43-44), the Sabbath (pp. 45-48), the Old Testament Holiness code (pp. 48-50), and the Psalms (pp. 52-55). Then he shifts to cover the New Testament by looking at what Paul (pp. 57-58) and Peter (pp. 58-59) had to say about it. Although the author clearly desires a balance between heart and action, it is worth noting that this concise yet thorough treatment of the scriptural content on holiness focuses more on the OT view of holiness than the NT, which lends itself to being more performance based. Nonetheless, it is evident the author attempts to strike the difficult balance between an inward heart condition and an outward lifestyle. Chapter Four touches on the connectedness yet dissimilarities between salvation and sanctification (pp. 62-67), and then the rest of the chapter focuses on how to live out that sanctification. Harris makes an important distinction, though, by connecting living the “sanctified life” through the Holy Spirit’s empowerment (pp. 85-86).

Part II begins in chapter five where the author gives his “four Ds” on how to live out the holy life: “devoted life of prayer, a disciplined lifestyle with determination to live God’s ways despite the odds, and commitment to developing a life of service to and on behalf of others” (p. 92). This chapter is filled with good, practical advice on how to begin to put holiness to practice. Further, chapter seven gives “Four Cs” (confusion about the definition of holiness, culture might get in the way, church might get in the way, cravings [lust] get in the way) that serve as hindrances to holiness and chapter eight gives “Four Rs” (repentance, recommitment, recovery, and renewal). Chapter seven gives a helpful picture of common hindrances many have to living out holiness and chapter eight serves as a strong appeal to the church on her situation of “urgency in society” (p. 134). Harris’ conclusions in chapter eight might cause debate among readers as whole, but is nothing new in light of the controversy surrounding the relationship between the church and greater society (particularly in the political arena). All in all, I commend the author for discussing how this issue speaks to the issue of holiness.

Reviewed by Andrew Ray Williams

Publisher’s page: http://wipfandstock.com/holy-spirit-holy-living.html

In Richard Bustraan’s work, The Jesus People Movement, the author aims to describe and trace the Jesus People Movement within Pentecostal historiography. Although this work is a comprehensive research thesis, non-academic readers will be able to appreciate and enjoy Bustraan’s work. It’s content covers and tracks the movement from it’s inception in 1967 to the end of the 1970’s all the while exploring the historical, sociological, and theological nature of the Jesus People Movement and its eventual acceptance as another peripheral sensation among American Pentecostalism. The research is divided into six different chapters covering the emergence of Hippies, a historical overview of the Jesus People movement, a historical overview of the Pentecostal movement, the sociological identity of the movement, the theological identity of the movement and the author’s final conclusions. However, rather than summarize each of the chapters, I will look at the key strengths and weaknesses of the work as a whole.

From the beginning of the work, Bustraan successfully sets the backdrop for the Jesus People Movement by exploring the various factors and influences that gave rise to the hippies. After effectively showing how the 1960’s and the hippies were influential in setting the stage for the Jesus People movement, the author turns his attention to explore the historical, sociological, and theological nature of the Jesus People Movement, while consistently noting the lasting contributions made to Evangelicalism. Most notably, these contributions include the eventual formation of the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) industry, emerging primarily because of “Jesus Music” (34), and the establishment of church networks and movements including Hope Chapel, Calvary Chapel and the Association Vineyard of Churches (35).

Perhaps the best part of the work in my estimation is the concentration on the continuities and discontinuities between Jesus People theology and classical Pentecostal theology due to this topic’s relevance today within modern Pentecostal scholarship. The author notes that the major discontinuity comes from the issue of “subsequence and consequence” relating to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and sign gifts (159). The author notes that although classical Pentecostal denominations struggled early on in the twentieth century regarding the timing and expectations of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, the Jesus People Movement did not. There was no rigidness and singular demands regarding Spirit Baptism within the whole of the movement. Therefore Bustraan concludes that it allowed for theological variances regarding timing and expectations within the various segments of the movement (160). Since the issue of “subsequence and consequence” once solved within classical Pentecostal denominations has begun to resurface, I could not help but wonder if the Jesus People theology impacted this development.