To begin, and in the interest of full disclosure, I have previously written on the question of the identification and relation of the Triune God and Allah being considered by Duane Litfin. (http://pneumareview.com/do-all-abrahams-children-worship-abrahams-god/.) In that article I essentially argue that the true and living God is not contained or controlled by any religion (Isaiah 66:1 and Acts 7:49). Why should it be considered inconceivable that God is infinitely greater than any religion’s perception and presentation of divine reality and identity? Yet I am a Christian. I unreservedly confess my faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and as Lord and Savior (John 14:6; Romans 10:9). For me, the question is not to which religion does God belong but who among us belongs to God and in what way. According to the Bible, in some sense all creation and every creature belongs to the Creator God (Psalm 24:1; 1 Corinthians 10:26). However, according to John’s Gospel the Church belongs to Christ as the bride belongs to the groom (3:29). Christians belong to God as those who have heard God’s word in Christ (8:47). And Christians belong to Christ as the Father’s gift to him; therefore, Christ gives the Spirit to them to make known the otherwise unfathomable depths of divine mysteries (16:15). In my estimation, Christians can (and should) consistently affirm that God isn’t the exclusive property of any particular religion and also that God is definitively and decisively made known only in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Jerusalem, seen from the roof terrace of the Austrian Hospice of the Holy Family in the Muslim Quarter of old Jerusalem, looking towards the south. In the foreground is the silver dome of the Armenian Catholic chapel, “Our Lady of the Spasm,” the fourth station of the Via Dolorosa. In the background, left side, the golden Dome of the Rock.
Image: Justin McIntosh / Wikimedia Commons.

Sexual abuse is a serious and uncomfortable subject that church leaders cannot afford to ignore. To introduce pastors and Christian leaders to one resource available to them, The Pneuma Review will be printing chapters from The Long Journey Home: Understanding and Ministering to the Sexually Abused, edited by Andrew J. Schmutzer. Part 2 of Andrew J. Schmutzer’s chapter, “A Theology of Sexuality and its Abuse: Creation, Evil, and the Relational Ecosystem” continues in the Fall 2013 issue, followed by more questions and answers about the chapter.

The Fall 2013 issue will include excerpts from Craig S. Keener’s two volume Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts.

Some reviews to look for in the Fall 2013 issue:
Paul J. Palma reviews Who is the Holy Spirit? A Walk with the Apostles (Paraclete Press, 2011), by Pentecostal scholar Amos Yong.
Stephen M. Vantassel reviews A Faith Embracing All Creatures: Addressing Commonly Asked Questions about Christian Care for Animals (Cascade Books, 2012), edited by Tripp York and Andy Alexis-Baker.

Some reviews to look for in the Fall 2012 issue:

Professor Malcolm Brubaker reviews Gary Tyra, The Holy Spirit in Mission: Prophetic Speech and Action in Christian Witness (InterVarsity Press, 2011).

The collection of essays of Afro-Pentecostalism: Black Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity in History and Culture (New York University Press, 2011), edited by Amos Yong and Estrelda Alexander, are reviewed by Wolfgang Vondey.

Historian Paul King invites us to look at the “Hermeneutics in Modern and Classic Faith Movements” in an excerpt from his book, Only Believe.

Craig S. Keener speaks with us about his new book, Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts.

Some reviews to look for in the Summer 2012 issue:

Amos Yong reviews Karl W. Giberson and Francis S. Collins, The Language of Science and Faith from InterVarsity Press.

Tony Richie reviews the third edition of William Lane Craig’s Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics (Crossway).

The second part of “The Third Wave” from Henry I. Lederle’s latest book, Theology with Spirit: The Future of the Pentecostal & Charismatic Movements in the Twenty-first Century.

Some reviews to look for in the Spring 2012 issue:

Tony Richie reviews Alister McGrath’s book, The Passionate Intellect: Christian Faith and the Discipleship of the Mind from IVP (2010).

John Lathrop reviews the last book written by Evangelical leader John Stott, The Radical Disciple: Some Neglected Aspects of Our Calling (InterVarsity, 2010).

Woodrow Walton reviews Trajectories in the Book of Acts: Essays in Honor of John Wesley Wyckoff from Wipf & Stock Publishers (2010), edited by Paul Alexander, Jordan Daniel May, and Robert G. Reid.

Andrew Gabriel looks at the latest edition of Across the Spectrum: Understanding Issues in Evangelical Theology (Baker Academic, 2009) by Gregory A. Boyd and Paul Rhodes Eddy.

Churchmorph: how megatrends are reshaping Christian Communities (Baker Academic, 2009) by Eddie Gibbs is reviewed by Jim Purves.

John Lathrop continues our conversation about church leadership with his article, “Principles of Church Leadership.”

Coming highly recommended from The Pneuma Review editorial committee, a chapter from Henry I. Lederle’s latest book, Theology with Spirit: The Future of the Pentecostal & Charismatic Movements in the Twenty-first Century. “The Third Wave: New Independent Charismatic Churches,” Part 1.

Some reviews to look for in the Winter 2012 issue:

Amos Yong reviews the four volume set by George M. Flattery, A Biblical Theology of the Holy Spirit (Global University, 2009).

Lynn H. Cohick, Women in the World of the Earliest Christians: Illuminating Ancient Ways of Life (Baker Academic, 2009) is reviewed by John Miller.

Tony Richie reviews an important book from the Regnum Edinburgh 2010 Series, Holistic Mission: God’s Plan for God’s People, edited by Brian Woolnough and Wonsuk Ma.

Read a chapter from Steven M. Fettke’s new book, God’s Empowered People: A Pentecostal Theology of the Laity (Wipf & Stock 2011).

“How should we lead the church?” Eric Scalise continues the conversation with his article, “Healthy Leadership and the High Cost of Caring.”

Some reviews to look for in the Fall 2011 issue:

Pentecostal scholar Amos Yong reviews the new book by Miroslav Volf, Allah: A Christian Response (HarperOne, 2011).

N. T. Wright’s 2009 book, Justification: God’s Plan and Paul’s Vision from IVP Academic, contributing to the on-going discussion on atonement and Paul’s perspective, is reviewed by John Poirier.

John Miller reviews Jamie Smith’s first contribution to the Pentecostal Manifestos series from Eerdmans: James K. A. Smith, Thinking in Tongues: Pentecostal Contributions to Christian Philosophy.

Wolfgang Vondey tells us that at least three rewards are in store for readers of Mark J. Cartledge’s book, Testimony in the Spirit: Rescripting Ordinary Pentecostal Theology.

The Pneuma Review interviews Loren Sandford, asking him about growing up under his parents’ ministry, how God prepares people for prophetic ministry and what he sees in today’s prophetic movement.

Join the continuing conversation asking, “How should we lead the church?” The Summer 2011 issue will feature an article by Aldwin Ragoonath. Stressing the anointing of the Holy Spirit in our ministries, Ragoonath offers practical advice from his extensive experience in the global church.

Some reviews to look for in the Summer 2011 issue:

Mara Lief Crabtree reviews David Augsburger, Dissident Discipleship: A Spirituality of Self-Surrender, Love of God, and Love of Neighbor from Brazos Press.

In an extended essay, Tony Richie looks at the Christianity Today December 2010 article by Scott McKnight, “Jesus vs. Paul.”

Carolyn Baker takes a look at one of Gary M. Burge’s latest books, Jesus and the Land: The New Testament Challenge to “Holy Land Theology” (Baker Academic, 2010).

Join the continuing conversation asking, “How should we lead the church?” Woodrow Walton makes “The Case for Anonymous Leadership.”

In “Theological Roots of the Word of Faith Movement: New Thought Metaphysics or Classic Faith Movements?” historian Paul King introduces us to the origins of the controversial Word of Faith movement.

Some reviews to look for in the Spring 2011 issue:

Tony Richie reviews The Handbook of Theological Education in World Christianity: Theological Perspectives, Ecumenical Trends, Regional Surveys from Regnum.

Significant excerpts from Timothy Lim’s in-depth review of Patrick Downey, Desperately Wicked: Philosophy, Christianity and the Human Heart.

Pastor Jim Purves reviews Timothy Ward’s book Words of Life: Scripture as the Living and Active Word of God from IVP Academic (2009).

The Kingdom and the Power. The Pneuma Review has received permission to reprint chapters from this important work that asks: “Are Healing and the Spiritual Gifts Used by Jesus and the Early Church Meant for the Church Today?” The Winter 2011issue will conclude this series with “The Sufficiency of Scripture and Distortion of What Scripture Teaches About Itself.”

Veteran missionary Jim Harries introduces us to what vulnerable mission looks like in “Deliverance Ministry in an African Cultural Perspective.”

How should we lead the church?

As part of our continuing discussion, Victor Cuartas will present “How to Lead a Missional Church”

Some reviews to look for in the Winter 2011 issue:

Wolfgang Vondey reviews the book by Brad Harper and Paul Louis Metzger, Exploring Ecclesiology: An Evangelical and Ecumenical Introduction (Brazos, 2009).

The second edition of James D.G. Dunn’s The Living Word (Fortress, 2009) is reviewed by John R. Miller.

Tony Richie reviews Cindy Jacobs’s book, The Reformation Manifesto: Your Part in God’s Plan to Change the Nations Today (Bethany House, 2008).

Woodrow Walton reviews Marvin Olasky’s The Tragedy of American Compassion (Crossway Books, 2008).