The author of In Search of Ancient Roots, Kenneth J. Stewart, professor of theological studies at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, maintains that the roots of the evangelical tradition goes further back than the 17^th and 18^th centuries and even the Reformation era of the 16^th century and be found as early as the middle of the 3^rd century when Cyprian, about A.D. 280, questioned the authority of a single “pope” in his The Unity of the Church (De Unitate Ecclesia, PL 4.502).

Stewart is a specialist in the history of Christianity from the Reformation to the present, with particular interest in the development of the evangelical movement as it arose soon after the 16^th century Protestant Reformation. Stewart holds a Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh, and has been a contributor to the Blackwell Dictionary of Evangelical Biography. He bases his argument for an ancient heritage for Evangelical Christianity upon the work of a prior researcher, John Jewel, who in his preaching in England in the late 16^th century gave reference to Cyprian’s De Unitate Ecclesia in which this Church Father argued against the need of a pope and for the need of a plurality.

This reviewer feels that Stewart could not have done a better job of referencing. The reason for this reviewer’s praise is that as a student at the Divinity School of Duke University, this reviewer had the opportunity to read in Cyprian’s works in a Historical Theology class. Cyprian maintained that “upon this rock [petra]” did not refer to Peter since the feminine form for “rock” referenced his confession. Cyprian must have had Paul’s letter to the Corinthians alongside his other reading where Paul stated that no other foundation can be laid for the church than that of faith in Christ Jesus. That, in and of itself, is sufficient as an evangelical contention.

Chapter two of Stewart’s In Search for Ancient Roots traces the evangelical message as a recurring occurrence from the very beginning. In Chapter 3, Stewart addresses the need for appraising the Christian past prior to the 19^th 18^th, and 16^th centuries and not treating evangelical Christian faith as product of the camp meetings of the early 1820’s and the later emergence of both Charles Finney and Dwight L. Moody. Chapter 4 does just that by examining the use of the past by Protestants beginning with present-day Protestant denominations and working backwards to the 16^th Century and credits the advent of “type-setting” by Johannes Gutenberg (d. 1468) as enabling mass circulation of the writings of both the early patristic era of the church and of the classical writers of the Graeco-Roman era.  Stewart found that among the most used by the Reformers was the Comminatory of Vincent of Lerian composed in the early 5^th century.

Kenneth C. Kinghorn, professor of Church History and Historical Theology at Asbury Seminary, herein offers a practical work for Christians. This book is not technical, nor necessarily academic in its orientation (though it is, of course, academically responsible). Rather, this book is seemingly focused to present practical information to the person in the pew. Not only are twenty gifts of the Spirit herein discussed, but Kinghorn also includes a personal inventory survey to help readers discover their own spiritual gifts.

Chapter one details three common problems that hinder our discovery and usage of the New Testament spiritual gifts. First, Kinghorn notes that there is unfortunately a lack of knowledge of spiritual gifts in the church. Second, he posits that a neglect of God’s laws and commands contributes to a lack of spiritual gift expression in the church today. Third, and perhaps most importantly, Kinghorn points out that an undisciplined life prohibits the expression of the New Testament spiritual gifts.

Although the New Testament does not give a forthright definition of a spiritual gift, Scripture nevertheless gives sufficient information regarding them. In chapter three, Kinghorn delineates the guiding principles that enable him to discern twenty spiritual gifts mentioned in the New Testament. Moreover, he gives three principles by which we may better understand spiritual gifts. First, he notes that true spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit, and not another entity. Second, spiritual gifts enable one to do more than they are ordinarily capable of, which means that ‘natural talents’ do not qualify as spiritual gifts. Third, Kinghorn notes that spiritual gifts necessarily entail a responsibility for the employment of that gift by its recipient.

Kenneth Cain Kinghorn

In chapter three, Kinghorn lists the twenty New Testament spiritual gifts that he discerns, and comments upon them based upon the theological filter of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral (note, however, that he does not announce that he is doing such, but nevertheless it is apparent). Most readers of Pneuma Review will find no problems with the majority of the descriptions, though one needs to be aware that he does voice a distinctly Wesleyan understanding of tongues, which differs from the Pentecostal and charismatic understanding of the same. He notes, however, that minor differences in our doctrinal formulations about tongues-speaking should be allowed without breaking the fellowship wrought by the uniting Spirit. In an important note, Kinghorn believes in the continual relevance and availability of all twenty spiritual gifts for believers today.

I view it highly important that Kinghorn insists that all Christians have spiritual gifts, and that is our individual responsibility to discern and thereafter use them. Moreover, Kinghorn notes that God gifts us with spiritual gifts entirely without human merit (i.e., free grace), and that he grants them according to his sovereign will. Further, every gift is critical for a fully functioning church, as God intentions the spiritual gifts for ministry and service.

Kinghorn contends that Jesus left a promise, a legacy, and a mission to believers upon his ascent into heaven. Each of these three are being implemented and furthered by the Holy Spirit in believers today, Kinghorn contends. This book has two main aims, with one being to summarize the New Testament teachings regarding the spiritual gifts, and the other being to help one discover his or her own spiritual gifts. In my humble opinion, Kinghorn is successful in his venture.

Reviewed by Bradford McCall

Publisher’s page: http://www.emethpress.com/9780975543566.htm

Preview The New Testament Gifts of the Holy Spirit: https://books.google.com/books?id=utWYY2ZmpWEC

This review was originally published on the Pneuma Foundation (parent organization of PneumaReview.com) website on June 18, 2008.

Kenneth Berding, What Are Spiritual Gifts? Rethinking The Conventional View (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2006), 368 pages, ISBN 9780825421242.

After reading and re-reading this book (4 times now), I would like to thank Dr. Berding for putting together this in-depth single volume reference of the traditional spiritual gifts. There are 129 pages of appendices and notes with a detailed 24 page subject and scripture index. This extra effort makes it easy for any person to look up a particular item of interest. His verse by verse translation comparison (with Greek text) is beyond helpful. Most importantly, his message is clear: Christians waste too much time trying to discover their “spiritual gift” is instead of serving in the ministry God has for them. For Berding, “spiritual gifts” are the ministries themselves and not an enabler for ministry. We Pentecostal/charismatics will obviously object to his conclusion, but his one point is well worth considering. Do not ask, “God, how can I discover the special abilities that you have given me?” Instead ask, “God, where do you want me to serve?” (35).

Kenneth Berding is Professor of Biblical Theological Studies at Biola University.

A healthy tension does exist between viewing gifts as an empowerment or the ministry opportunity/office to serve. The whole point of Spirit empowerment is for witnessing, edification, encouragement, exhortation, and service. Thankfully, Berding gives a small concession by allowing 1 Cor.12:8-10 as a special ability, but this allowance is overwhelmed by the repetitive drum beating of ministry versus special abilities. Honestly, the purpose the Grace Gifts we receive is for ministry, so putting the purpose statement as the first priority should not alarm us. However useful this book is for the study of the traditional gifts, a vacuum remains in providing a clear picture of the ministry and work of the Holy Spirit through His involvement (gifting) in our lives. Let us look at the Berding’s agenda and bias.

Kenneth J. Collins, The Evangelical Moment: The Promise of an American Religion (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005), 288 pages, ISBN 9780801027444.

In his work, The Evangelical Moment: The Promise of an American Religion, Kenneth Collins covers a tremendous amount of territory in a little over two-hundred pages. Collins begins his work by painting a picture of the larger background into which modern evangelicalism now finds itself. By providing this brief but reasonably well-rounded historical backdrop it provides the reader with a sense of awareness of where the evangelical church is located and how we arrived here. Collins then outlines what he understands to be the unique characteristics of evangelicalism: (1) the normative value of Scripture, (2) the significance of the atoning work of Christ, (3) the necessity of conversion, and (4) the imperative of evangelism.¹ He quotes liberally from theologians, past and present, in support of his basic contentions; that Scripture is absolutely authoritative, that Christ worked a real atonement, that the need for conversion is essential, and that evangelism, even though attacked,² is still fundamental to the Christian message.

One of the more distinctive characteristics of Collins’ work is its Wesleyan approach to evangelicalism. Although Collins is obviously not the first Wesleyan to write to/for evangelicalism, it is clear that Wesleyan authors are the minority. Collins recounts a debate that took place between Wesleyan theologian Donald Dayton and reformed author George Marsden. Collins uses the debate as a platform to showcase Wesley’s own words on some very contemporary subjects that have recently come into question within evangelicalism. For example, the authority of Scripture—”if there be any mistakes in the Bible there may as well be a thousand. If there be one falsehood in that book it did not come from the God of truth.”³ The origin of real virtue, “Let reason do all that reason can: employ it as far as it will go. But at the same time acknowledge it is utterly incapable of giving either faith, or hope, or love; and consequently of producing either real virtue or substantial happiness. Expect these from a higher source…Seek and receive them…as the gifts of God;”⁴ etc. Collins summarizes when he writes, “Wesleyanism is not a species of liberal “Arminian” accommodations to human effort or initiative but is informed by the theological genius of both John Wesley and Thomas Cranmer.”⁵

One of Collins most helpful sections is his chapter entitled “The Promise of Evangelical Theology.” It is an exceptional introduction to some of the more tricky notions active in modern theological discussion today. For those who are not familiar with terms like “Foundationalism,” “Postfoundationalism,” “Postliberalism,” or “Postmodernism,” and the way are used in theological circles today, this chapter alone is worth the price of the book. Collins doesn’t assume the reader has a background in the field so he starts from the beginning and carefully explains each topic. If you read slowly and carefully through each section, by the time you’re finished with the chapter you should have a reasonably good grasp of these concepts.