THE HOLY SPIRIT AND REFORMED
SPIRITUALITY
Edited by Joel Beeke & Derek WH Thomas
Reformation Heritage Books. 236 pages. $20
ISBN 978 1 601 782 700
This volume is a festschrift for Geoff Thomas, and Section I is a heart-warming account of his life and ministry.
The remaining chapters are grouped in three further sections, to consider: the role of the Spirit in salvation; spiritual growth; Christian ministry.
Chapter 3 focuses on the role of the Spirit in the incarnation and is especially helpful. salutis I found the ordo in Chapter 4 unclear – Fred Malone’s account of regeneration by the Spirit causing us to respond to God’s call is much more helpful.
In Section III we learn about how the Spirit enables us to cry ‘Abba Father’ as Jesus did, and helps us to mortify sin and develop spiritual-mindedness. A number of the chapters in Sections III and IV are interesting biographically, but seem to add little to the topic of the book. John Murray’s definition of Christianity on p.144 is unfortunately worded, sounding intellectual and lacking in grace.
In Section IV, the role of the Spirit in the outward and inward call to ministry in Chapter 14 is exactly right and I found Conrad Mbewe’s survey of the work of the Spirit in Chapter 15 both lucid and encouraging.
This book contains much that is excellent, but like many multi-author volumes, suffers a little from lack of a coherent tread.
