"Flame of Love"

Book Review # 113842

Literature
Religion and Theology > Christianity

"Flame of Love"

A book review of "Flame of Love: a Theology of the Holy Spirit" by Clark H. Pinnock

6,554 words () | 1 source | MLA | 2008 Canada

Paper Summary:

This paper presents an analysis of a book written by the systematic theologian, Clark H. Pinnock, titled the "Flame of Love: a Theology of the Holy Spirit". The paper looks at the major thesis of the author or center of his thought and presents three questions taken out from the text. The paper concludes that "The Flame of Love" seems to be an excellent introduction into pneumatology providing many valuable insights and contends that the book could function as a powerful pedagogical tool in those interested in a relevant contemporary reflection of predominant issues regarding the involvement of the Holy Spirit within Christian context.

Outline:
Introduction
Analysis/Discussion of Major Thesis of Book
Three Questions That Arise From the Text
A Personal Appreciation/Critique of the Book in Its Entirety

From the Paper:

"Clark Pinnock in the Flame of Love turns our focus to the significance of the Christian doctrine of the Holy Spirit. Pinnock reminds us of the forgetfulness of the Holy Spirit within Christian Theology, especially in the West. While this forgetfulness or neglect of the Holy Spirit within western theology may give one the misleading impression of the Spirit's lack of significance to theology, in actuality, it could not be further from the truth. Pinnock beautifully illustrates this by suggesting that "the Spirit is elusive but profound and worthy of adoration. If father points to ultimate reality and Son supplies the clue to the divine mystery, Spirit epitomizes the near of the power and presence of God" (9). In recent years there has been a surging interest in the Holy Spirit but was largely ignored for many years. "