The Holy Spirit (#05 in Christian Foundations Series)

In *The Holy Spirit: Works & Gifts* Donald Bloesch aptly brings together his grasp of historical and systematic theology as well as his deep concern for spirituality. The fruit of a lifetime of study and devotion, this book masterfully interweaves biblical study, historical overviews and reflection on contemporary developments and issues to shed light on faith in God, the Holy Spirit. On a topic that sadly threatens to divide the church, Bloesch strives to build bridges between the various traditions of Christian faith, especially between Reformed theology and the Pentecostal movement.  
  
This wide-ranging and in-depth reflection on the presence, reality and ministry of the Holy Spirit serves as a landmark guide to those seeking a faithful theological understanding of the Holy Spirit as well as those searching for a renewing and empowering hope for the church of Jesus Christ.  
  
Building on *A Theology of Word & Spirit,* the inaugural volume of his Christian Foundations series, Bloesch guards against the equal dangers of a subjective spiritualism and a cold formalism. He speaks out of the perspective of the Protestant Reformation with its emphasis on the complementarity of Word and Spirit and the priority of grace over works. But he also acknowledges the Pentecostal perception that the work of the Spirit involves empowering for witness as well as sealing for salvation. Bloesch likewise finds truth in the mystical tradition of Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy that the Spirit calls us to holiness of life as well as to a decision of faith.Read less