The Spirit among the dissenters

This work examines the development of a ""dissenting"" perspective on the emerging doctrine of the Holy Spirit in Post-Reformation Protestant thought. By ""dissenting,"" the author means ""beyond the mainstream of thought, sometimes affirming but expanding orthodox positions, but at other times pursuing new directions and images of the Spirit."" A new look is offered at the Puritan-Separatist era in English dissenting traditions, as well as organized dissenters in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Of particular interest are the applications of current philosophic and scientific writers. There are sections on major German thinkers of the nineteenth century and major influential theologians of the last century who laid new foundations in the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. Readers will be interested in the inclusion of new religious movements in two eras, and creative contemporary ideas of the Spirit. How an ongoing ""dissenting"" perspective contrasts with mainstream thinking is woven through four centuries of literature on the Spirit. The author contends that we have learned much from the ""dissenting"" perspective, and he offers seven constructive affirmations of the Spirit of God drawn from his survey and analyses of the previous four centuries. The bibliography is comprehensive of major works on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, plus unusual sources of dissenting thought.


""William H. Brackney draws on his extensive knowledge of dissenter traditions and his experiences over a lifetime of dedicated service in Christian institutions to provide a fascinating glimpse of how Christians on the margins have viewed the person and the work of the Holy Spirit. This study is required reading for anyone who wants to understand the connections between the Holy Spirit and the spirit of dissent.""
--Scott Culpepper, Professor of History, Dordt College

""This clever little book focuses on the role of the Holy Spirit as the animating force within the church and explores its significance within seven interlocking chapters. The discussion includes a range of topics, from English Baptists in the 1640s, to the nineteenth-century revivalist Charles G. Finney, to Walter Rauschenbusch, to William Young's The Shack. The result is an entertaining and highly readable book that offers fresh insights into the history of dissent.""
--Larry J. Kreitzer, Tutor in New Testament, University of Oxford

""Brackney's book is a rare gem which enriches the understanding of the Holy Spirit because it gathers voices and perspectives from Christian dissenters outside of the creeds and confessions framework in which the doctrine of the Holy Spirit is being under-represented. He did not treat the understanding of the Spirit in a vacuum but sheds light to the understanding of the Spirit in connection with Scripture, Christ, and the church. The extensive use of primary resources and the comprehensiveness of dissenter views presented made the book stand out among the repertoire of l...