Two New and Important Books on the Holy Spirit

(and my contributions)

Both of the books I mention here are “new” in the sense that they were published in 2020. I waited to mention them here because they were first published only in a hardcover format and with a price of over US$200—yikes! (This is not unusual for academic books.)

Now that some time has passed, both books are available as paperbacks (and ebooks) for around US$40.

T&T Clark Handbook of Pneumatology, edited by Daniel Castelo and Kenneth Loyer.

Just shy of 370 pages, this book contains 37 essays on the Holy Spirit. They cover different section of the Bible, key themes in pneumatology (like the Spirit and science or ecology), essays that highlight the emphases that different church traditions make regarding the Spirit, and perceptions from different ethnicities and different parts of the globe. The multiple perspectives in this rich resource will help people understand things about the Holy Spirit that they one might not have learned from their own church experiences.

I was invited to contribute the essay in this book titled ”Charismatic Perspectives on the Holy Spirit” (available online here). In it, I discuss various understandings of Spirit baptism among Charismatic traditions and how Charismatic Christians think about the spiritual gifts and other experiences of the Spirit. My affirmation of much of charismatic theology comes with a caution that “it would be a mistake to think that God has given gifts of the Spirit only to those within the charismatic movement” (p. 267).

The Routledge Handbook of Pentecostal Theology, edited by Wolfgang Vondey.

While not strictly a book on the Holy Spirit, since the 42 essays in this 465-page volume reflect Pentecostal theology, the Holy Spirit is prominent throughout the book. To me, the most exciting parts are the 14 essays on core doctrines (Part 4) and the 12 essays (part 5) that look at various issues in theology—like art and aesthetics, disability, and ecotheology—all with much focus on the Holy Spirit. Like the above volume, this volume will expand readers awareness of the work of the Spirit.

In this volume, I contributed the chapter on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. I observe how Pentecostals affirm the historic Christian doctrine of the Spirit as a divine person—but in their own unique way. Building on this foundation leads me to explain how Pentecostals view the Spirit as the intensifying and eschatological presence of God.

I commend both of these excellent volumes to you for your learning and growth!

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Andrew K. Gabriel, Ph.D., is the author/editor of six books, including Simply Spirit-Filled: Experiencing God in the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit. He is a theology professor at Horizon College & Seminary and serves on the Theological Study Commission for the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. You can follow him on Facebook or on Twitter.

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2 thoughts on “Two New and Important Books on the Holy Spirit

  1. Thank you for these recommendations. I always appreciate the opportunity to learn from theological biographies/treatises of the Holy Spirit.