Description
Book SynopsisThough often invoked in Christian prayer, the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, has been neglected in much of Christian theology and spirituality. Over time, the Holy Spirit has been described as the unknown God. Devotion to the Spirit has most often taken the form of requests for guidance and inspiration, but the Spirit remains neglected and elusive rather than vital and personal in Christian life and practice. This may be due, in part, to the doctrinal disputes involving the Holy Spirit in both the split between Eastern and Western Christianity and, later, in the Reformation. In this careful and compelling exploration, James Kinn offers a remarkable and new appreciation of the importance of the Holy Spirit in Christian theology and personal spirituality today. He begins by guiding the reader to a rediscovery of the Holy Spirit in Scripture, especially in the writings of Paul, Luke and John. He shows how they focus on Jesus as the author and cause of our salvation and on the Spirit as the principal of all grace and the reality of God dwelling in us. Salvation is Trinitarian: our spiritual life has its origin in the Father, its center in the Son, and its individual presence in the Holy Spirit. By concentrating on the Holy Spirit in Scripture, prayer, and the Christian tradition, Kinn is able to show how the Spirit becomes our personal contact with Christ and the one who continues the work of Christ in us. Explicitly grasping the role of the Spirit can only lead to an enriched experience of the divine in our lives.
Trade ReviewJim Kinn guides the reader on an exciting journey through Paul, Luke,and John in search of a contemporary theology of the Spirit. The journey ends in a vision of the Spirit as the personal Spirit of Jesus, sustaining the life of the individual and the community. -- Harry Fleddermann, professor of religious studies, Alverno College
The Spirit of Jesus is a treat for tired souls. Fr. Kinn's many years of pastoral experience and theological research pay off in a fascinating and truly inspiring work on the Holy Spirit. Recommended to anyone who teaches, prays or just lives "in the Spirit." -- Fr. Joseph O'Brien, Pastor Emeritus, St. Clement, Chicago, Illinois
Thoroughly grounded in the Scriptures, The Spirit of Jesus in Scripture and Prayer will help readers to discover and explore the dynamic presence of the Holy Spirit in their daily lives. -- George A. Lane, S.J., President, Loyola Press
Table of ContentsPart 1 General Introduction Part 2 The Spirit of Jesus in Scripture Chapter 3 Introduction: The Old Testament Chapter 4 Paul Chapter 5 Luke Chapter 6 John Chapter 7 Other New Testament Writers Chapter 8 Descriptions of New Testament Pneumatologies Chapter 9 Comparisons between the Work of the Spirit of Jesus in Paul, in Luke, and in John Part 10 The Spirit of Jesus in Prayer Chapter 11 Luke Chapter 12 Paul Chapter 13 John Chapter 14 The Spirit of Jesus and the Stages of Prayer Chapter 15 Intimacy with God Chapter 16 The Spirit of Jesus as the Agent of the Sacraments Part 17 Comparisons Between the Spirit of Jesus in the Early Church and Today Chapter 18 Every Church is Human and Divine Chapter 19 Experienced Presence vs. Presence of Faith Chapter 20 How is it "Better for You that I Go" Chapter 21 Problems Regarding the Spirit of Jesus in the Modern Church Chapter 22 The Spirit of Jesus and Christology Chapter 23 A Simple Pneumatology Based on Luke, Paul, and John Part 24 Select Bibliography
