Journal: Conspectus
Volume: CONSPECTUS 31:1 (Apr 2021)
Article: The Holy Spirit In Relation To Mission And World Christianity: A Reformed Perspective
Author: Alistair I. Wilson

Conspectus 31:1 (April 2021) p. 67

The Holy Spirit In Relation To Mission And World Christianity: A Reformed Perspective

Alistair I. Wilson1

Edinburgh Theological Seminary

Abstract

Despite perceptions to the contrary, the Reformed tradition has historically emphasized the person and work of the Holy Spirit. The significance of the Holy Spirit with respect to mission has not always, however, been highlighted. While the remarkable growth of the Church in the Majority World, and particularly of “Pentecostal/Charismatic/neo- Pentecostal” churches, has become evident recently, there has been relatively little engagement with these trends in the writings of Reformed theologians. In this paper, I argue that (a) the doctrine of the Holy Spirit is a key aspect of Reformed Theology; (b) while some Reformed authors have been paying greater attention in recent years to the relationship between the Holy Spirit, mission, and World Christianity, these topics demand greater emphasis; (c) the remarkable growth of Pentecostal/Charismatic/neo-Pentecostal churches is a phenomenon that demands attention from Reformed authors; and (d) Reformed Christians form a significant proportion of World Christianity, which should be recognized.

Keywords

Holy Spirit, mission, world Christianity, Reformed theology

1. Introduction

Reflecting on her initial understanding of the Holy Spirit, Kirsteen Kim (2007, v) writes:

The first thing I understood of the theology of the Holy Spirit was that, when God calls us to follow Jesus, we are not simply expected to emulate the behaviour of a distant historical figure by “being good,” but we are offered the power to become like Jesus.

Kim (2007, v) found, however, that this “made little sense to many of those around me,” adding “It also seemed foreign to the preaching in my Reformed church tradition.” It is unfortunate that this impression should have been given, and Kim does not elaborate on why precisely that was the case. Yet the perception reflected

Conspectus 31:1 (April 2021) p. 68

in Kim’s words is that the Holy Spirit plays a marginal role in (at least some expressions of) Reformed theology. If we consider a Reformed perspective on the Holy Spirit’s role in global mission and “World Christianity,” that perception is only likely to be magnified.

In spite of such a view, I wish to make several claims in this paper:

• The person and work of the Holy Spirit lie at the heart of Reformed Theology.
• As a Reformed Christian, I recognize that one aspect (among several) of the work of the Holy...
  
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