Tuesday, September 24, 2024

BOOK REVIEW - "ARE MIRACULOUS GIFTS FOR TODAY?: FOUR VIEWS" (COUNTERPOINT SERIES), EDITED BY WAYNE GRUDEM


 "Are Miraculous Gifts for Today?: Four Views (Counterpoints Series)" is one of my favorites from the Counterpoints series. The basic format is to have authors write an essay on their view, with responses from each of the other authors. This book follows that format, but then takes another step: Editor Wayne Grudem asked the authors to meet for two days and discuss the issues and misrepresentations of the writers, with each of the four writers and the editor writing concluding comments. The four views are Cessationist (Richard B. Gaffin), Open but Cautious (Robert L. Saucy), Third Wave (C. Samuel Storms), and Pentecostal/Charismatic (Douglas A. Oss).


I normally would consider my view on the gifts to be Calvinist: that God is sovereign, and He is free to cause a gift to cease and to restore a gift that has disappeared. (That's with my tongue in cheek - no, Calvinism doesn't directly deal with spiritual gifts.) The designation "Open but cautious" is more accurate.

Why do I like the book? Because the authors talk about the views as a family squabble between true believers indwelt by the Holy Spirit. That civility is not typical in the age of social media.

I highly recommend this book.

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