Theo 351 - Reading Reflection 8 - Pinnock - Part 2

The following post is a continued reflection on chapter six of the book Flame of Love: A Theology of the Holy Spirit by Clark H. Pinnock.

In this chapter Pinnock lays out an argument regarding the question of salvation for those who have never heard the gospel, and related to this, how God might work through other religions. Pinnock’s doctrine of the Holy Spirit is what enables the rest of his conclusions on this matter. In this post, I will try to focus only on Pinnock’s doctrine of the Holy Spirit as it relates to the topic.[1]

Pinnock writes that “participation in salvation is not impossible for people outside the church,” and that people who have never heard the gospel can gain access to it through the Spirit.[2] This is because “grace is always present by the Spirit,” and the Spirit is present everywhere.[3] It is in this manner that God penetrates other religions and cultures with his truth.[4]

For Pinnock, the Holy Spirit is a general presence of God that is present throughout all of creation and present in every living creature. In order to cultivate the idea of a general, universal presence of the Spirit, rather than refer to “the Holy Spirit,” Pinnock usually drops the definite article and simply refers to “Spirit.”  So it is through the ubiquitous presence of “Spirit” in creation, and the association of ever present grace with the presence of “Spirit” that Pinnock is able to conclude that there is a possibility of salvation for those outside of the church.

At times Pinnock does not seem to be saying anything out of the ordinary. For example, yes, Christ died for all. Yes, God's grace is universal, and yes, everyone who is saved  is enlightened and drawn to God by the Holy Spirit. But, overall I am not comfortable with Pinnock's view. It seems to be along the lines of panentheism, and appears to confuse the breath of life given to man with the regeneration and sanctification received through conversion. It is true that the Scriptures talk of the Spirit as “moving over the surface of the water” at creation, and compares the Spirit to the wind blowing where it wishes, but this does not negate particularity or definiteness to the presence of the Holy Spirit (Gen 1:2; John 3:5 MEV). The ancient creeds—Apostles, Nicene, and Athanasian—do not talk of the Holy Spirit as a general presence either. Likewise, I believe that the act of the Spirit associated with the giving and sustenance of life (Job 34:14; Psalm 104:29-30) is different from the experience of regeneration by the repentant (John 3:5; Acts 2:38; Titus 3:5). At the moment, I cannot think of any where in Scripture where a general presence of the Holy Spirit is equated with “grace,” although that “grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” does come to mind (John 1:17).

For Pinnock it is also important that Spirit be seen as having a particular mission, distinct from that of the Father and the Son. It is for this reason that Pinnock is opposed to the filioque, as he believes that this phrase “can threaten our understanding of the Spirit’s universality,” and that it “diminishes the role of the Spirit and gives the impression that he has no mission of his own.”[5] In light of the doctrines of perichoresis and opera trinitatis ad extra indivisa sunt  I do not believe that these concerns are warranted, and I am also not willing to oppose the filioque.

Overall, I find Pinnock's doctrine of the Holy Spirit troubling. It would seem that without his pneumatology his overall argument does not work; however, this would require a separate study.

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[1] Pinnock’s overall argument deserves a response; however, as the due date for this course is very close, I do not have time. On this topic I am inclined towards the explanation presented at [1a] by Pr. Sam Schuldheisz, including comment #9 from Pr. Don Kirchner in the comment section. At the same time, I cannot help thinking that the remarks in the letter at [1b] from the late Rev. Dr. Kurt Marquart are also good to bear in mind.

[1a] http://steadfastlutherans.org/2012/10/qa-what-about-those-who-havent-heard-the-gospel-do-christians-and-muslims-believe-the-same-thing/

[1b] http://www.patheos.com/blogs/justandsinner/theologoumena-from-a-great-theologian-rev-dr-marquart-on-who-may-be-saved/

[2] Clark H. Pinnock, Flame of Love: A Theology of the Holy Spirit (Downers Grove: IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 211-212.

[3] Ibid., 202, 212.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid., 196.