Five Views on Sanctification

Rating:
Summary: too many similar opinions
Review: Having read other "Five Views" books before, I really looked forward to this one. However after finishing the book I was somewhat disappointed. Of the five views presented, only three of them struck me as really different from each other: the Wesleyan, Reformed, and dispensational views. The Pentecostal and Keswick views sounded far to similar to the other three to justify their inclusion. In fact, the responses of the authors to each other's essays was almost always "this view is so similar to mine." While that was nice because the debate was never uncharitable, it really just seemed too repetitive.

It would have been better to keep the three views I mentioned above, the Wesleyan, Reformed, and dispensational, and added a fourth view that was tragically not mentioned in the book: the so-called "Oberlin" view of sanctification. This was the view propounded by Charles Finney and Asa Mahan. Though Oberlin professors themselves had slightly different views on the subject, President Fairchild best pinned it down in that Oberlin sanctification does not have the "second blessing" distinctive that Wesleyan sanctification has, but does teach that it is possible to obey God completely. That view is very important historically, and as I said, was not even mentioned in the book.

There are however, occassional discussions in the book that I found myself appreciating that were well referenced.

As it stands now, I'd not highly recommend this book. I would recommend "Wholeness in Christ" by Greathouse for a good presentation of Wesleyan sanctification. Then I'd say to pick up another book (though I haven't found a great one yet) for a presentation of Reformed sanctification. I think the only way to learn about Oberlin sanctification is to read older books by Finney on the subject.

Rating:
Summary: too many similar opinions
Review: I had to read this book while taking a college course on ethics. I found the studies to be very thought provoking with some having stronger, biblical arguments than others.

I had some problems with the strong remarks held by Dieter and Hoekma for Stanley Horton, the only Pentecostal of the five scholars. Horton, a very graceful and well educated man whom I have met, gave an excellent treatment to the Assemblies of God approach to the doctrine of sanctification. Dieter (Wesleyan) and Hoekma (Refomed) treated Horton with much contempt while not arguing against his points using various texts to back up their points.

I would encourage you, if you are like me and you enjoy studying various theological camps on many issues, this is a book you will enjoy reading.

Rating:
Summary: Very Insightful Study on Sanctification
Review: I had to read this book while taking a college course on ethics. I found the studies to be very thought provoking with some having stronger, biblical arguments than others.

I had some problems with the strong remarks held by Dieter and Hoekma for Stanley Horton, the only Pentecostal of the five scholars. Horton, a very graceful and well educated man whom I have met, gave an excellent treatment to the Assemblies of God approach to the doctrine of sanctification. Dieter (Wesleyan) and Hoekma (Refomed) treated Horton with much contempt while not arguing against his points using various texts to back up their points.

I would encourage you, if you are like me and you enjoy studying various theological camps on many issues, this is a book you will enjoy reading.

Rating:
Summary: Counterpoint Series
Review: I'm going to apply this commentary for the entire Counterpoint Series published by Zondervan Publishing Company. My compliments to that company for creating this series. I initially purchased "Four Views on the Book of Revelation" but soon realized it was only one in a series. I got so much out of that volume, that I decided to purchase the entire set to study and keep for reference. My spiritual growth has been remarkable as a result. Seminary students and professionals would probably enjoy this series, which seems geared for them. But this series is also excellent for those college-educated laypeople who feel inclined to enhance their understanding of Christian theology. That is, with one caveat: Buy a decent theological dictionary to refer to at first. It probably won't get used much after about the third book you choose to read, but initially you will be need it to be confident of some of the terms used among advanced theologians. Then, the Counterpoint series will give you a full understanding of many different concepts and concerns of the Christian faith which have been applicable from early on until the present. I've learned a lot, and the only way I think I could do better is if I were enrolled in Seminary. A list of all the titles I am aware of from this series is:

Are Miraculous Gifts for Today?
Five Views on Law and Gospel
Five Views on Sanctification
Four Views on Hell
Four Views on Salvation in a Pluralistic World
Four Views on the Book of Revelation
Three Views on Creation and Evolution
Three Views on the Millennium and Beyond
Three Views on the Rapture
Two Views on Women in Ministry

Rating:
Summary: Good Examination of the most influential views
Review: The New Testament exhorts Christians to "walk in the Spirit". What does that look like practically? How does the evangelical church teach believers how to "be holy" as God is holy? Too often we do not critically examine our teaching -- and the consideration of our teaching against other evangelical views that attempt to do justice to Scripture is often very helpful in evaluating our own position. That is precisely the reason why this book is helpful. This book allows you to read proponents of the views in their own words -- which is a helpful antidote against the mischaracterization that can sometimes occur in a standard theology text.

That being said, because all 5 indeed attempt to do justice to all of Scripture, they are actually not that far different from one another. Where they differ is in nuanced visions of sin, "walking in the Spirit", the question of the old v. new nature struggle, and in "being filled with the Spirit".

Don't be put off if the terms "Keswick" and "Augustinian-Dispensational" are unfamiliar to you. They are actually very common views in evangelical Christianity -- and related forms of both are taught throughout the evangelical Christian church (just not often identified by those terms)! Two very well-known ministries that espouse Keswick teaching are the Christian and Missionary Alliance and Campus Crusade for Christ. "Augustinian-Dispensational" is just a term Walvoord uses to identify the teaching on personal holiness which has been historically associated with Augustine, the early Reformers, and many dispensational and Bible churches today. You'll find it in Jerry Bridges' "Pursuit of Holiness", and probably much other contemporary Christian devotional and theological literature. It basically contends that the old and new natures are alive and active within the Christian believer, whereas the modern Reformed view is that the old nature is empirically dead.

Especially interesting is how each author traces the historical development of the teaching.

I did not find Dieter's and Horton's arguments to be well-defended from Scripture. Fundamentally, I find that the Wesleyan understanding of sin as applying only to intential wrong-doing and the Pentecostal understanding of being "baptized in the Spirit" as referring to charismatic experience are both problematic. The other three make compelling arguments from Scripture, but I must bark this note of caution: all of the authors make too much of the Greek verb tense! Unfortunately, the arguement of the tense of Greek verbs in the New Testament is only a good indicator, not a firm foundation, particularly the aorist -- which does not have to refer to a fixed past event! Rather, the aorist is best described as "undefined" and somewhat fluid in meaning. So we hold must hold exquisitely nuanced theological positions on sanctification in humility -- clinging to the essentials and allowing for some apparent paradox.

May God bless you as you read this fine exploration of this important topic of faith and practice.

Rating:
Summary: Good Examination of the most influential views
Review: The New Testament exhorts Christians to "walk in the Spirit". What does that look like practically? How does the evangelical church teach believers how to "be holy" as God is holy? Too often we do not critically examine our teaching -- and the consideration of our teaching against other evangelical views that attempt to do justice to Scripture is often very helpful in evaluating our own position. That is precisely the reason why this book is helpful. This book allows you to read proponents of the views in their own words -- which is a helpful antidote against the mischaracterization that can sometimes occur in a standard theology text.

That being said, because all 5 indeed attempt to do justice to all of Scripture, they are actually not that far different from one another. Where they differ is in nuanced visions of sin, "walking in the Spirit", the question of the old v. new nature struggle, and in "being filled with the Spirit".

Don't be put off if the terms "Keswick" and "Augustinian-Dispensational" are unfamiliar to you. They are actually very common views in evangelical Christianity -- and related forms of both are taught throughout the evangelical Christian church (just not often identified by those terms)! Two very well-known ministries that espouse Keswick teaching are the Christian and Missionary Alliance and Campus Crusade for Christ. "Augustinian-Dispensational" is just a term Walvoord uses to identify the teaching on personal holiness which has been historically associated with Augustine, the early Reformers, and many dispensational and Bible churches today. You'll find it in Jerry Bridges' "Pursuit of Holiness", and probably much other contemporary Christian devotional and theological literature. It basically contends that the old and new natures are alive and active within the Christian believer, whereas the modern Reformed view is that the old nature is empirically dead.

Especially interesting is how each author traces the historical development of the teaching.

I did not find Dieter's and Horton's arguments to be well-defended from Scripture. Fundamentally, I find that the Wesleyan understanding of sin as applying only to intential wrong-doing and the Pentecostal understanding of being "baptized in the Spirit" as referring to charismatic experience are both problematic. The other three make compelling arguments from Scripture, but I must bark this note of caution: all of the authors make too much of the Greek verb tense! Unfortunately, the arguement of the tense of Greek verbs in the New Testament is only a good indicator, not a firm foundation, particularly the aorist -- which does not have to refer to a fixed past event! Rather, the aorist is best described as "undefined" and somewhat fluid in meaning. So we hold must hold exquisitely nuanced theological positions on sanctification in humility -- clinging to the essentials and allowing for some apparent paradox (Paul loves to say again and again in his epistles that 'you have put off the old nature' and then implore his readers later to 'put off the old nature'!).

May God bless you as you read this fine exploration of this important topic of faith and practice.

Rating:
Summary: Helpful introduction to evangelical views on sanctification.
Review: This volume is one of many in the Zondervan Counterpoints series which "provide a forum for comparison and critique of different views on issues important to Christians." The five views of sanctification which are presented include: (1) the Wesleyan perspective written by Melvin E. Dieter; (2) the Reformed perspective written by Anthony A. Hoekema; (3) the Pentecostal perspective written by Stanley M. Horton; (4) the Keswick perspective written by J. Robertson McQuilkin; and (5) the Augustinian-Dispensational perspective written by John F. Walvoord.

Each perspective is presented in turn. Following the presentation of each of the five perspectives, the other four authors provide responses which critique the perspective just presented. This provides a point-counterpoint dialog which is most helpful in clarifying the essential elements in which each perspective differs from the others. The volume concludes with both a subject index and a scripture index.

Although a main purpose of the book is to clarify the differences in which each of the five perspectives understands the Biblical teaching regarding sanctification, it becomes evident during the process that the five views have much more in common than one might at first assume. Although differences remain, one finds that many of the secondary disagreements have more to do with how definitions and terminology are used than with incompatible views of what scripture teaches on the topics discussed. The result is a strengthened confidence in what scripture teaches concerning the core issues of sanctification-which all the views recognize.

Among the five views, two of the views stand out as holding perspectives which are markedly different than the rest.

The Wesleyan perspective asserts the possibility of "entire sanctification" also called (misleadingly) "perfection." This view holds that by means of progressive sanctification, the Christian may reach a point "through the Holy Spirit [where we] are able not to sin, even though we never come to the place where we are not able to sin" (p. 137). The subtlety in this statement has to do with the Wesleyan separation of sin into conscious willing rebellion to God's law vs. unconscious, unintentional sin. The sin over which victory is said to apply is the conscious willing kind. A significant problem is that this is only one aspect of the full Biblical definition of sin which includes both intentionally and unconsciously falling short of God's ideal. It seems that entire sanctification can only result in victory over one of these categories--a sort of "partial perfection" which is really no perfection.

Unique to the Pentecostal perspective is the view that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a subsequent work after salvation which is not necessarily experienced by all believers. Pentecostalism attaches great significance to this work in the life of the believer and its relationship to progressive sanctification-especially empowerment for evangelism and service. Typically, speaking in tongues is held to be the sign that a believer has undergone this baptism. In this, the Pentecostal view stands alone-all other views understanding Holy Spirit baptism as that which joins each believer to the body of Christ (1Cor. 12:13) at the time of coming to faith.

One of the more interesting aspects of the book is the historical discussion of the relationship between some of the views. Of particular interest is the development of the Pentecostal and Keswick movements which borrow much from the earlier Wesleyan understanding of sanctification.

Each of the five presenters engages the other views carefully and constructively and with an absence of polemics which is refreshing for a discussion among such diverse points of view.

I would recommend this book to anyone who would benefit from a succinct summary of the Biblical teaching on sanctification and an overview of the divergence of opinion which has characterized evangelical study of this topic.