∎ Libro Free Beyond the Impasse Toward a Pneumatological Theology of Religions Amos Yong 9780801026126 Books

Beyond the Impasse Toward a Pneumatological Theology of Religions Amos Yong 9780801026126 Books

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Beyond the Impasse Toward a Pneumatological Theology of Religions Amos Yong 9780801026126 Books

Yong has wrongly been accused of divorcing the Spirit from Christ, but this is not the case. He maintains that the Son and the Spirit are the two hands of God, thus they cannot be separated from one another. Where the Son is present, the Spirit is also present. Where the Spirit is present, the Son is also present. Thus, Yong takes a pneumatological approach to a theology of religions. He suggests that this may help us to recognize the work of the Spirit in unexpected places, including other religions. This does not mean that Yong divorces the salvific work of Christ from the Spirit. Rather, Yong is more of an inclusivist, meaning that some, in other religions, may be saved by Christ and through the Spirit. Being a trinitarian, Yong believes that both the Son and the Spirit are always active in salvific works. Christ does not save apart from the Spirit, and the Spirit does not save apart from Christ. Yong takes a unique look at these questions, one that is much needed in the theology of religions.


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Beyond the Impasse Toward a Pneumatological Theology of Religions Amos Yong 9780801026126 Books Reviews

Yong brings together elements of Pentecostal and Eastern Orthodox beliefs to come to his theory. The East claimed the West impoverished the Holy Spirit (HS) by subordinating the HS to the Son by taking the Nicene Creed that says "The Spirit 'precedes from the Father'" and adding the "filioque clause" "and from the Son." So the East says the West emphasized the Son to the neglect of the HS by limiting the HS's work. The West added this phrase because they believe the Holy Spirit does not seek his own glory but points or unites believers to Christ. Christ is the central figure of salvation not the HS. Salvation is through faith in Christ and through our "union with Christ," we partake of Christ and all His benefits.

From an Eastern Christian standpoint that rejects the phrase "and from the Son," Yong argues "the Son and HS are the two hands of God." He says the HS is present in all that God has made and argues for a HS that is independent from Christ and the gospel. He argues that his view would help missions because ALL world religions are sustained by the Spirit. So people can approach God without a conscious acknowledgment of Christ or the gospel. He contends therefore that we shouldn't reject other religions as false. He says the HS is active in places that Christ isn't present - such as at work in non-Christian religions. By his argument, he concludes that humans can be saved in different ways through Christ and the gospel or through the HS and other religions (or perhaps no religion at all). He says we shouldn't disregard other religions as completely false because the Holy Spirit is free to work apart from Christ and the gospel.

Not only has Yong made the mistake of divorcing the HS from Christ, he has destroyed Christ as the object of faith necessary for salvation. One can now be saved apart from faith in the object of Christ. Christianity then becomes one of the many paths to a non-Christian god. This sounds dangerously close to Universalism and Unitarianism. This work is not Christian, for it has cast Christ aside as the one exclusive savior and turned him into one of an endless number of saviors.
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Yong wades through a variety of key issues relating to how a theology of the Holy Spirit might help make sense of religious pluralism. His sensibilities lie in a Pentecostal/Evangelical approach, but one that is intellectually sophisticated. Yong appreciatively critiques Clark Pinnock's work, and although his own position is not greatly different, suggests that spirit-aided discernment in assessing the inter-religious dialogue is required.

Thomas Jay Oord
Yong has wrongly been accused of divorcing the Spirit from Christ, but this is not the case. He maintains that the Son and the Spirit are the two hands of God, thus they cannot be separated from one another. Where the Son is present, the Spirit is also present. Where the Spirit is present, the Son is also present. Thus, Yong takes a pneumatological approach to a theology of religions. He suggests that this may help us to recognize the work of the Spirit in unexpected places, including other religions. This does not mean that Yong divorces the salvific work of Christ from the Spirit. Rather, Yong is more of an inclusivist, meaning that some, in other religions, may be saved by Christ and through the Spirit. Being a trinitarian, Yong believes that both the Son and the Spirit are always active in salvific works. Christ does not save apart from the Spirit, and the Spirit does not save apart from Christ. Yong takes a unique look at these questions, one that is much needed in the theology of religions.