Every so often I pick up a book that has an interesting cover, is about the right size of read (not over-wordy, not too slim) and is on an interesting subject. Often I have been disappointed. However, not so in this case. This collection of essays by Gordon Fee was one of ‘those’ books: it was difficult to put down, was an easy read, was challenging, informative and thoroughly uplifting. What makes the book so is the fact that whilst the subject matter itself lies at the very core of academic theology, it was not written for such readers. Rather, it has been deliberately written for a broader audience. Thankfully. Gordon Fee has succeeded in his task. The reader learns much from the Pentecostal professor of New Testament Studies at Regents College, Vancouver. Indeed, at several points I simply had to stop, reflect and then write down what Fee was saying.

The book Is divided into two very distinct parts. Part 1. ‘The Text and the Life of the Spirit’, engages with aspects of the biblical text as they Inform us about the Spirit of God. I was particularly ‘blessed’ by Fee’s own articulation of what the New Testament means by the term ‘spirituality’. It was refreshing to be told, ‘to be “spiritual” is to be a Spirit person’, that ‘true spirituality … is nothing more nor less than life by the Spirit’ (6). What is so evident, is the fact that the author embodies his own theological method. It is, perhaps, best to allow Fee to state it:

To be a good exegete. and consequently a good theologian, one must know the fullness of the Spirit: and thai includes a life of prayer … and obedience … The danger is to become a professional (in the pejorative sense of that word): to analyse texts and to talk about God, but slowly let the fire of passion for God run low, so that one does not spend much time talking with God. (7)

The rest of the book is simply an unpacking of what that means in relation to biblical interpretation. Fee’s ‘Reflections on Commentary Writing’ is a master-class in describing the dynamics of writing serious theology. All budding and maturing wannabe commentary writers should read this chapter.

In subsequent chapters the reader is introduced to a variety of insights from a thoroughgoing Pauline and trinitarian scholar. Here the impact of Fee’s own churchmanship and training come to the fore. On the one hand, the trinitarian character of God is shown to be no dogmatic development: it stands full square within the biblical texts themselves. On the other hand, the reader engages with someone who is very much at home with the Spirituality and theology of Paul.

From here, the reader is then introduced to one of the most helpful responses to the question of wealth and possessions from a NT perspective. The righteousness of the OT is shown to express itself in relation to the disenfranchised, the poor and the oppressed. ‘This is the way God is; this is the righteousness he demands’ (52). Helpfully, Fee does not damn wealth. As he puts it. ‘This does not require poverty, but it does require righteousness, which in this context means to use our wealth not to manipulate others, but to alleviate the hurt and pain of the oppressed’ (55).

In Part 2. ‘The Text and the Life of the Church’ Fee goes on to tackle the kind of practical issues one would expect from a Pentecostal and Evangelical scholar: worship within Pauline churches, speaking in tongues, leadership structures within the New Covenant. Church Order in the Pastoral Epistles and lastly, the Church’s Global Mission. In each of these topics the reader comes away the richer for having had the texts opened and the issues raised.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough: it will refresh the tired mind, resource the preacher and encourage, perhaps even rebuke, the academic.