Seeking the Welfare of the City
In the history of public theology, the Holy Spirit's role in creation has been underexplored. If the Holy Spirit is the agent of transformation in creation, why have so many theologians neglected the Spirit's activity in the context of public theology? One of the causes of such neglect derives from a long-held belief in dualism or its assumption. As a result, generally speaking theologians have neglected the eschatological aspect of the Spirit's work over creation, and instead have devoted much of their attention to the immanent/spiritual aspect of the Spirit's work. Hence, a theology is needed that recaptures the eschatological aspect of the Spirit's work over creation, and Colin E. Gunton's pneumatology that is trinitarianly formulated and eschatologically conceived brings a fresh approach to public theology and moves us toward a full-bodied, holistic and trinitarian public theology that takes into account the triune God. Chapter one explains the need for a robust pneumatology that can undergird a biblically faithful and holistic public theology. It sets forth a methodology to identify the contributions derived from Gunton's pneumatology in hopes of drawing out practical applications for cultural engagement for the twenty-first century. In chapter two, we examine Gunton's fresh approach to pneumatology for the purpose of establishing the theological and biblical basis for Gunton's eschatological Spirit. In chapters three through five, we explore how the Spirit works with the Father and the Son in order to bring transformation to the world. In chapter three, Gunton's doctrine of God, who is the triune Creator, is examined. In chapter four, in order to further unfold the action of the triune God, the mediatory work of the Son and the Spirit are probed. Chapter five shifts attention from the relations among the triune God to the relation between the Spirit and the Church as well as the relation between the Spirit and humanity. Chapter six attempts to draw upon the resources uncovered in previous chapters to outline applications for Christian engagement of the public square for the twenty-first century. The chapter concludes with criteria for discerning the Spirit's work in the public square.