In performing an analysis of the pneumatology of Thomas Erskine it is firstnecessary to look for the presence of a traditional Trinitarian Pneumatology which isbased on the historical findings of the church and which deals with the subject ofhypostasis and the relationships between the Persons within the Godhead. This kind ofpneumatology is found to be lacking in Erskine’s writings. The next step is to proceed tolook for anything that could replace it. Erskine’s concept of the “first bond” of the flesh,the role of the human conscience, and the place of the living Word are three things thatpartially take the place of a formal pneumatology in Erskine’s thinking.Erskine was very interested in the West Country revival which began in Scotlandin 1829. He visited the area and wrote about his observations and experiences there. Thisincreased his interest in the actions of the Holy Spirit both in experience and thescriptures. Even though he later recanted his endorsement of these manifestations in hisown day, he held to his belief that such phenomena should appear in a healthy churchwhich follows a New Testament pattern.In this thesis Erskine’s writings are analyzed by scanning all of them into acomputer database and searching for references to the actions of the Holy Spirit. Fromthis a dynamic pneumatology emerges. A dynamic pneumatology is not concerned withhistoric creeds or the relationships within the Godhead, John McIntyre defines a dynamicpneumatology as one that speaks of what the Holy Spirit does. McIntyre’s taxonomysets forth eleven patterns of dynamic pneumatology with many sub-patterns. Thisexamination of the writings of Erskine reveals a strong dynamic pneumatology which isboth relational and ecclesial.
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A critical analysis of the pneumatology of Thomas Erskine of Linlathen
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