A Review of Grace Upon Grace

            As the title suggests this is a book about Grace.  There is not a simple definition of what grace is, rather these essays as a whole seek, through a variety of topics and disciplines, to define Grace in an expansive way, realizing this to be a term so loaded with meaning and importance that simple definitions will not suffice.  Specifically, however, these essays are coming primarily from a distinct Wesleyan perspective, in honor of a man who has spent his life and career developing and pondering such a perspective, Thomas Langford.  In his own book, Practical Divinity:  Theology in the Wesleyan Perspective, Dr. Langford sought to show how deep thought, academic engagement, and varieties of methods and traditions are important only insomuch as they reach out to the common person, and result in transformed thoughts and lives.  In the same way, the collection of essays before us seek to show how wide, deep, and meaningful Grace truly is.  The book is divided in to four sections, each devoted to essays from a specific discipline or focus.  This paper will likewise be divided up, as I take a brief look at a representational essay from each section and provide a short response of my own. 

            The first part focuses on Biblical essays, that is writings which seek to discover how grace is seen within the Biblical narratives and letters.  In her essay “The Economy of Grace:  Reflections on 2 Corinthians 8 and 9”, Beverly Roberts Gaventa seeks to show how Grace is operating within Paul’s plea for the Corinthian church to provide funds for those who are in need in Jerusalem.  While this is often thought of as being a practical, rhetorical, discussion focused more on the activities of people than on God, and Paul’s authority as an Apostle, Gaventa points out that the word Charis is used more in this context than almost anywhere else in Paul’s writings.  The translations, however, in understanding the wide range of the meaning of Charis tend to not show the sheer volume of grace language within this passage.  Gaventa argues, however, that the language of Grace, from God, Christ, and other believers is essential to understand this passage and helpful in understanding Grace as a concept.  The grace from God is understood as being the source for any good activity.  The aid which the Macedonians gave, and which the Corinthians are urged to give, is not seen as ultimately coming from their own goodness, but rather from the goodness of God acting in their lives.  Likewise, the grace of Christ, who gave all of himself for the Corinthians and all believers, actually serves to enact change and allows the Corinthians to be generous.  The believers are thus called to give as they have been given, to offer as they have been offered.  We read in this the strong Wesleyan idea that all good acts, every act of love which is offered, is not a human act, but an result of the activity of God acting in a person’s life.

            In Richard P. Heitzenrater’s essay “God With Us:  Grace and the Spiritual Senses in John Wesley’s Theology” we see an example of how Grace is seen in the discipline of Historical studies.  In this essay we look at a rather good source for understanding Wesleyan thought, John Wesley.  In laying out some of Wesley’s own influences and foundations within the broad Anglican Church we find the basic underlying thought that grace is God’s active presence and power in the lives of all people.  It is only, however, by the awakening of “spiritual senses” that we are able to identify this activity of Grace in our lives and the lives of others.  It is this active presence and power of God which Wesley saw as the work of Grace in this world, shown in three areas of activity.  The first is prevenient grace in which God works in the lives of those who are not within the Church.  It is the radical (to some) idea that the Holy Spirit is present and active in every realm, seeking out, drawing close, and enlightening people throughout the world.  Next, we have God’s active grace in justifying those who by their free will and predestination have sought out God for their salvation.  Finally, God’s grace works in sanctifying those who are believers, and who are seeking to ever grow in closeness and identity with the God who saved them.  Our understanding of these activities is also an act of Grace in our lives, and one which grows and deepens as we draw closer to God.  What is essential to understand here, is the concept that we do not simply passively accept grace, but rather there is a process in which we are asked to respond, and in our response grow in Christ evermore.  Grace for Wesley was a continuum, not a single act, which brought us along the spectrum closer and closer first into salvation and then into identity with Jesus.  Grace is active, continual, constant, and allows us and demands us to respond.

            Philip D. Kenneson writes from a theological perspective.  In his essay “Visible Grace:  The Church as God’s Embodied Presence” he seeks to answer the question about what our churches are for.   In the midst of the modern cultural context, the church has sought to be more effective, but may have lost sight of what its goals actually are or should be.  His perspective somewhat echoes Clark Pinnock’s discussion in Flame of Love in discussing Jesus as “preeminently the bearer of the Spirit.” The Spirit then is poured out upon the community at Pentecost, and thus continues its mission (the mission initiated by Christ) through the Church.  In this God’s grace becomes visible in the manifestion of God’s presence in and through the Church itself.  The Church receives the Spirit so that it might manifest the Spirit.  The mission of the Church is to then proclaim this Grace to the world, understanding the specific contexts and declaring the work of God throughout all the earth, in whatever field, topic, or arena.  This is not simply a message of words, but primarily a message of being.  Knowing is doing one might say.  So, Grace is seen not only from God the Father, but through Christ by the Spirit to the Church into the world.

            The final section of essays are those written from a cultural perspective.  In “Grace, Christian Controversy, and Tolerable Falsehoods” Mary McClintock Fulkerson discusses what recently has been two distinct theological perspectives:  feminist and orthodox evangelical.  Her aim in doing so is to discuss the location of Grace in theological discussion during our era.  She seeks to show that while there has been a wall, or chasm, placed between these and other perspectives, that there might be other ways of viewing these two views other than seeing them as being diametrically opposed.  She begins by laying out examples from the two perspectives, and seeks to build a case for why they simply cannot be rectified.  Rather, Fulkerson states the attempts to come to a consensus is misplaced, and that a realization must be made that there is room within the framework of discussion for a wide range of thoughts.  The conflicts often arise from two groups coming from totally different perspectives, asking different questions, and operating within different emphases.  In the case between the Orthodox and Feminists, both have what might be valid perspectives, and grace must be found to understand that both may be needed to understand the situation more fully.  Grace in fact must in our understanding have paradox built in.  We cannot lay out clear cut laws in an unclear world, we are required to be perfect and never to sin, but if we do we are forgiven.  The understanding of grace within theological discourse will help us to understand this basic fact that we must have clear order and definitions, but must also live and be effective within our world.

            Throughout each discussion we read echoes of Wesley’s emphasis on a wide ranging, active Grace.  He was not antinomial, nor was he an unyielding theologian.  He was rather one who realized the tremendous act of Grace in this world, not in just one simple act, but continual and active in each of our lives from birth to death and beyond.  What we read in these essays are examples of this working Grace.  Just as Wesley did not write a systematic theology, but lived and preached his theology, so too these essays define Grace by giving to us examples from a variety of perspectives.   It is a concept which has often been limited in its role and left as a nice concept with limited meaning.  But in these essays and in Wesley’s ministry and writings we find that grace is something which we simply cannot ignore, for it is central to Christian understanding and finds its ways into every aspect of life and thought.

            Possibly one reason why grace itself has seemingly been underdefined in the past is that the Church never came to an adequate understanding of the role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers and outside of the church.  This is where Wesley’s thought really sparked something new.  He realized the efficacy of Trinitarian thought, and sought to not simply engage in theological discourse but theological activity.  His theology came out not from what he said but from what he did.  He urged personal growth towards holiness, not contentment with mere salvation, and this included understanding our roles in community and in the wider context of the world.  In this he reflects much of his passionate reading of the Church Fathers, and their holistic understanding of the Christian faith, and their continual commitment and dedication to constant holiness and devotion.  In many ways this book reminds us of the grace which is demanded of us as a community for the sake of the community, and that we are still responsible for each other, and our attitudes and actions must reflect this responsibility.  We cannot simply appeal to some spiritual stance or position, but must indeed act like Jesus acted, live as Jesus lived, and understand how his life and Spirit are working themselves out in our context.  We must remember that grace is how God works, and act graciously in all ways.   Grace is not a spiritual concept alone, it is a physical and moral activity which pervades every interaction and leads us towards love in every way shape and form.  Grace is not just giving forgiveness, it is healing.  It is not simply saying I will pray for you, it is assisting in meeting actual needs.  It is not being concerned about the downward spiral of sin in the world, it is the active confrontation and battle with evil.   It is not moral or theological platitudes, it is the coming to terms with the essentials of Christianity and the love and unity which are demanded of us.  Grace is present and active in our coming before God, in our salvation from Christ, and the same Spirit in him who led and directed his ministry of Grace is now given to the church to continue this mission in the world and offer grace to a graceless people.

Coming myself from a Wesleyan theological perspective, I found much to agree with, and was tremendously encouraged by the activity which grace continues to have.  For Wesleyans, grace is not simply a philosophical/religious concept to ponder on, rather it is active, working, present and powerful in the lives of those in and outside of the Church.   It was a pleasure to read through this collection of essays, and to be introduced to the man who inspired their collection.  This is a tradition I affirm not because of church connection, but rather because in reading its founders and adherents I sense a life and vitality which is ever encouraging and indeed ever gracious.