Covenant, Community, and the Spirit: A Trinitarian Theology of Church

by Robert Sherman

This comprehensive textbook by a well-respected Reformed theologian brings together two perennial issues in Christian theology: the doctrine of the Holy Spirit and ecclesiology. It demonstrates the importance of the Holy Spirit in empowering the being and mission of the church and shows how the church’s identity and calling are embedded in the larger covenantal purposes of the triune God. Accessibly written with pastors in training in mind, the book probes the classic rubrics of the church as the people of God, the body of Christ, and the temple of the Holy Spirit, igniting readers’ ecclesiological imaginations and reclaiming a more biblical, theological, and pastoral vision of church.

Genres: Theology

272 pages, Paperback

First published October 20, 2015

About the author

Robert Sherman (PhD, University of Chicago Divinity School) previously served as the Richard P. Buck Professor of Christian Theology at Bangor Theological Seminary in Bangor, Maine (which closed in 2013). A leading theologian of the Reformed tradition, he is the author of King, Priest, and Prophet: A Trinitarian Theology of Atonement.

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This monograph shares the same traits as Robert Sherman's other works: thoughtful, clearly and beautiful written and generous. In large part, he places emphasis on the Holy Spirit in his treatment of ecclesiology, rather than giving equal attention to the three persons as the subtitle would suggest. He covers all the main aspects of the doctrine of the church and he does so in a helpful manner. As such, this would be a great book for anyone desiring to have a deeper-than-surface understanding of the church.

[Josiah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good and useful read. Sherman's own theological views leave something to be desired, though.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dense, but interesting read.

[Alex]

Was assigned this book for a class on ecclesiology and sacraments. I did not find this book helpful. There are much better authors and works on these subjects.