Book Review: God's Love through the Spirit: The Holy Spirit in Thomas Aquinas and John Wesley

Abstract

God's Love Through Spirit: The Holy in Thomas Aquinas and John Wesley. Kenneth M. Loyer. Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press, 2014. xv + 295 pp. $65.00 (doth).As one might guess from title, Kenneth Loyer brings together strong strands from Catholic and Methodist traditions relating to Holy in this carefully written book. He juxtaposes eighteenth-century Methodist founder John Wesley and thirteenth-century Angelic Doctor of church Thomas Aquinas on Holy for several reasons.Foremost, he finds doctrine of Holy is much overlooked today, a gap that Aquinas and Wesley can fill. In first chapter, Loyer suggests that in contemporary Christianity, especially Methodism, Holy has been replaced by a spirit of social concern that reduces work of Holy to political action. He argues that contemporary (mis)construals of Holy may well turn theology into some pursuit, governed not by norms of divine revelation through historically unique person of Jesus Christ . . . but by economics, sociology, or anthropology. For all insights that can be provided by these and disciplines, they are no substitute for theology proper (pp. 12-13).Second, Loyer claims that Methodists do not know Wesleyan doctrines of Christian perfection and sanctification, which require a sound doctrine of Holy Spirit. In chapter 2, Loyer discusses Wesleys emblematic thoughts about Christian perfection and sanctification. Participation in God is a useful motif for interpreting Wesley on perfection . . . because it points to God as boundless source of all perfection and sanctifies very concept of (p. 27). Such participation in God is marked by emphasis on work of Holy Spirit (p. 45).Third, Loyer brings together Wesley and Aquinas because Wesley was a practical theologian, while Aquinas adds theological depth to thought about Holy Spirit. Loyer spends chapters 3, 4, and 5 of his book developing Thomas's doctrine of Trinity from Summa Theologica. These three chapters demonstrate Loyers deft exploration of Thomas's Summa; he invites reader to read Thomas with precision and great attention to detail. Reading these chapters is well worth time and effort.Highlights of these chapters include a description of Aquinas's painstaking discussion of Spirit's internal procession and relationship with Father and Son, such that is the very love with which Father and Son love each other (p. 100). Loyer also depicts Thomas's account of mutual love, love by which the Father loves himself and every creature (p. …