On The Cessation Of The Charismata: The Protestant Polemic On Postbiblical Miracles

0 the Cessation of e Charismata e Protestant • o emtc on Pos iblical Miracles the Cessation f e Charismata Jon Ruthven The recem dramatic growth in the Pentecostal and charismatic movements revitalized the ancient debate over cessationismthe doctrine that manifestations of miraculous spiritual gifts have ceased. This work provides a thorough and detailed assessment of the cessation controversy, examining the historical, philosophical and biblical contexts to provide an irenic interpretive framework grounded in scriptural intent. The book also includes an exhaustive bibliography which will serve as an invaluable scholarly resource for those working in this area. Sheffield Academic Press ISBN I 85075 405 5 ',-'-t' ( Journal of Pentecostal Theology Supplement Series 3 Editors John Christopher Thomas Rick D. Moore Steven J. Land Sheffield Academic Press Sheffield On the Cessation of the Charismata The Protestant Polemic on . Postbiblical Miracles Jon Ruthven ~ Sheffield Academic Press Copyright© 1993 Sheffield Academic Press Published by Sheffield Academic Press 343 Fulwood Road Sheffield SlO 3BP England Typeset by Sheffield Academic Press and Printed on acid-free paper in Great Britain by The Cromwell Press Melksham, Wiltshire British Library Catalogue in Publication Data Ruthven, Jon On the Cessation of the Charismata: Protestant Polemic on Postbiblical Miracles.--(Journal of Pentecostal Theology Supplement Series, ISSN 0966-7393; No. 3) I. Title II. Series 231.7 ISBN 1-85075-405-5 CONrENTS 7 10 Preface Abbreviations Chapter 1. INIRODUCTION 1. The Setting of the Problem 2. The Purpose and Method of 3. Historical Antecedents this Study 13 13 18 24 Chapter 2 BENJAMIN WARFIELD'S POLEMIC ON POSTBffiLICAL MIRACLES 1. Theological and Philosophical Traditions in Warfield's Polemic 2. Benjamin Warfield's Cessationist Polemic 3. Summary 41 41 52 110 Chapter 3 A THEOLOGICAL AND BmLICAL CRITIQUE OF BENJAMIN WARFIELD'S CESSATIONISM 1. Cessationism and its Conflict with a Biblical Theology of the Holy Spirit and the Kingdom of God 2. Key Biblical Passages on the Continuation of the Charismata until the Parousia 3. Summary 112 112 123 187 Chapter 4 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 1. The Historical Evolution of Cessationism and its View of Miracle 2. A Biblical!Theological Response to Cessationism 3. Implications and Conclusions 189 191 194 206 6 On the Cessation of the Charismata APPENDIX I 'Evidence' of the Spirit in Acts? 207 APPENDIX II Does the Spiritual Gift of Apostleship also Continue? Bibliography Index of References Index of Authors 213 221 261 268 PREFACE Perhaps no theological issue among evangelicals provokes more controversy than the role of 'miraculous' spiritual gifts in the contemporary church. A recent Christianity Today poll reported that according~ to their readers two of the ten most important theological issues today concern the cessation and operation of certain gifts of the Holy Spirit. Traditions from within the Reformation and the Scofield Reference Bible had produced a broad consensus among evangelicals and fundamentalists (outside of charismatic and Pentecostal believers) that socalled 'extraordinary' or miraculous gifts, such as prophecy, direct divine revelation, beatings, miracles and the like, had ceased with the apostles or their writings (this view may be labeled cessationism)~ Within the last two decades, however, that consensus has been rapidly eroding. A growing capability in biblical interpretation has weaned these groups from uncritical dependence upon the classic Reformation and Scofiel