Sanctification: Explorations in Theology and Practice

“Few doctrines today are as unwieldy and ill-defined as sanctification. Vast terrain must be charted, and a path forward must be suggested that honors the wide variety of biblical teachings that impinge on the subject. Kelly Kapic has done us all a great service in gathering these essays that explore the terrain and map out proposals regarding evangelical holiness. On a number of key issues, ranging from sola fide or perfection to union with Christ or suffering, this book draws wisely from the tradition, engages patiently with the scriptural testimony, and tries to think clearly and compellingly for the church today. I commend it.”

“Having chaired the Edinburgh Dogmatics Conference at which most of these papers were given in preliminary form, it is a delight to see them reworked and in print. We owe a debt of gratitude to Kelly Kapic for his willingness to edit the papers and to bring them through to this fine conclusion. The subject of sanctification is vital for the life of the church, as well as being an important topic of theological discussion, and so this volume sits at the intersection between church and academy. This is precisely what the Edinburgh Dogmatics Conference, organized by Rutherford House, seeks to achieve in bringing together scholars and pastors every second year.”

“What does it mean to be God's 'holy' people, both individually and corporately? How might we speak of divine and human agency in sanctification, and navigate the complexities of the relationship between justification, faith and sanctification? These essays open up multiple conversations to help us with such questions and moreconversations between the authors, between historical figures and contemporary debates, and between theology, pastoral practice and ethical action. The result is a volume that both clarifies some of the issues at stake and advances the debates, and that speaks not only to scholars but also to the church.”

“Reading these essays brings rich blessing. While these scholars offer the kinds of insight one would expect from each, still the insights themselves can be surprisingly rich. Amid contemporary Reformed confusion and conflict, this collection helpfully places sanctification in biblical, historical and pastoral perspectivethus making truly ecumenical and evangelical contributions.”

“Kelly Kapic has drawn together some fine chapters from some of the very best of both established scholars and bright newcomers on a theme at the heart of the Christian life. This slim volume is a remarkable accomplishment.”

“This timely collection of essays turns attention to a topic too often neglected in contemporary theological discussionthe doctrine of sanctification. These insightful, nuanced, and mutually-engaging (and at times mutually-challenging) studies by scholars within the Reformed tradition speak to the ecumenical church and remind us that to disregard this doctrine is to misunderstand the nature of justification itself. They call us back to the fact that Holy Scripture speaks powerfully not only of forgiveness but of holiness, and that the Christian life can never be rightly understood when either is overlooked.”