A Linguistic Note
Chapter 4
Some Reflections on Pauline Spirituality
It is a special privilege for me to offer the following reflections in honor of my esteemed colleague Jim Houston, whose life and teaching have been a constant reminder to us all that discipleship means to love God with one’s whole being, not simply with one’s head, as so often happens among theological academics. The subject of these reflections is one that is close to my own heart as well, since I am one Paulinist who thinks that the apostle has been poorly served in the church on this score. Paul is basically viewed and studied as either a theologian or a missionary evangelist, which of course are parts of the whole; but any careful reading of his letters will reveal that spirituality is crucial to his own life in Christ, as well as being the ultimate urgency of his ministry to others. Such a bold statement, of course, needs justification, which is what the following reflections are all about.