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Communion with God: The Divine and the Human in the Theology of John Owen ReviewDuring the last century with the rise of Pentecostalism some had said the 20th century was the century of the Holy Spirit. With the influx of reprinting of Puritan works and works on the theology of Puritans, it could easily be said that perhaps the 21st century is the century of the Puritans. In this new release, Communion with God, by Kelly Kapic (Associate Professor of Theological Studies at Covenant College, Lookout Mountain, GA), this most wonderful trend continues.
Kapic is no stranger to the Puritans or to Owen. He has preciously edited with Randall Gleason, The Devoted Life: An Invitation to the Puritan Classics (IVP) and has recently updated a number of John Owen's works with the help of Justin Taylor (Overcoming Sin and Temptation and Communion with the Triune God both from Crossway). This volume is the edited substance of his PhD dissertation from King's College, University of London).
Owen serves as crucial figure for study in the life of the Puritans. The "Calvin of England," the chaplain to Oliver Cromwell, the Presbyterian turned Congregationalist, the writer of numerous books, the preacher of many sermons, the scholarly academic, the admirer of the country preacher (Bunyan to be precise), Owen is a necessary figure to study. Many find him daunting as his writing has been referred to as "dense." Therefore, a study like Kapic's on the relationship of the divine and human in Owen's thought, is most needed in our day of both historical and theological imprecision.
The primary thrust then of the thought of the book revolves around the relationship between God and man. Kapic writes near the end of his introductory chapter on the life of Owen, "Since humanity was created to commune with God, the theological enterprise must be primarily concerned with understanding humanity in its relation with God. As we see at the very end of our study, being made in God's image is primarily about loving Jesus Christ, who is the mediator between God and humanity. This unique relationship is ultimately what defines being in communion with God" (pp. 33-34). Kapic then proceeds to flesh out this thinking in the following chapters. Chapter 2 deals with exploring humanity as made in the image of God and works through Owen's use of faculty psychology, and a brief survey of humanity through history, providing a framework for fitting creation, fall, and redemption into Owen's thinking on the relationship between God and man. In chapter 3 Kapic turns to the ultimate expression of relationship between God and man, the God-man, Jesus Christ and answers questions like, why the incarnation? Chapter 4 deals with the issue of justification and works through Owen's understanding of faith and his disagreement with Roman Catholic opponents and how he understands negative and positive imputation. Chapter 5 moves to the main core of the book which is human communion with God. Specifically Kapic looks at Owens's creative attempt to view the Trinity within the context of worship. Finally, in chapter 6, he turns to the Lord's day and the Lord's supper which are two examples that Owen uses to foster the relationship between God and man.
The book is a great success in working through the massive writing of Owen on these issues and develops for readers today, a helpful theological construct in understanding the theology behind the relationship between God and man. In a day when there is an incredible lack of focus on precision in theology, especially in the life of the church, a study of a great theologian and church man like Owen on these issues is incredibly important. In a brief review like this, one cannot work through all the work that Kapic has done here but suffice to say, this is a rich work that deserves wide readership and hopefully, a desire to go back to the sources and read Owen himself. Owen has much to say to readers today if they are willing to pursue the hard work of mining the riches of this great man. The importance of this book is summed up from part of the forward by the great student of the Puritan's himself, J.I. Packer:
For understanding, enjoying, and communicating communion with God was what Owen understood his life and ministry to be all about. His writings reveal him as not only an evangelical confessor and controversialist in the Reformed mainstream, but also as a Calvinist catechist, weaving in applicatory pastoral rhetoric at every point. Dr. Kapic coins the word anthroposensitive to characterize this aspect of his expository method. It fits. This is a landmark book in modern Puritan study, and it is a joy to commend it.
This reviewer completely agrees. This book is recommended for seminary students and professors, pastors, and believers who have a serious desire to study in depth theology and church history. Tolle lege!
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