The Wisdom of the Cross and the Power of the Spirit in the Corinthian Church

The cross of Christ crucified symbolized the central theme of Paul's ministry. In his letter to the Corinthians, the apostle commenced his correspondence with the message about the cross and power of God (1 Cor 1:18, NRSV). The proposal for this paper utilizes the method analogia scripturae. Set within the wisdom motif of the Greco-Roman world, this study is dedicated to the examination of the apostle's Christology in the context of 1 Cor 1:18-25 and the pneumatology in 1 Cor 2:9-16 as both pericopes are juxtaposed in his epistle. Essentially, the thesis concerns the grounding of the pneumatology of Paul with his Christology in 1 Corinthians. The Corinthian church required clarification and pastoral wisdom with their pneumatic experiences; thus, Paul recognized that a strong theology of the cross complemented their encounters with the Spirit. The question for biblical studies involves a lively tension of the pneumatology of the Spirit with a robust Christology. Because the power of God throughout this passage has the cross as its paradigm, the structure of the book leads to the significance of the apostle's pneumatological contribution of the cross and Christ crucified (1 Cor 1:18; 2:2). For this reason, a strong Christology must ground the pneumatology of the Pauline corpus. This study in biblical literature commences a new discussion in ecumenical dialogue between pneumatic experiences in the church and christological issues in Scripture.

""Cletus Hull's work provides a much-needed corrective for a distortion in the church: power without the cross. Without the cross as an anchor, the power of charisms can be mistaken for magical manipulation to one's own ends. True activity of the Holy Spirit flows from the wounds of Christ and our participation in his suffering. Crux probat omnia, the cross tests all things.""
--James B. Shelton, Professor of New Testament, Oral Roberts University

""What makes this book so remarkable is that Dr. Hull not only discusses the exegetical and theological aspects of the relationship between Christology and Pneumatology, but also works out the pastoral implications. This book is of interest to biblical scholars, as well as pastors and interested Bible readers.""
--Peter Grabe, Professor, Regent University School of Divinity

""Serious study of pneumatology remains a weakness in current studies of biblical and systematic theology. Hull's volume helps fill this void and offers a mature, carefully developed thesis regarding the Spirit's relationship to Christ and Christology that is worth taking seriously.""
--William R. Baker, Professor of New Testament, Hope International University

Cletus L. Hull, III, PhD (Regent University) has served as a pastor with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for thirty-one years and as psychiatric chaplain for twenty-nine years at two Pennsylvania state hospitals. He also teaches courses in New Testament at Biblical Life Institute in Freeport, Pennsylvania. He has researched the growing Disciples of Christ churches in Puerto Rico and has an interest in the significance of the Stone-Campbell churches in American Christianity.