Dr Paul Allen

This article examines the real intellectual friction between Gordon D. Fee and Craig S. Keener. Below is a PhD-level reconstruction of the kinds of questions each would likely press on the other, based on their published methodologies, emphases, and tensions.   1. Questions Gordon D. Fee Would Ask Craig S. Keener Fee’s questions would focus on theological coherence, canon, and control of experience.   1.1 On Normativity of Narrative “How do you prevent narrative from becoming normatively binding without clear criteria?” • Fee would press Keener to clarify:  o Which Lukan patterns are repeatable  o Which are historically contingent  Underlying concern:  Without controls, narrative theology risks becoming selective and subjective.   1.2 On Unity of the Spirit’s Work “If Luke presents varied sequences of Spirit reception, how do you maintain a unified theology of the Spirit?” • Fee would argue:  o Paul presents the Spirit as inseparable fro...

In  Jack Deere 's intriguing book,  Surprised by the Power of the Spirit , he suggests the following hypothetical situation and result: "If you were to lock a brand-new Christian in a room with a  Bible  and tell him to study what the Scriptures have to say about healing and miracles, he would never come out of the room a cessationist." 1   Elsewhere, he writes, Everyone who picked up the Bible, started reading, and concluded that God was still doing signs and wonders and that the gifts of the Holy Spirit had not passed away. The doctrine of cessationism did not originate from a careful study of the Scriptures. The doctrine of cessationism originated in experience.  2 Deere may have a point, but a person reading the Bible and studying miracles and healing may also have several questions about these things. Why do the epistles have little discussion about them? Why does Paul leave people sick ( Phil 2:26-27 ;  1 Tim 5:23 ;  2 Tim 4:20 ...