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J. David Pawson, The Normal Christian Birth: How to Give New Believers a Proper Start in Life (London, Sydney, Auckland, Toronto: Hodder & Stoughton, 1989). 327 pp. ISBN 0-340-489723. £5.99.

Reviewed by Th. D. Pratt

David Pawson has written a robust and provocative book on Chris- tian initiation. As the title indicates, the birth metaphor plays a promi- nent role in Pawson's understanding of 'initiation,' because in the book Pawson wants to assist those involved in bringing people into a bom- again experience. Pawson's concern is that while "tomes" have been written "by scholars for scholars," there is a dearth of literature for the general reader on Christian initiation. The book, however, is not just about how to become a Christian, but "is written out of a burden for a better quality. of 'conversion'." In the Prologue written to "midwives," Pawson states his real intent in the book is to bridge the division between the evangelical and the Pentecostal. He asks the evangelical tradition to "reconsider its assumption that 'believing in Jesus' and 'receiving the Spirit' are syn- onymous and simultaneous (usually lumped together in the phrase 'receiving Jesus')." He then asks the Pentecostal tradition to "recon- . sider its assumption that 'receiving the Spirit' and being 'baptized in . the Spirit' are not synonymous or simultaneous (the latter usually being regarded as some kind of 'second' stage or blessing)." [pp. 4-5] Pawson's understanding of 'initiation' is presented in three sections. Part One sets forth "the theological dimension" of Pawson's apolo- . getic. In the first chapter Pawson introduces his concept of 'initiation' . in terms of "four spiritual doors": repentance, faith in Jesus, water- , and receiving the Spirit. In subsequent chapters he deals with each door. Pawson's stance is "midway" between the evangelical and . the Pentecostal, and he believes that "the 'normal' Christian birth" . involves going through all "four spiritual doors," individually and separately. The premise of Pawson's argument is that the book of Acts is the logical place to begin, since it contains details about how unbe- lievers became believers. For Pawson, all "four spiritual doors" consti- tute 'normal' initiation for Luke in the book of Acts, whereas, the gospels are too early and the epistles are too late for a starting point in understanding conversion. Pawson points out that all "four spiritual doors" were a part of the preaching of both John the Baptist and Jesus, and were "taken for granted" by Paul when he wrote his epistles. The key to Pawson's argument is that the Spirit can 'normally' only be received after a Person has repented, has faith in Jesus, and has been baptized in water by immersion. The Spirit is not automatically given, instead a person has actively and possibly continually, to ask for 144 the Spirit. The Spirit is not simply received by faith in a sub-conscious manner. The person is fully aware of receiving the Spirit, which is accompanied by "audible evidence" classified by Pawson under the general heading of prophesying: tongues, praise, , and other ejaculations, such as 'Abba', 'Jesus is Lord,' and 'groans that words cannot express.' In the section's final chapter, Pawson distinguishes between conver- sion and regeneration. Conversion is the human activity, whereas, regeneration is the divine activity, with all "four spiritual doors" involved in the process. In Part Two, Pawson presents "the biblical" data for his argument. He selects thirty key passages in the New Testament to exegete, which he believes is "crucial or controversial" to the concept of 'initiation'. One of the passages under consideration is Romans 8:9, which Pawson refers to as "the acid test" for his argument. For Pawson, the context of Romans 8 is 'sanctification', and not 'justification' as in Romans 5. He concludes that Paul is emphasizing the believer's present condition rather than the reader's past conversion. To 'have' the Spirit is to "be understood in continual and experimental terms relating to sanctifica- tion, instead of in doctrinal and judicial terms relating to justification." [p. 195] Part Three, deals with the "pastoral" implications of helping disci- ples to repent, to believe, to be baptized, and to receive the Spirit. The final chapter concerns the concept of what it means to be saved. In an interesting presentation, Pawson relates the past, present and future tenses of the verb 'save' to the three nouns 'justification', 'sanctifica- tion', and 'glorification'. He concludes his argument by opting for "Lordship Salvation." The book has an Epilogue, which is addressed "to the family," about the meaning and criterion for membership. For Pawson, "full membership" can only be granted by the conditions of the "four spiri- tual doors." Finally, there are three Appendices, that cover specialized topics not germane to the main argument of the book, but which may interest and concern some readers. The first is on "," the second deals with the concept of "'Spirit' without the definite article," and the third on whether to use "Trinity or Tritheism." David Pawson's polemical style in The Normal Christian Birth gives the impression that he patterned himself after both his predecessor at Chalfont St. Peter's, the late Roland Allen, and the missionary states- man Lesslie Newbigin. Writing in a prophetic mode Pawson identifies with the Reformers who opposed "ecclesiastical authority with biblical authority." Charismatics and Pentecostals will appreciate Pawson's apologetic. Pawson's 'charismatic' presentation on conversion is similar to the "Black Pentecostal " exemplified in the teaching of the United