Community-Forming Power

In past years the controversy over Luke's concept of the Spirit has centred on the ethical dimension of his pneumatology. Community-Forming Power sets out to address the issue by assessing the Lukan writings in the light of evidence from Second Temple Judaism and in applying speech-act theory to prophetic utterances. Wenk argues that the Spirit's role in prophecy cannot be limited to the content of the prophetic speech, stripping it artificially from the intention behind it. He further argues that the anointed church continues the liberating work of the anointed messiah in embracing the marginalized, and thus is instrumental in 'realizing good news for the poor'.