In the Spirit

“This book cracks the crust of time-tested doctrinal tenets. We seem to know everything about Law and Gospel. With Kohli, we learn, we don't. She opens a fresh view on the Antinomian debate in Wittenberg, embedding Luther's argument about the word of God in his spiritual formation. Medieval background comes to the fore, as do contemporary conflicts. This book makes us think and re-think in the best way.”


—Volker Leppin, professor of historical theology, Yale Divinity School





“By drawing on the full range of Luther's corpus, Candace Kohli challenges conventional assumptions and breaks new ground on the relationship between law and gospel in the Reformer’s thought. In the Spirit is historically compelling and dogmatically astute.”


—Ian A. McFarland, professor of theology, Candler School of Theology, Emory University





“In her innovative study, Candace L. Kohli shows how Luther's treatment of human subjectivity contains an original vision of Christian moral agency. In this vision, the Spirit sustains the law and elevates the human person. With this view of the Spirit, the positive role of the law can be defined without legalism.”


—Risto Saarinen, University of Helsinki