November 21-23 // San Diego, California

From Abba, Father who has been here from the beginning to One who is already here (the Spirit) and into the future with One who is to come (Jesus Christ), will be the focus of our conference with the emphasis on One who is already here (the Spirit). In the triune Source, there is a mysterious and bewildering unity and diversity. The most inexplicable in Christian history has been One whose “sound you hear, but you cannot tell where It comes from and where goes” (John 3:8). The experience of One who is already here is seen throughout the whole Scripture starting with Genesis 1:1-2. It is a deliverer in Judges 3. Its omnipresence in Psalms and Its relationship with the Messiah in Isaiah are noteworthy. The work of One already here is especially noticeable in the New Testament (Luke-Acts, John, Paul). 

 

When the Holy Spirit moves, Its presence is evident and not merely personal; Its impact is also outward. The Holy Spirit reveals (Luke 2:26), leads (Luke 4:1), teaches (Luke 12:12), and challenges human opinions. As individuals and as a body of believers/community, we are fearfully uncomfortable with the Spirit as we cannot control the security of Its supernatural presence. What has the history taught us about the work of the Holy Spirit? How do we discern Its presence and guidance today? [Are you not of the Spirit, “…If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. …The Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you. He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:9-11).] Is the Bible theocentric, Christocentric or pneumacentric? 

 

What is the Spirit’s purpose and role in the context of It relating to One who has been here from the beginning and to One who is to come? How do the Old Testament God and the new believer initiated into the belief in Jesus Christ by the Spirit relate to each other? Is the relationship between the believer and the Father identical to the relationship between the Father and the Son and the believer and the Spirit (Galatians 4:6)?

 

This call for papers seeks multifaceted contributions to answer questions about one triune God,

emphasizing One, who is already here (the Holy Spirit), and Its role. We welcome papers from

different perspectives, including but not limited to Biblical studies, theology, philosophy,

history, sociology, missiology, ecclesiology, ethics, and practical theology.

 

Submission Guidelines:

Paper proposals should have a working title and not exceed 200 words in length. The deadline for submission is March 31, 2024. Proposals should be sent to Rodney Palmer (asrspapers@gmail.com) in MS Word format. Notifications regarding proposals will go out in May 2024. Presenters are limited to twenty minutes for presentation (approximately 2,500-words), with additional time for questions and discussion of the paper. Presenters are expected to submit a complete draft of the paper by November 1, 2024.

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