Professor of New Testament Studies Jack Levison's new book, Fresh Air: The Holy Spirit for an Inspired Life (Paraclete Press, April 2012),"takes the holy spirit from the mountaintop to the grit of everyday life, with fresh biblical studies, personal stories, and practical strategies for living an inspired and purposeful life."
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Endorsements of Fresh Air: the Holy Spirit for an Inspired Life
“People had told me Jack Levison was a great teacher, and when I read this book I realized why. His excitement is infectious; he tells a great story; he sets little-known biblical passages on fire and drills down to unimagined depths in well-known ones. He has a boyish enthusiasm, but his account of the holy spirit—and what the spirit can do for whole churches, not just individuals!—is mature, seasoned, challenging and wise. His scholarship is spot on, his human warmth and Christian compassion are everywhere. An unbeatable combination.”
— N. T. (Tom) Wright
"This book is a rare combination of scripture study and personal life experience, the two drawn together with reference to the work of the Spirit. Levison attests to the quotidian reality of the Spirit in the actual lives of women and men. A subtext of his book is that ‘mainline’ church folk have a lot to learn from Pentecostals. Levison knows that abstraction is an enemy of serious faith, while hands-on anecdotal evidence pulls us close to what the Spirit is doing. This book invites a reread of scripture and re-notice of our own lives in the power of the Spirit."
— Walter Brueggemann
"There are few elements of our faith that are as passionately debated or largely ignored as the Holy Spirit, a topic that can easily induce both fiery discourse and faint shrugs. Mystery has always made for an awkward bedfellow. Jack Levison somehow invites us to dig deep into the soil of Biblical study on the topic, unearth and examine its complex root system, and then marvel at the beauty that blooms above. Wild and growing in imperfect rows. Let it be so with my own knowledge the Holy Spirit. Careful examination all tangled up with a wide wonder. Thank you, Jack, for what you've sown here."
— Nichole Nordeman
“Fresh Air is, well, a breath of fresh air. Jack Levison fuses an accurate but unpretentious examination of the Holy Spirit in Scripture with a lively and generous style that invites the entire Christian community, regardless of label, to embrace God’s Spirit in the everyday ordinariness of life. A rare and remarkable achievement. Breathe deeply.”
— Eugene Peterson
“Jack Levison’s book is the most biblical, wide-ranging, innovative, and refreshing book on the Holy Spirit in years. The Spirit is here de-programmed and set loose. You may be surprised in every chapter, I know I was.”
— Scot McKnight
“Fresh Air is exactly what its title promises: a lively, fresh study of the Holy Spirit by a brilliant and spirited theologian. If there is such a thing as poignant Christian midrash, then this surely is it.”
— Phyllis Tickle
“I’ve often asked pastors, ‘Who is the most neglected person of the Trinity?’ They always answer, ‘The Holy Spirit.’ In this lively and—well—Spirit-filled book, Jack Levison enjoys the exploits of the Holy Spirit throughout scripture, provoking a fresh encounter with God. Jack is uniquely qualified to lead us, combining his scholarly understanding of scripture with his deep affection for the church, both mainline and Pentecostal. No one will think about the Holy Spirit in the same way after reading Jack’s book.”
— Will Willimon
“For far too long, the Holy Spirit has been treated like the junior partner in the Trinity. In a book that is at turns both challenging and practical, Jack Levison has remedied that. Here, Levison's vast study of the Holy Spirit is made available to everyone. And Fresh Air is the perfect title, for this book promises to breathe new life into individuals and congregations alike. Highly recommended.”
— Tony Jones
Posted: Monday, March 19, 2012