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Pneumatology (from Greek pneuma, ‘breath’ or ‘spirit’) tends to be used in a rather restricted sense, that of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit in Christianity, with reference to the Spirit of God in the Hebrew Scriptures. In the latter case there is no question of a separate deity, or distinct numinous power, but rather of an extension of God\'s creative power and presence. The Spirit of God broods on the face of the primaeval ocean at Creation. It is responsible for producing courage, wisdom, insight and religious knowledge in the human soul. Because the Hebrew word for Spirit (ruach) is feminine in gender, and the imagery is often feminine, especially when the Greek concept of divine wisdom (sophia) is absorbed into it, pneumatology has become of great interest to Jewish and Christian feminist theologians, and is the subject of much ongoing research. Strictly speaking, the term pneumatology should be used in other religions as well, such as African traditional religions, or certain forms of Buddhism and Hinduism where belief in supernatural spirits plays an important part in worship and custom, but this is not done, perhaps because they are not seen as part of the godhead.
The Holy Spirit plays a central role in the theology of the early Christian Church, which, since the initial outpouring on the community on the Day of Pentecost, was emphatically charismatic, even after speaking in tongues and the more disruptive phenomena died out. The Spirit was seen as a rushing wind, an advocate and intermediary who scatters gifts to the congregation and inspires qualities or virtues. Orthodox Christianity has always insisted that the Spirit is a person and not a quality or an impersonal force. EMJ
Further reading C.K. Barrett, The Holy Spirit and Gospel Tradition; , J.V. Taylor, The Go-between God. |
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