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Human Spirit
Question:
Can there anything be said about the consequencies for the West regarding place and 'function' of the human spirit (St. Paul: pneuma) since in the Rom. Cath. Church the human spirit is only a part of the (one and only one) soul, according the Const. Synod of 869?
Can there be drawn any line between displacement of the Spirit in the West an the loss of the human spirit?
Response:
Dr. Alexander Roman alex.roman@unicorne.org
Thank you for your thought-provoking questions!
In fact, your questions constitute a theological and philosophical thematic that is part of an ongoing discussion whenever they are raised.
Traditionally, the West understands the spirit as being the higher part of the soul, although more and more one will find Western writers espousing that we are tri-partite: Body, Soul and Spirit.
Certainly, with the Filioque came a certain “diminishing” of the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Western Church. Some have called Him the “Unknown God” in the West and the like. It is interesting that the renewal of devotion to the Holy Spirit in the Roman Catholic Church appears to come on the heels of Western Christians’ awakening interest in the Eastern Church (in addition to Pentecostal glossolalia!).
What has always impressed me about the Orthodox Church is how it truly is the “Church of the Holy Spirit” with her many “Pneumatophore” Saints, her great mystical tradition with miraculous icons and relics, especially that of the Most Holy Mother of God, Theosis in Christ through the Spirit etc.
Some have referred to the constant praying of the Jesus Prayer as the “Epiclesis of Jesus Christ” as it continually sanctifies us in and by the Holy Spirit. And St Seraphim of Sarov has summed up the Christian life as being the “Acquisition of the Holy Spirit.”
May we continually strive to acquire the Heavenly King Consoler and Spirit of Truth!
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| By: Michael Zienchuk This is a very interesting topic, the part that touches upon "... we are tri-partite: Body, Soul and Spirit". Obviously the person asking the question and the one answering have a deeper understanding of the question being asked than I do, but I'm interested in the part I quote above. If man is made in the image and likeness of God, should we also not have a trinitarian composition? If so, wouldn't it be Body, Mind and Soul? I'm a little confused about the distinction between Soul and Spirit, with Spirit being the higher part of the Soul. Is there any easy to understand material out there that could explain these issues? | |
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