Pneumatology
Encyclopedia
Pneumatology is the study of spiritual beings
and phenomena, especially the interactions between humans and God
.
Pneuma (πνεῦμα) is Greek
for "breath", which metaphorically describes a non-material being or influence.
World Book Dictionary
defines pneumatology as
theology
pneumatology refers to the study of the Holy Spirit
. The English word comes from two Greek words: πνευμα (pneuma, spirit) and λογος (logos, teaching about). Pneumatology would normally include study of the person of the Holy Spirit, and the works of the Holy Spirit. This latter category would normally include Christian teachings on new birth, spiritual gift
s (charismata), Spirit-baptism
, sanctification
, the inspiration
of prophet
s, and the indwelling of the Holy Trinity (which in itself covers many different aspects). Different Christian denomination
s have different theological approaches.
Church history contains four critical discussions that have served to progressively define Christian pneumatology:
1. Patristic period. The early Church engaged in a debate over the divinity of the Holy Spirit, with Arius
asserting that the Spirit is a "creature" or "angel" and Athanasius countering that the Spirit possesses divine attributes (such as immutability, transcendence, ability to sanctify, and involvement in creation).
2. Medieval period. In this period ensued a debate regarding the relationship between Christ and the Holy Spirit. The Eastern Church asserted that the Holy Spirit "proceeds" from the Father alone (as stated in the original Nicene Creed
), while Augustine of Hippo
and the medieval Catholic Church added the famed "filioque" clause to the Creed (the Spirit proceeeds from the Father "and the Son").
3. Reformation
and Counter-reformation
. Here the relationship between the Spirit and the Scriptures is re-examined. Martin Luther
and John Calvin
hold that the Spirit has a certain "interpretive authority" to "illuminate" scripture, while Counter-reformation theologians respond that the Spirit has authorized the Church to serve as authoritative interpreter of Scripture.
We must not overlook the work of Professor Philipp Melanchthon
(1497-1560), of the University of Wittenberg. He was a theologian, a student of the classics, a German reformer and collaborator of Martin Luther. As an expert in Hebrew and Greek he helped Luther translate the Bible into German. Based on theology he laid the foundation of pneumatology--the mother of psychology.
http://books.google.ca/books?id=lcw50f8M3iAC&dq=Philipp+Melanchton,+pneumatology,+psychology&source=gbs_navlinks_s
4. Contemporary era. The contemporary church understands a distinctive relationship between the Spirit and the Church community. Various contemporary theologians grant the Spirit as authority to govern the church, to liberate oppressed communities, and to create experiences associated with faith.
Notable contemporary pneumatologists include Jürgen Moltmann
, Kilian McDonnell, Yves Congar
and James D. G. Dunn.
For a number historical inquiries in the functioning of the Spirit, see John R. Levison. Especially his work Filled with the Spirit, promises to be a milestone in the historical inquiry of the Spirit. Randall J. Pannell commented on his work, "To his credit, Levison has given a massive work that has significant implications for the next generation of biblical theological scholarship regarding the Spirit. It will be difficult to measure immediately the extent of his contribution, but the impact of this study would seem certain." (Randall J. Pannell, review of John R. Levison, Filled with the Spirit, Review of Biblical Literature http://www.bookreviews.org (2010).)
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
and phenomena, especially the interactions between humans and God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
.
Pneuma (πνεῦμα) is Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
for "breath", which metaphorically describes a non-material being or influence.
World Book Dictionary
World Book Dictionary
The World Book Dictionary is a two volume English dictionary published as a supplement to the World Book Encyclopedia. It was originally published in 1963 under the editorship of Clarence Barnhart, who wrote definitions for the Thorndike-Barnhart graded dictionary series for children, based on the...
defines pneumatology as
- "1. Theology the doctrineDoctrineDoctrine is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system...
of the Holy SpiritHoly Spirit (Christianity)For the majority of Christians, the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and is Almighty God...
. 2. The doctrine of spirits or spiritual beings, in the 1600s considered a branch of metaphysicsMetaphysicsMetaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
. 3. pneumaticsPneumaticsPneumatics is a branch of technology, which deals with the study and application of use of pressurized gas to effect mechanical motion.Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry, where factories are commonly plumbed with compressed air or compressed inert gases...
. 4. Obsolete word for psychologyPsychologyPsychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
."
In Christian theology
In ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
pneumatology refers to the study of the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit (Christianity)
For the majority of Christians, the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and is Almighty God...
. The English word comes from two Greek words: πνευμα (pneuma, spirit) and λογος (logos, teaching about). Pneumatology would normally include study of the person of the Holy Spirit, and the works of the Holy Spirit. This latter category would normally include Christian teachings on new birth, spiritual gift
Spiritual gift
In Christianity, spiritual gifts are endowments given by the Holy Spirit. These are the supernatural graces which individual Christians need to fulfill the mission of the church. They are described in the New Testament, primarily in , , and . also touches on the spiritual gifts...
s (charismata), Spirit-baptism
Baptism with the Holy Spirit
Baptism with the Holy Spirit in Christian theology is a term describing baptism in or with the Spirit of God...
, sanctification
Sanctification
Sanctity is an ancient concept widespread among religions, a property of a thing or person sacred or set apart within the religion, from totem poles through temple vessels to days of the week, to a human believer who achieves this state. Sanctification is the act or process of acquiring sanctity,...
, the inspiration
Biblical inspiration
Biblical inspiration is the doctrine in Christian theology that the authors and editors of the Bible were led or influenced by God with the result that their writings many be designated in some sense the word of God.- Etymology :...
of prophet
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
s, and the indwelling of the Holy Trinity (which in itself covers many different aspects). Different Christian denomination
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
s have different theological approaches.
Church history contains four critical discussions that have served to progressively define Christian pneumatology:
1. Patristic period. The early Church engaged in a debate over the divinity of the Holy Spirit, with Arius
Arius
Arius was a Christian presbyter in Alexandria, Egypt of Libyan origins. His teachings about the nature of the Godhead, which emphasized the Father's divinity over the Son , and his opposition to the Athanasian or Trinitarian Christology, made him a controversial figure in the First Council of...
asserting that the Spirit is a "creature" or "angel" and Athanasius countering that the Spirit possesses divine attributes (such as immutability, transcendence, ability to sanctify, and involvement in creation).
2. Medieval period. In this period ensued a debate regarding the relationship between Christ and the Holy Spirit. The Eastern Church asserted that the Holy Spirit "proceeds" from the Father alone (as stated in the original Nicene Creed
Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that is most widely used in Christian liturgy. It is called Nicene because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Nicaea by the first ecumenical council, which met there in the year 325.The Nicene Creed has been normative to the...
), while Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo , also known as Augustine, St. Augustine, St. Austin, St. Augoustinos, Blessed Augustine, or St. Augustine the Blessed, was Bishop of Hippo Regius . He was a Latin-speaking philosopher and theologian who lived in the Roman Africa Province...
and the medieval Catholic Church added the famed "filioque" clause to the Creed (the Spirit proceeeds from the Father "and the Son").
3. Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
and Counter-reformation
Counter-Reformation
The Counter-Reformation was the period of Catholic revival beginning with the Council of Trent and ending at the close of the Thirty Years' War, 1648 as a response to the Protestant Reformation.The Counter-Reformation was a comprehensive effort, composed of four major elements:#Ecclesiastical or...
. Here the relationship between the Spirit and the Scriptures is re-examined. Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
and John Calvin
John Calvin
John Calvin was an influential French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism. Originally trained as a humanist lawyer, he broke from the Roman Catholic Church around 1530...
hold that the Spirit has a certain "interpretive authority" to "illuminate" scripture, while Counter-reformation theologians respond that the Spirit has authorized the Church to serve as authoritative interpreter of Scripture.
We must not overlook the work of Professor Philipp Melanchthon
Philipp Melanchthon
Philipp Melanchthon , born Philipp Schwartzerdt, was a German reformer, collaborator with Martin Luther, the first systematic theologian of the Protestant Reformation, intellectual leader of the Lutheran Reformation, and an influential designer of educational systems...
(1497-1560), of the University of Wittenberg. He was a theologian, a student of the classics, a German reformer and collaborator of Martin Luther. As an expert in Hebrew and Greek he helped Luther translate the Bible into German. Based on theology he laid the foundation of pneumatology--the mother of psychology.
http://books.google.ca/books?id=lcw50f8M3iAC&dq=Philipp+Melanchton,+pneumatology,+psychology&source=gbs_navlinks_s
4. Contemporary era. The contemporary church understands a distinctive relationship between the Spirit and the Church community. Various contemporary theologians grant the Spirit as authority to govern the church, to liberate oppressed communities, and to create experiences associated with faith.
Notable contemporary pneumatologists include Jürgen Moltmann
Jürgen Moltmann
Jürgen Moltmann is a German Reformed theologian. The 2000 recipient of the Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Religion.-Moltmann's Youth:...
, Kilian McDonnell, Yves Congar
Yves Congar
Yves Marie Joseph Congar was a French Dominican cardinal and theologian.-Early life:Born in Sedan, in northeast France, in 1904, Congar's home was occupied by the Germans for much of World War I...
and James D. G. Dunn.
For a number historical inquiries in the functioning of the Spirit, see John R. Levison. Especially his work Filled with the Spirit, promises to be a milestone in the historical inquiry of the Spirit. Randall J. Pannell commented on his work, "To his credit, Levison has given a massive work that has significant implications for the next generation of biblical theological scholarship regarding the Spirit. It will be difficult to measure immediately the extent of his contribution, but the impact of this study would seem certain." (Randall J. Pannell, review of John R. Levison, Filled with the Spirit, Review of Biblical Literature http://www.bookreviews.org (2010).)
Further reading
- Linton M. Smith Jr. "Not By Might Nor By Power: The Bible Believer's Guide to the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit" (DayStar Publishing; Miamitown, OH 1995)
- John McIntyreJohn McIntyre (theologian)John McIntyre CVO was a Scottish minister and theologian.-Biography:McIntyre was born in Glasgow on 20 May 1916 into a working-class family; he was the son of a carpenter...
, The shape of pneumatology: studies in the doctrine of the Holy Spirit (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1997) - Graham A. Cole, He Who Gives Life: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2007)
- G. James Olsen, "Why Angels Have Wings: A Pneumatological Assay of Beings from the Spirit Realms" (Chicago, IL: Eschaton, 1997)