Parish Churches

Confirmation Preparation

 

Session 5

 

Title

The Holy Spirit

Method

To look at the Holy Spirit in Scripture and Tradition

Learning Outcome

What does the Holy Spirit say to me now?

Spiritual growth

How am I changed by what I know about the Holy Spirit?

  • We have seen the work of the HS at creation (Genesis 1) and the way in which life is given (Ezekiel 37) and how the HS is present at the birth of the Christian Church (Acts 2)

  • The HS is presented to us at the beginning of the ministry of Jesus (Luke 3, 21). All of the gospels record the work of the HS at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry; also at the inauguration of the life of the ‘Way’, the new Christian church (Acts 2 - Pentecost)

  • The HS is also referred to at the end of Matthew’s Gospel in the Trinitarian formula (Matthew 28, 16)

  • Paul refers to the life in the Spirit  - Romans 8. Here he contrasts death (spiritual) with life in the HS

  • John, in the Discourses  talks of the  Spirit – John 14, 5 following.

  • We are people of the Holy Spirit – and this means that the church has spiritual gifts of the HS. 1 Cor 12

  • The Holy Spirit is that which gives us new life and we summon the Holy Spirit in our worship

  • At baptism we ask the HS to be present in the waters of baptism; at the eucharist we ask the same over the bread and wine; at confirmation, we ask that the Holy Spirit  is sent down on the person.

  • All church action is done in the name of the Holy Spirit – the word we use is epiclesis (from the same word as paracletos ) - when we summon the presence of the Holy Spirit

  • This we do over the bread and wine at the Eucharist; the water at Baptism; a candidate for confirmation; an ordination of a priest

  • The Holy Spirit is the ongoing power of God in the life of the church – the ‘third Person’ of the Holy Trinity; God in action now in us

  • The Holy Spirit leads us into all truth – and we believe the Holy SPirit ‘convicts’ us ie claims us as God’s

Come Holy Ghost our souls inspire,
And lighten with celestial fire;
Thou the anointing Spirit art,
Who dost thy sevenfold gifts impart

Thy blessed unction from above
Is comfort, life, and fire of love;
Enable with perpetual light
The dullness of our blinded sight

Anoint and cheer our soiled face
With the abundance of thy grace;
Keep far our foes, give peace at home;
Where thou art guide no ill can come

Teach us to know the Father, Son,
And Thee of both to be but one;
That through the ages all along
This may be our endless song,

‘Praise to thy eternal merit,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.’

 

  • The Creed includes our official ‘teaching’ (doctrine) of the Holy Spirit, namely that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. The Eastern Orthodox believe that the Holy Spirit emanates (flows) only from the Father, not the Son as well. This dispute is called the ‘filioque’ which is Latin for ‘and the Son’.

  • Despite that doctrinal difference all churches believe that they are truly ‘pneumatological’ ie Pentecostal, or full of the Holy Spirit

  • When we worship we pray that it will be ‘Spirit-filled’

  • Our experience of the Holy Spirit can be very personal, but the HS is also universally present in the whole church

  • The phrase ‘in the Spirit’ can account for visions and dreams, such as that of Ezekiel 37.

  • The Holy Spirit is both ‘tangible’ and real and is the bringer of the gifts (charismata) that are referred to in 1Cor 12 and is the distributor of the gifts that we have to witness in the church, and to the world.

  • The Holy Spirit is our Advocate (Paraclete) who appeals to the Father for us in the absence of the person of Jesus on earth (see John 14, 25 following)


For details please contact the Parish office: Tel 01285 659317