The Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Life (Jesus, grace)

[lilithu]

Some time last year while I was defending Christianity in my church, it occured to me that the Spirit of Life, of and to whom we sing every week, and the Holy Spirit are one and the same. We've just changed the name a little bit to make it more palatable to the ex-Christians in our congregations. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of God - the active principle - working within creation to manifest God's will. In liberal Christianity, God's will is love and justice, and the Holy Spirit is that which unites people in love and stirs them to action against oppression. The Spirit of Life is that which permeates creation (blow in the wind; rise in the sea) and that which we call on to help us in our quest for love and justice ("sing in my heart all the stirrings of compassion"; "move in the hand, giving life the shape of justice").

Don't know about the rest of UU but in the congregations to which I've been exposed, we generally have a reluctance to talk about "God," and while we may occasionally mention Jesus as a great social activist, we are loathe to use the word "Christ." Yet even the staunch atheists in my congregation don't mind singing about the Spirit of Life and inviting the Spirit into their hearts. It seems to be something around which we can set asside our theological differences and unite. Why is the Spirit of Life more acceptable than "God"? How are the two perceived differently? What does the Spirit of Life mean to you as a UU?

thanks,
-lilith

[Dreamwolf]

Because the 'Spirit of Life' is a broader term it incompasses not just one religion or one form of the devine we litterally identify with the spirit of life because we are supposed to have that in us in some way, this was explained to me once I however with my memory have long sense forgotten most of it. Some people do recognize the spirit of life being a sort of fire or energy for life itself. Maybe that makes a shred of sense. Blessings!

[Scuba Pete]

As a former UU, I find the concept fascinating!

[Dreamwolf]

I am not a former UU but I did do a good deal of research about 8 months ago on the religion. Needless to say I find it fascinating too. Blessings!

[Davidium]

I'm not a former UU... I am a UU...

I have decided that I really like John Shelby Spong's definition of God as "The source of life, the source of love, and the ground of being..."

When I discuss the "Spirit of Life" it is equivalent to me as when Spong says God is the "source of life".

I dont use the term "Christ" either... because Rabbi Jesus never used it. It came afterward, and in essence means "annointed one". That is fine... just not my cup of tea.

To me, God is not a being... it is a concept. Which is why "the Divine" is better for me than God, but I use God because it is the most common word.

So, for me the "spirit of life" is a part, a perspective of the Divine.

YoUUrs in Faith,

David Pyle
Galveston Island, TX
www.dynamicdeism.org
www.uugalveston.org

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by Dreamwolf

Because the 'Spirit of Life' is a broader term it incompasses not just one religion or one form of the devine we litterally identify with the spirit of life because we are supposed to have that in us in some way, this was explained to me once I however with my memory have long sense forgotten most of it. Some people do recognize the spirit of life being a sort of fire or energy for life itself. Maybe that makes a shred of sense. Blessings!

Namaste Dreamwolf,

Yes, the Spirit of Life is a more universal term. And I am very glad that is is a term that UUs of all persuasions can embrace. I am interested, however, in exploring how the Spirit of Life is similar, and how it may be different, from the Christian Holy Spirit. Christians believe that we all have the Holy Spirit in us in some way. (Well, actually liberal Christians believe that we all the the Holy Spirit in us; conservative Christians believe that only the elected have the Spirit.) My motivation is to explore the possibility of a common "vocabulary" so that we can speak to each other across the Christian-vs-nonChristian divide.

This is based on the idea that religions are different "languages" used to describe transcendent reality - what the president of the UUA, Rev. Bill Sinkford, refers to as "languages of reverence." Each religion then has its own vocabulary. Some vocabulary terms may be shared between religions and mean the same thing. Some vocabulary terms may be shared between religions but mean different things. Some religions may use different terms to describe the same or similar things. And complicating all of it, different people who belong to the same religion may mean different things by the same term. The only way to tease all of this out is to talk with each other and share our views. So I'm exploring the Holy Spirit / Spirit of Life in both the UU and Christian forums.

blessed be,
-lilith

[lilithu]

Namaste David,

Originally Posted by Davidium

I have decided that I really like John Shelby Spong's definition of God as "The source of life, the source of love, and the ground of being..."

"ground of being" is from Paul Tillich, who eloquently merged Christian theology with existentialism (and the only theologian to grace the cover of Time magazine ). Being the ground of being, God is the source of everything, including life and love.

Originally Posted by Davidium

To me, God is not a being... it is a concept.

a concept by which we measure our pain?

Originally Posted by Davidium

Which is why "the Divine" is better for me than God, but I use God because it is the most common word.

Isn't "the Divine" a concept as well?

Originally Posted by Davidium

So, for me the "spirit of life" is a part, a perspective of the Divine.

What are the other aspects of the Divine? And how does the Spirit of Life manifest itself? Is it only in the state of being alive? How is that related to compassion and justice?

thanks,
-lilith