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The Spirit (World) and the (Holy) Spirits among the Earliest Christians: 1 Corinthians 12 and 14 as a Test Case.

An essay is presented exploring early Christian pneumatology in reference to the use of the Greek word for "spirit" in First Corinthians. The author argues that the earliest Christians believed in many spirits rather than one Holy Spirit designated as a Person of God as in later trinitarian theology...

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Published in:Catholic Biblical Quarterly Vol. 70; no. 2; pp. 313 - 331
Main Author: Tibbs, Clint
Format: Essay
Published: Catholic Biblical Association of America Apr2008
Subjects:
Essays
Holy Spirit
Trinity > History of doctrines
Bible. Corinthians, 1st
New Testament criticism & interpretation
Supernatural beings
Primitive & early church, ca. 30-600
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
Summary:An essay is presented exploring early Christian pneumatology in reference to the use of the Greek word for "spirit" in First Corinthians. The author argues that the earliest Christians believed in many spirits rather than one Holy Spirit designated as a Person of God as in later trinitarian theology. The understanding of spirits is explored within such texts as "Didache," "Shepard of Hermas," and "De Principiis." The author concludes that the idea of the Holy Spirit is a later development.