Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-m8s7h Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-20T21:13:43.475Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Searching out the Holy Spirit via Earth's Elements

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2024

Helen Bergin OP
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Many attempts have been made in the Christian tradition to name or describe the Holy Spirit. We have heard the Spirit of God termed ‘teacher’ (Jn 14:26), ‘love’ (1 Jn 4:13), ‘gift’, ‘go-between’. Each of these descriptions is helpful and each is at the same time partial.

In this paper, we wish to explore the Spirit of God (in Christian terms, the Holy Spirit) in relation to air, earth, fire and water. Interest in the four elements has an ancient recorded history, reaching back at least to the Greek philosopher Empedocles in the 5th century BCE. It has also had a history in anatomy and psychology. We note this in reference to the ‘four humours’ in Elizabethan literature. Today, study of the four elements has an impact on areas of astrology, health care and religious traditions. We will focus on the Christian story.

We suggest that there is particular value today in linking the Spirit with four of earth’s elements, mindful always that such connections are analogical. We maintain that an awareness from our Tradition of the close links made between the Spirit and the elements can assist us not only to view the Holy Spirit anew, but can also remind us to respect more deeply the earth in whose elements we as human beings share. First, we will reflect theologically on each element in relation to the Spirit. Second, we will discuss the adequacy for pneumatology of such an understanding. We begin our study with a discussion of the element ‘air’.

Type
Research Article
Information
New Blackfriars , Volume 83 , Issue 973 , March 2002 , pp. 136 - 147
Copyright
Copyright © 2002 Provincial Council of the English Province of the Order of Preachers

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Augustine of Hippo, in E. Hill (ed.), The Trinity. St Augustine, Bk V# 12 (New York: New City Press, 1991), 197.

2 Taylor, John V., The Go‐Between God. The Holy Spirit and the Christian Mission (London: SCM, 1972)Google Scholar.

3 “The usual hongi… is pressing the bridge of the noses together, meanwhile shaking hands and giving a little sound of satisfaction, ‘mm, mm, aah’.” See Anne Salmond, Hui: A Study of Maori Ceremonial Gatherings (Wellington: A.H. and A.W. Reed, 1975), 177.

4 Hildegard of Bingen, “The Book of Divine Works”, 1 #2, in Bowie, F. and Davies, O. (eds.), Hildegard of Bingen: An Anthology (London: SPCK, 1990), 92–3Google Scholar.

5 Tobin, F. (tr. and intro.), Mechtild of Mugdeburg: The Flowing Light of the Godhead, Bk #6 (New York: Paulist, 1998), 186Google Scholar.

6 Quint, J. (ed. and tr.), Meister Eckhart: Deutsche Predigten und Traktate (Munich, 1963), 201Google Scholar. Cited in Fox, M. (ed.), Breakthrough. Meister Eckhart's Creation Spirituality in New Translation (New York: Doubleday & Co. Inc., 1980), 374Google Scholar.

7 Schillebeeckx, Edward, “The Johannine Easter: The Feast of the giving of the Spirit” in For the Sake of the Gospel (New York: Crossroad, 1990 [Dutch original 1989]). 70Google Scholar.

8 Gateley, Edwina, “Spirit‐Power” in Psalms of a by Woman (U.S.: Claretian Pub., 1981), 53Google Scholar.

9 ‘Aotearoa’ is the Maori name for the country later named by European settlers, ‘New Zealand.’

10 Baxter, James K., “Song to the Holy Spirit” in Weir, J. E. (ed.), James K Baxter. Collected Poems (Oxford: O.U.P., 1979), 572Google Scholar.

11 Cyril of Alexandria, “Commentary on St John's Gospel”, Bk 11, 11. Cited in The Divine Office. The Liturgy of the Hours According to the Roman Rite Vol. II (Sydney: E.J. Dwyer, 1974), 611Google Scholar.

12 Cyril of Alexandria, “Commentary on St John's Gospel”, Bk 10. Cited in The Divine Office, Vol. II, 684.

13 Darragh, Neil, At Home in the Earth. Seeking an Earth‐ Centred Spirituality (Auckland N.Z.: Accent Publications, 2000), viGoogle Scholar.

14 de Chardin, Teilhard, “The Spiritual Power of Matter” in The Hymn of the Universe (London: William Collins & Co. Ltd., 1965), 64Google Scholar.

15 Attributed to Stephen Langton. Cited in Congar, Y., I Believe in the Holy Spirit, Vol. 1 (London: Geoffrey Chapman, 1983), 110Google Scholar.

16 Teresa of Avila, “The Fifth Dwelling Place,” Ch.2 #3, in The Interior Castle (New York: Paulist Press, 1979), 92Google Scholar.

17 Simeon the New Theologian, ‘Hymn VI’ as adapted by Brie and Gelineau. See Congar, Y., I Believe in the Holy Spirit, Vol.2 (Geoffrey Chapman: London, 1983), 139, n.24Google Scholar.

18 Teilhard de Chardin, “The Mass on the World” in The Hymn of the Universe, 22.

19 Brame, Grace Adolphsen, “Pentecost” in Grana, J. (ed.), Images. Women in Transition (Los Angeles: Acton House, 1976), 29Google Scholar.

20 James K. Baxter, “Song to the Holy Spirit” in Collected Poems, 572.

21 J. Quint (ed. and tr.), Meister Eckhart, 385. Cited in Sermon 26, n.15, M. Fox (ed.), Breakthrough, 562.

22 Cowley, Joy, “The Burning Bush” in Cowley, J. (text) and Coles, T. (photos), Psalms Down Under (Wellington: Catholic Supplies [NZ] Ltd, 1996), 33Google Scholar.

23 Cited in Y. Congar, I Believe in the Holy Spirit, Vol. 1, 109.

24 Anonymous. Cited in Congar, Y., I Believe in the Holy Spirit, Vol. 1, 109Google Scholar.

25 Mechtild of Magdeburg, The Flowing Light of the Godhead, Bk VII #24, 295.

26 Hilary of Poitiers, “Discourse on Psalm 64, 14–15.” Cited in The Divine Office, Vol. III, (Sydney: E.J. Dwyer, 1974), 584.

27 Meister Eckhart, “Sermon 26” in Breakthrough, 363.

28 Cyril of Jerusalem, “Catechesis XVI”, #12, in The Fathers of the Church. The Works of St Cyril of Jerusalem, Vol. 2 (Washington DC: CUA., 1970). 82.

29 “Tears” in S. Noftke (tr. & intro.), Catherine of Siena: The Dialogue (New York: Paulist Press, 1980). 169.

30 Augustine of Hippo, in E. Hill (ed.). The Trinity: St Augustine Bk VII, #I9 (New York: City Press, 1991), 227.

31 Ivone Gebara, Looking for Running Water. Ecofeminism and Liberation (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1999), 108.

32 Edwards, Denis, The God of Evolution: A Trinitarian Theology (New York: Paulist Press, 1999), 99Google Scholar.

33 John Chrysostom, Homily 32 on Jn 4.13,14. Cited on Internet, but see T. A. Goggin (tr.), The Fathers of the Church. St John Chrysostom, Homilies 1–47 (Washington DC: CUA, 1956), 312.

34 Boff, Leonardo, Trinity and Society (New York: Orbis, 1988 [Portuguese original, 1986]), 189Google Scholar.

35 Kasper, Walter, The God of Jesus Christ (New York: Crossroad, 1983 [German original, 1982]), 223Google Scholar.

36 The critical question regarding access to the four elements for millions of human beings poses other questions which we can only note here.

37 Powell, Anne, “Blessing” in Firesong (Aotearoa N.Z.: Steele Roberts Ltd, 1999), 61Google Scholar.