Grace Institute: Systematic Theology: Pneumatology: Historic Development of Pneumatology

Pneumatololgy Grace Institute for Biblical Leadership Winter 2006

B. Historic Development of Pneumatology

The doctrine of the Holy Spirit grew out of the fuller development of the doctrine of the Trinity. As the church wrestled with the nature of Christ and the trinity, it's understanding of the Holy Spirit grew along side [1]. In the third century, the Modalists believed that the Father, Son and Spirit were three names (or “modes”) of the same God, and therefore the Spirit was merely the power of God or the divine force of God. They saw the Holy Spirit as divine, but not distinct from the Father or Son and not personal. In the fourth century, the Arians believed that the Father had created the Son in eternity past, and that the Son had created the Spirit. They saw the Holy Spirit as distinct from the Father and Son and saw Him as personal, but they denied His divinity. With the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople in AD 325 and 381, respectively, the church affirmed that the Holy Spirit is not just a force or a name for the power of God, but is a personal being. Furthermore, He is not a creation of the Father or the Son, but is equally divine with them.

In the early middle ages, there were radical Pneumatomachians (“Spirit-fighters”) who opposed the full deity of Christ. Along with them were the charismatic Montanists who prophesied and spoke in tongues. These radical groups did not last as the Orthodox view followed a middle line between these two groups.

In reformation there was no major change to the orthodox view of the Holy Spirit. Luther emphasized the Spirit's infusion of love, while Calvin emphasized the relationship of the Spirit to the Word. However, the Spirit was not emphasized in any reformation works. John Wesley emphasized the sanctifying work of the Spirit. Wesley taught that the Spirit would come to all believers with a “second baptism” which enabled believers to live a sanctified life.

In the ages of Enlightenment, the doctrine of the Spirit went largely ignored as rationalism led a wave of thought towards a more transcendent God. As people saw more God more through rationalistic and deistic eyes, the personal nature of the Spirit was largely ignored through the mid 19 th century.

In the late 19 th & 20 th century, the birth of the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements brought renewed emphasis on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. By the 1950s even High Churches had charismatic elements within them. Today, the “power evangelism” movement continues to emphasize the work of the Holy Spirit.

Footnotes

1. Charles Hodge. Systematic Theology . Originally published 1872. Oak Harbor WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997.

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