UNDERSTANDING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE CHURCH

Francis Ikhianosime

Abstract


When the work which the Father gave the son to do on earth was accomplished, the Holy Spirit was sent on the day of Pentecost in order that he might continually sanctify the Church… the Spirit dwells in the Church and in the hearts of the faithful, as in a temple… for the Spirit and the bride both say to Jesus, the Lord; Come!. Hence the universal Church is seen to be “a people brought into unity from the unity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. LG. #4. The Second Vatican Council in her theology of Ecclesiology makes a fine relationship between the Holy Spirit and the Church. The Church is built from the action of the Holy Spirit, which He (Holy Spirit) moves and sustains. The Church which is often referred to as the bride of Christi is not only christocentric but also Pneumacentric. There is thus a relationship and union, which exists between the Church and the Holy Spirit. This relationship finds expression in different activities of the Church. It is precisely this relationship, between the Holy Spirit and the Church that this work highlights from a theological dimension. GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT

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References


i.

Cf. Eph 5:25-27; 1:13; 3:16; 4:20, 23; 5:18

ii.

John O'Donnel, The Mystery of the Truine God, London: Sheed and Ward, 2001, p.75

iii.

ibid

iv.

Ad Gentes, n. 2

v.

Cf. St. Augustine in John O'Donnel, Ibid, p. 77. I however favour these images because of

their relationship to explaining the nature of the Church.

vi.

Ibid

vii.

Karl Rahner, Foundations of the Christian Faith, London: Darton, Longmann & Todd

viii.

De Trinitate, Bk VIII, Ch 10, no. 14

ix.

John O'Donnell, Ibid, p. 80

x.

Michael Schmaus, Dogma 4, The Church, London: Sheed and Ward, 1972, p.6

x.

Bonaventure Kloppenburg, The Ecclesiology of Vatican II, Illnois: Franciscan Hearal press,

, p.14

xi.

Ibid

xii.

Leonardo Boff, Trinity and Society, MaryKnoll: Orbis books, 1988, p.106

xiii.

Perichoresis is described as the action of the Holy Spirit with the father and the Son. It is an

action of love. This same action is what the Holy Spirit does in the Church, bringing her

members to a mission of ever-lovingness

xiv.

See Micheal Schmaus, Ibid, pp 59-66

xv.

Michael Schmaus, Ibid,, p.59

xvi.

David Coffey, “A Proper mission of the Holy Spirit†in Theological Studies, vol. 47, no 2,

June 1986, p.228

xvii.

Muhlen in John O'Donnel, The Mystery of God, Ibid, p. 86

xviii.

Michael Schmaus, Ibid, p. 63

xix.

Muhlen in John O'Donnel, The Mystery of God, Ibid, P. 87

xx.

Ibid,

xxi.

Ibid, p. 88

xxii.

Michael Schmaus, Ibid, p. 65

xxiii.

Jose Comblin, The Holy Spirit and liberation, MaryKnoll: Orbis books, p. 95

xxiv.

Ibid, Pp 96-102

xxv.

Bonaventure Kloppenburg, The Ecclesiology of Vatican II, Ibid, Pp. 30-33

xxvi.

Sermo, no. 267.

xxvii.

Pope Francis, “On the work of the Holy Spiritâ€, Vatican City, May 15, 2013, zenit.org

xxviii. John L. McKenzie S.J. Dictionary of the Bible, 1966. p.277

Francis Ikhianosime is a priest of the Diocese of Auchi. He is the Pastor of St. John the

Baptist Catholic Church, Ogbona, Edo State.


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