Who is the Holy Spirit and What was His purpose

[Halcyon]

The distinguishing factor that separates Christianity from all the rest is CHRIST, the idea that God incarnate died for your sins and then rose again from the grave.

Didn't Krishna do the same though?

 

[lilithu]

Didn't Krishna do the same though?

Krishna incarnated in order to save the world, yes. But I don't think he died for our sins, nor was his particular incarnation ressurected (that I know of). In traditional Christian theology, Jesus' death and ressurection are more important than his life. Whereas it was Krishna's life that was important. His death was incidental.

Also, Vishnu has incarnated many times. Krishna is just one of his incarnations, and that particular incarnation is not fundamental to Hindu theology (unless you are ISKONi). Whereas Jesus' incarnation is thought to be a singular event in history. In mainstream Christianity, salvation hinges on Jesus Christ and no one else.

 

[Booko]

The distinguishing factor that separates Christianity from all the rest is CHRIST, the idea that God incarnate died for your sins and then rose again from the grave.

Thanks, lilithu. I was wondering when someone was going to get around to stating what should be kinda....obvious.

The Holy Spirit exists in other religions. As Godlike said, the Holy Spirit is Shekinah in Judaism. Christianity got both God the Father/Creator and the Spirit from Judaism. Tho the Spirit isn't seen as a separate "person". As Gracie said, the Spirit is the Spirit of God. The power of God, the active force that moves thru the world.

I view the Holy Spirit as the connection between God and us. The Holy Spirit gets as much press in my religion as it does in Christianity, certainly.

In Hebrew, Shekinah is feminine. In Hinduism, Shakti is feminine. Shakti being the power of God.

And if memory serves, the Eastern Church named the Spirit in feminine terms, does it not? Well, James would be able to address this with some authority where I cannot.

 

[lilithu]

I view the Holy Spirit as the connection between God and us. The Holy Spirit gets as much press in my religion as it does in Christianity, certainly.

For those of us UUs who are theistic, the Spirit is central. The Spirit is God immanent in creation. It is the way by which we know God. It is God active in the world, active in nature, active in us.

Spirit of Life, come unto me
Sing in my heart, all the stirrings of compassion
Blow in the wind, rise in the sea
Move in the hand, giving life the shape of justice
Roots hold me close, wings set me free
Spirit of Life, come to me, come to me.