What is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit, in Christian belief, is the Spirit of God, present in the narrative from the first page of the Bible to its last book. The opening of Genesis describes the Spirit of God "hovering over the surface of the waters." In the Old Testament the Spirit is given to…
The Holy Spirit, in Christian belief, is the Spirit of God, present in the narrative from the first page of the Bible to its last book. The opening of Genesis describes the Spirit of God "hovering over the surface of the waters." In the Old Testament the Spirit is given to particular people — leaders, prophets, craftsmen — for particular tasks. In the New Testament the picture widens: in John's Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples that the Holy Spirit, whom he calls the "Helper," will come to teach them all things and remind them of what he said. Acts chapter 2 recounts the Spirit coming upon the first community at Pentecost, turning a hesitant group into a community that bore witness with courage; that event is regarded as the beginning of the church. In Paul's letters the Holy Spirit is described as the one who lives in the believer, helps them pray and shapes their character; Galatians lists the "fruit of the Spirit" as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. In Christian teaching the Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force but a personal presence named together with the Father and the Son; the baptismal command at the end of Matthew's Gospel joins the three names. Church traditions differ in how they understand the gifts of the Spirit today, but they share the conviction that the Spirit is God's own presence and activity. The related chapters can be read on this site.