Spirit Christology:

The Forgotten Godhead in Christology

Scott Van Daalen

!1
 Table of Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . 3

Historical View of Spirit Christology . . . . . . . . . . 4

The Forgotten Godhead . . . . . . . . . . 6

Spirit Christology . . . . . . . . . . 8

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . 11

Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . 12

!2
 Spirit Christology:
The Forgotten Godhead in Christology

Introduction

In modern Christianity, there is much made of the relationship between believers and

Jesus. People quickly point to Jesus as the benefactor or originator of salvation; in fact, if a

person were to interview a random group of believers on which member of the Trinity was most

important in terms of their salvation, undeniably, the large majority would assuredly and

confidently attest that Jesus is the most important. Beyond the work and person of Jesus in

Christology, there has also been an elevation of the Father in the Trinity. A person only needs to

turn on the radio to a Christian radio station to hear the current theological trends emerging

through the lyrics. However, in many theological discussions, sermons, media, and thoughts,

there is a member of the Trinity that is being left out when discussing Christology: the Holy

Spirit. Yet in smaller theological circles, there is a growing trend and movement towards Spirit

Christology which is a term that is broadly used to point to theological thoughts and movements

“in which the person and work of the Holy Spirit (pneumatology) figures prominently and

indispensably in one’s articulation of the person and work of Jesus Christ (Christology).”1 Spirit

Christology opens a huge door into a whole new conversation in theology that can spark endless

rabbit trails that could each be discussed at length. Within this essay, I will lay out the historical

view of the Holy Spirit in Christology, the ways that the Holy Spirit has been overlooked, and

the ramifications of a Spirit Christology. However, the focus in this paper will be on the

overlooked aspect of the Holy Spirit within Person and work of Jesus (Christology).

1Kyle Claunch, "The Son and the Spirit: The Promise and Peril of Spirit Christology,” (Southern Equip,
Southern Seminary, 2015).

!3
Historical View of Spirit Christology

When examining anything within theology, it is important to look backwards to see what

the early Christians and early Church thought on the topic. In this case, we examine the thoughts

of the Early Church and historical theologians to glean insights on their theology of Spirit

Christology. In the Early Church, theology came from personal experience; therefor, people were

deciphering their experience not interpretations from others.2 For the early Christians, this means

that they were interpreting their thoughts on the Holy Spirit through their experience of Jesus

Christ; this creates a dynamically connected relationship between the understanding of the Holy

Spirit and the work and person of Jesus. As time went on however, people began to reflect back

to the experiences and interpretations of those before them. Irenaeus, a Greek bishop prior to the

year 200, was one of the first to address the belief system; more specifically, Irenaeus sought to

address those whose beliefs were thought and deemed to be heretical. In doing so, he was able to

iron out more specifically what the ‘correct’ views were at the time. Around the year 200 ce, after

generations of people interpreting others’ beliefs on theology, one of the first, most prominent

theologians burst onto the scene: Origen of Alexandria. Origen states, “While the Father works in

all things, the Son only in rational creatures and the Spirit only in the church.”3 Yet, this entirely

ignores the work of the Holy Spirit in the work of creation as seen in Genesis 1: 1-2. On the

other hand, Augustin, who began writing around the year 400, attested that “all the of the Trinity

ad extra (outwardly) are united.” 4 As for the reverse, the inward trinitarian work is separated by

2 Patrick Oden, "Developing a Theology of the Holy Spirit,” 2.

3 Oden, "Developing a Theology,” 6.

4 Ibid., 6.

!4
the Person of the Trinity. Augustine was crucial in the development further by asserting that the

Holy Spirit is indeed God. He elaborates that the Spirit is the bond of love between the Father

and the Son.5 Moving onward, the Holy Spirit was then confounded and added to by the

monasticism movement. 6 By the time of the medieval era, there is further issues in the study and

practice of pneumatology; the filioque clause is added.

“The term filioque (Latin: “and from the Son”) refers to the addition by Latin Christianity
to the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed of 381 concerning the dual procession of the
Spirit both from the Son and the Father, a statement vehemently opposed by the Greek-
speaking Orthodox tradition, which always has stuck with the original form of the creed
that said the Holy Spirit “proceeds from the Father.” This was the major theological
reason for the first major breach of the Christian church in 1054.”7

The filioque clause essentially and effectively places the Holy Spirit below the Son. The clause

also leads to subordination of pneumatology (Spirit) to Christology in the doctrine of salvation,

ecclesiology, etc.”8 Though this is by no means the entire history of the relationship between

pneumatology and Christology, it effectively brings us to a place of understanding the modern

scenario of the misunderstandings of the work and person of the Holy Spirit in relation to

Christology.

5 D.T. Williams, "Bond of love": The action of the spirit, (Acta Theologica).

6 Oden, "Developing a Theology,” 7.

7Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, Christian Theology in the Pluralistic World: A Global Introduction, (Grand
Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2018), 59 - 60.

8 Oden, "Developing a Theology,” 16.

!5
The Forgotten Godhead

In the Western Christian tradition, the theological topic, Person, and work of the Holy

Spirit is frequently overlooked or essentially forgotten. Yet this has not always been the case in

the global Church. The Church split in 1054 which creates the Western Church and the Eastern

Church. One of the main issues that separated being the filioque clause as previously addressed.

Del Colle, a Catholic theologian, asserts that one of the other affects of the filioque clause being

that it created “excessive Christocentrism” in the Western Church.9 Jürgen Moltmann puts it

another way; he states that the Holy Spirit is the “Cinderella of Western theology.”10 In fact

beyond Moltmann, there are theologians who have centered their theology around this exact

idea. Jonathan Rusnak states “A weak Pneumatology does not stem simply from an

overemphasis on Christology, as if these are against one another, but it reveals a weak trinitarian

theology stemming from a particular accent in Western soteriology.”11 A rich Pneumatology is

able to open up the conversation and thoughts around the ideas of Christology. Clark Pinnock is

a theologian who has focused on Spirit Christology through a similar lens. However, prior to

diving into Spirit Christology, Pinnock focuses in on the Spirit’s role within Creation. It is his

belief that a proper view of the work of the Spirit in Creation aligns the other theology around

the Holy Spirit. He believes “because the Creator Spirit has been ignored, the church has been

able to confine the concepts of soteriology and communion with God to the realm of the church.

If, however, the Spirit is the author of the creation of the whole world, then it is wrongheaded to

9Ralph Del Colle, Christ and the Spirit: Spirit-christology in Trinitarian Perspective, (New York: Oxford
University Press, 2011), 12.

10 Jürgen Moltmann, The Spirit of Life: A Universal Affirmation, (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2001) 1.

11Jonathan William Rusnak, Shaped by the Spirit: Spirit Christology as a Framework for Preaching
Sanctification, (Master’s thesis, Concordia Seminary, 2014), 54.

!6
limit his presence and activities to the sphere of the church.”12 The focus is thus firstly on

regaining the view of the “Creator Spirit” in order to move onward to the topic of Spirit

Christology. This is foundational to the Spirit Christology of Pinnock. “Just as there has been a

neglect of the Spirit as Creator, there has been a neglect concerning the work of the Spirit in

relation to Christ.”13 The creates an environment and setting for the Spirit to be subordinated to

the Son such that “… the mission of the Spirit in the world has been conceived as an aspect of

the mission of the Son.” 14 Yet by understanding the role of the Spirit in Creation in conjunction

with a proper model of Spirit Christology, Pinnock and other theologians are able to assure that

the mission of Christ is a part of the mission of the Spirit not vice versa.15

“By framing his Spirit Christology in terms of the Spirit’s mission of creating man in the
image of God and by suggesting that the mission of the Son is an aspect of that mission,
Pinnock is able to present the incarnation of the Son of God as the supreme exemplary
event, marking the crowning achievement of the Spirit’s work: ‘We begin by placing
Christology in the context of the Spirit’s global operations, of which incarnation is the
culmination.’”16

In this approach, Pinnock offers the tools to understand an “inclusive soteriology.”17 However,

the incarational aspect of the mission of Christ is “… the culmination of the Spirit’s mission, it is

12 Kyle Claunch, "The Son and the Spirit: The Promise and Peril of Spirit Christology,” (Southern Equip).

13Clark H. Pinnock, Flame of Love: A Theology of the Holy Spirit, (Downers Grove, IL: I.V.P. US,
1996), 80.

14 Kyle Claunch, "The Son and the Spirit.”

15 Ibid.

16 Ibid.

17 Ibid.

!7
not the only aspect of the Spirit’s mission.”18 The work that the Spirit achieved through the

incarnation of Jesus is the same work the Spirit is achieving all around the world even today. For

much of the history of the Western church, the Spirit has been the overlooked and forgotten

figure in the Trinity, yet, luckily, there is wonderful movement in rethinking and configuring the

forms and roles of a balanced Trinity.

Spirit Christology

Upon peeling back the layers of history and theology, we can understand where we are

today. So with a rightly ordered view of the Holy Spirit within Christology, where does that place

us now? Anytime that a person ventures into theological discussions of the Trinity, one runs the

risk of stating explicitly and implicitly something that is heretical to the Christian belief system.

It is a dangerous game of stepping out, thinking outside of the boundaries, and risking the label

of heretic. There are a number of clear instances where there is a clear connection between the

Holy Spirit and Christology; these are the easy connections. The ones that put the Spirit in

defined boxes that people are comfortable with.

Yet there are a number of theologians who have faced this head on and came up with

models. For instance, Del Colle addresses the theological hula hoops of the deity of Christ

through descent of God to man and ascension of man to God (movements of Christ through

birth, death, and resurrection) while still affirming the filioque clause. Del Colle writes, “the

Father bestows the Spirit on the Son and the Son reciprocates by bestowing the Spirit on the

Father. Put in the language of procession, this model suggests that, within the eternal being of

18 Ibid.

!8
God, the Spirit proceeds from the Father to the Son and from the Son to the Father. Thus, there is

procession from the Father and the Son, but it is a reciprocal procession.”19 This assertion is a

perfect embodiment of Spirit Christology as this explanation does not work without the Holy

Spirit. Del Colle approaches the explanation with the intent and purpose of making sure that the

Spirit is “given due consideration as a fully divine person whose eternal place in the Godhead

and whose mission and role in the world are understood as equal to that of the Son.”20 In Del

Colle’s eyes, he successful outlines a model of Spirit Chirstology that upholds the

pneumatological aspects while still maintaining the filioque clause all without “compromising

the monarchy of the Father or implicating a subordination of the Third Person.”21

When looking at the aspects of Spirit Christology, it is helpful to look at different aspects

of Christology that impacted and affected by the Holy Spirit. One of the primary duties and roles

that people consider in Christology is that of salvation. Many have the view that Jesus is

responsible for salvation, and even if they were to add another member, they would perhaps

attribute the Father for sending the Son. Yet again and as previously highlighted, this eliminates

and reduces the role of the Holy Spirit. Though salvation is available to us through the work,

death, and resurrection of Jesus, we are ushered into this place by the prompting and guidance of

the Holy Spirit, or as Del Colle asserts, the Father bestows the Spirit on the Son for the

Resurrection.22 On the other hand, Pinnock asserts that the work of the Spirit is embodied in the

19 Ralph Del Colle, “Reflections on the Filioque,” (Journal of Ecumenical Studies, no. 34, 1997) 202.

20 Kyle Claunch, "The Son and the Spirit.”

21 Del Colle, “Reflections,” 202.

22 Ibid., 202.

!9
work of Jesus. If you want to know what the Spirit’s work is like, you can examine the work that

is done through Jesus. Pinnock simultaneously elevates both the Son and Spirit through this

belief. “Pinnock does believe that apart from the incarnation, there could be no salvation.

However, explicit faith in Christ, while advantageous for those who have it, is by no means

necessary for salvation in the economy of the Spirit.”23 The Spirit also works in the ushering of

people into faith. The “Spirit makes Christ present and transforms the context, resonating deeply

and broadly.”24 This takes place inwardly through personal transformation and outwardly as

“action in and for this world.” 25 In other words, our belief and relationship with Christ “invites

the Spirit’s response in us.”26 Thus, there is a clear connection and relationship between Spirit

(pneumatology) and Son in the theology of Christology.

Conclusion

The way we think and view theology (especially practical theology) does truly impact the

way that we live our life. Some may be quick to assert that this is splitting hairs or a waste of

time. In college, I always struggled spending significant time working on theology because I

would never know if I was right or wrong; there is no true way to know. Despite this, this paper

has attempted to layout the basics of Spirit Christology, the history of pneumatology and

Christology, the forgotten and overlooked aspects of the Holy Spirit, and an overview and

23 Kyle Claunch, "The Son and the Spirit.”

24 Patrick Oden, "Introducing the Holy Spirit,” 15.

25 Oden, "Introducing the Holy Spirit,” 15.

26 Ibid., 19.

!10
application of Spirit Christology. Along with the outlined thoughts, there is a wide array of

directions that the conversation on Spirit Christology can lead towards. For instance, theologians

spend great length just looking at individual aspects of the life and earthly mission of Jesus and

examine how the Spirit relates to Jesus in this time. These are huge areas of conversation and

debate for many. There are huge areas of further reflection that are needed once a person has a

right ordered view of Trinity and Spirit Christology. Overall, this paper serves as an introduction

and survey of the general topic of Spirit Christology with emphasis on the Holy Spirit within

Person and work of Jesus (Christology); we have seen the the historical view of the Holy Spirit

in Christology, the ways that the Holy Spirit has been overlooked, and the ramifications of a

Spirit Christology.

!11
 Bibliography

Bucur, Bogdan Gabriel. Angelomorphic Pneumatology: Clement of Alexandria and Other Early

Christian Witnesses. Leiden: Brill, 2009.

Claunch, Kyle. "The Son and the Spirit: The Promise and Peril of Spirit Christology." Southern

Equip. Accessed November 26, 2018. http://equip.sbts.edu/category/publications/

journals/journal-of-theology/sbjt-191-spring-2015/.

Del Colle, Ralph. "“Reflections on the Filioque”." Journal of Ecumenical Studies, no. 34 (1997):

202-17.

Del Colle, Ralph. Christ and the Spirit: Spirit-christology in Trinitarian Perspective. New York:

Oxford University Press, 2011.

Kärkkäinen, Veli-Matti. Christian Theology in the Pluralistic World: A Global Introduction.

Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2018.

Moltmann, Jürgen. The Spirit of Life: A Universal Affirmation. Minneapolis: Fortress Press,

2001.

Oden, Patrick. “Developing a Theology of the Holy Spirit.” Lecture.

Oden, Patrick. "Introducing the Holy Spirit." Lecture.

Phillips, Jeff B. Discipleship in the Spirit of Jesus: Reflections on Spirit Christology. Master's

thesis, Abilene Christian University, 1999.

Pinnock, Clark H. Flame of Love: A Theology of the Holy Spirit. Downers Grove, IL: I.V.P. US,

1996.

Rusnak, Jonathan William. Shaped by the Spirit: Spirit Christology as a Framework for

Preaching Sanctification. Master's thesis, Concordia Seminary, 2014.

!12
Williams, D.T.. (2014). "Bond of love": The action of the spirit. Acta Theologica,

https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ACTAT.V34I2.11

!13