Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 607

Chap. Ill]

the place

THE HOLY

§ 90.

of alacrity

TEACHER

SPIRIT AS

583

and intelligence or of the "body of

doctrine " (copia doctrinae).

By his

supple fingers the pian-

he has not the instrument But however strenuously we emphasize itself at his disposal. this intellectual development, unless a spiritual development ist

cannot produce a single tone,

be

its

guide,

it

if

degenerates of necessity into intellectualisra,

and unfruitful. Only when the theologian applies himself in harmonious relation to the development of hoth^ does he offer himself to the Holy Spirit as and becomes

cold, barren

a prepared instrument, and

is

able to reveal even

more

fully

the strength of this instrument. § 90.

The Holy Sjnrit as Teacher (Spiritus Sanctus Doctor)

it be explained what has been implied in the worship of the Holy Spirit by the Church of Christ as the Teacher of the Church (Doctor ecclesiae). This

In this connection only can

confession must

now be considered, human mind, in

the action of the

because

it

implies that

order to attain to the

true " knowledge of God," and thus of all theology, stands

subject to his guidance. first

To understand

this well,

we must

distinguish between the several sorts of activities that

go out from the Holy Ghost. From Him all animation proceeds, as well as the whole creation, and wherever life glows, its flame is ignited by the Holy Ghost. That flame is wanting in the chaotic mass, and then the Holy Spirit moves as yet separate above the chaos. But when the chaos becomes cosmos, the fiery flame of the Spirit glows and scintillates throughout the entire creation. In all conscious life this working of the Holy Spirit reveals itself more intensively and more definitely in the psychical life of man. Not because the Holy Spirit is here a different one, but because this plane of life stands higher, possesses the form of conscious life, and is consequently able to cause the energy of the Holy Spirit to appear much higher form. In this sense all light in us, in our

in a

emotional

life as

light ignited

well as in the domain of science and

by the Holy Ghost.

the highest sphere of His activity.

when from

But

this

This

art, is

does not touch is

reached only,

his side the creature places himself in conscious

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