Antony Tiselton 7
The Holy Spirit in the Latin Fathers with Special Reference to Their Use of 1. Corinthians 12 and This Chapter in Modern Scholarship
Abstract:
How did the Latin Fathers make use of 1Corinthians 12 to illuminate their theology of the Holy Spirit? This study compares the four sections of the chapter (12:1–3, 12:4–7; 12:8–11; and 12:12–30) with modern biblical scholarship on one side, and with the Church Fathers on the other. On 12:1–3, Hilary, Ambrose, and other Western Fathers address the agency of the Spirit in confessing “Jesus is Lord”. But there are two differences from modern writings. First, modern suggests a number of hypotheses about Ana,qema VIhsou/j, especially Bruce Winter’s probable explanation, while the Fathers tend to gloss over this part of v. 3. Second, the ontological emphasis of the Fathers on “Lord” (Ku,rioj) is still needed to complement the existential emphasis of most modern writers. On 12:4–7 the explicitly Trinitarian emphasis of the Fathers from Irenaeus to Ambrose and Augustine has much to say about the over-cautious approach of many modern biblical scholars. On 12:10–11, the Fathers address the individual “gifts of the Spirit”, but there are many more specific suggestions in modern scholarship, which need to be taken seriously, especially on prophecy. On the other hand, they are less “dualistic” on healing and other gifts. On 12:12–30 the Fathers genuinely expound the thought of Paul. But they miss some points, recovered in modern thought, especially Dale Martin’s correct emphasis on “reversals” of the body imagery.
Keywords:
Holy Spirit – gifts – Latin Fathers