Abstract

LOMBAARD, Christo. First steps into the discipline: On the 'spirit' in the discipline of Christian spirituality. Herv. teol. stud. [online]. 2019, vol.75, n.1, pp.1-8. ISSN 2072-8050.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/hts.v75i1.5456.

In this article on entering the academic discipline of Christian Spirituality, terminological sensitivities in interdisciplinary work are taken as a point of departure. From this more general base, the following four points are argued: 'Spirituality' is a multivalence term, indicated from academic considerations and from non-academic writings of our time, with journalism serving as a productive example; terms 'spirit', 'spirituality' and 'Holy Spirit' ought not to be conflated with one another by new colleagues entering the discipline of Christian Spirituality; Christian Spirituality studies the experience-expression-dynamics of the Christian faith, and not the Holy Spirit as primary topic of investigation; however this should not be taken to imply an impoverished Christian theology, because the Trinity, as demonstrated, remains part of the core assumptions of this discipline.

Keywords : Christian spirituality; Inter-disciplinary; Entering the discipline; 'Spirit'; Holy Spirit.

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