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Deity and personhood of the Holy Spirit

In short
  • F06.1 The Spirit is Lord and Giver of life, a divine person (381): consensus (high)
  • F06.2 The Spirit regenerates, indwells and sanctifies believers: consensus from Era II (high)
  • F06.3 The Spirit is worshipped and glorified with the Father and the Son (381 συμπροσκυνούμενον): consensus against the Pneumatomachi (high)

Two separate measures, shown side by side; neither is combined with the other (confidence-weighted, out of 4; counts show how many of this doctrine's 3 questions each rests on; ⚠ marks coverage more than 10 points below the median, a less certain rank). This doctrine is first-order (tier weight 3). How scoring works · Scripture and tradition · Glossary · Every score with its citation

Closeness to Scripture

1 Catholic3/3 cells 100% 3/3 q
2 Orthodox3/3 cells 100% 3/3 q
3 Oriental Orthodox3/3 cells 100% 3/3 q
4 Lutheran3/3 cells 100% 3/3 q
5 Anglican3/3 cells 100% 3/3 q
6 Presbyterian3/3 cells 100% 3/3 q
7 Reformed Baptist3/3 cells 100% 3/3 q
8 General Baptist3/3 cells 100% 3/3 q
9 Anabaptist3/3 cells 100% 3/3 q

Closeness to the fathers

1 Catholic3/3 cells 100% 3/3 q
2 Orthodox3/3 cells 100% 3/3 q
3 Oriental Orthodox3/3 cells 100% 3/3 q
4 Lutheran3/3 cells 100% 3/3 q
5 Anglican3/3 cells 100% 3/3 q
6 Presbyterian3/3 cells 100% 3/3 q
7 Reformed Baptist3/3 cells 100% 3/3 q
8 General Baptist3/3 cells 100% 3/3 q
9 Anabaptist3/3 cells 100% 3/3 q
Charts: closeness to the fathers by question, and timeline
Closeness to the fathers, by question (0–4). Hatched = not assessed in the category file. Click a question for its verdict.
01234Catholic · F06.1: 4/4 — Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed4Orthodox · F06.1: 4/4 — Creed of 3814Oriental Orthodox · F06.1: 4/4 — Nerses: the Holy Spirit 'equal to the Father and the Son' (verified)4Lutheran · F06.1: 4/4 — AC I4Anglican · F06.1: 4/4 — Art. V: 'of one substance, majesty, and glory, with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God'4Presbyterian · F06.1: 4/4 — WCF II.34Reformed Baptist · F06.1: 4/4 — 1689 2.34General Baptist · F06.1: 4/4 — Orthodox Creed; Athanasian Creed received (art. 38)4Anabaptist · F06.1: 4/4 — Dordrecht I (verified)4F06.1conf. highCatholic · F06.2: 4/4 — Trent VI.7 (renewal by the Spirit; verified chapter)4Orthodox · F06.2: 4/4 — Chrismation; Dositheus 164Oriental Orthodox · F06.2: 4/4 — Armenian Badarak4Lutheran · F06.2: 4/4 — AC V: through Word and Sacraments 'the Holy Ghost is given, who works faith' (verified)4Anglican · F06.2: 4/4 — Art. XXVII4Presbyterian · F06.2: 4/4 — WCF X.1, XIII.14Reformed Baptist · F06.2: 4/4 — 1689 10.1, 13.14General Baptist · F06.2: 4/4 — SC 1660 art. 12 (verified)4Anabaptist · F06.2: 4/4 — Dordrecht VI (verified heading)4F06.2conf. highCatholic · F06.3: 4/4 — Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed: worshipped with Father and Son4Orthodox · F06.3: 4/4 — Creed of 381: συμπροσκυνούμενον with Father and Son4Oriental Orthodox · F06.3: 4/4 — Nerses: Spirit equal in glory (verified)4Lutheran · F06.3: 4/4 — AC I / Nicene Creed in worship4Anglican · F06.3: 4/4 — Art. V: of one majesty and glory with Father and Son4Presbyterian · F06.3: 4/4 — WCF XXI.2: worship to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost4Reformed Baptist · F06.3: 4/4 — 1689 22.2: worship to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost4General Baptist · F06.3: 4/4 — Nicene and Athanasian creeds (Orthodox Creed 38, verified)4Anabaptist · F06.3: 4/4 — Dordrecht I: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (verified)4F06.3conf. high
CatholicOrthodoxOriental OrthodoxLutheranAnglicanPresbyterianReformed BaptistGeneral BaptistAnabaptistnot assessed
When the cited witnesses spoke (approximate dates) and where later traditions fixed their positions. Filled dot = consensus question; hollow orange = a question on which the fathers varied. Each item links to its source note or post-750 note.
1002003004005006007001000125015001700post-750 (compressed)Irenaeus (c. 180) · F06.2Irenaeusc. 180 · F06.2Basil (c. 370) · F06.1Basilc. 370 · F06.1Basil (c. 370) · F06.2Basilc. 370 · F06.2Basil (c. 370) · F06.3Basilc. 370 · F06.3Gregory Nazianzen (c. 380) · F06.1Gregory Nazianzenc. 380 · F06.1Constantinople I (c. 381) · F06.1, F06.3Constantinople Ic. 381 · F06.1, F06.3Trent VI (1547) · CatholicTrent VI1547 · CatholicWestminster Confession (1646) · PresbyterianWestminster Confession1646 · PresbyterianWestminster Confession (1646) · Reformed BaptistWestminster Confession1646 · Reformed BaptistConfession of Dositheus (1672) · OrthodoxConfession of Dositheus1672 · Orthodox
  1. c. 180 Irenaeus F06.2
  2. c. 370 Basil F06.1
  3. c. 370 Basil F06.2
  4. c. 370 Basil F06.3
  5. c. 380 Gregory Nazianzen F06.1
  6. c. 381 Constantinople I F06.1, F06.3
  7. 1547 Trent VI Catholic
  8. 1646 Westminster Confession Presbyterian
  9. 1646 Westminster Confession Reformed Baptist
  10. 1672 Confession of Dositheus Orthodox

F6 · Deity and personhood of the Holy Spirit

‘The Lord, the giver of life’ (381).

Tier: First-order (scoring weight 3). How the tiers were set: theological triage. Method: conventions. Traditions’ sources: confessional sources.

In short

Scripture speaks of the Holy Spirit as a person who teaches, wills and can be grieved, and treats lying to him as lying to God. The creed of 381 confesses him as ’the Lord, the giver of life’, worshipped and glorified with the Father and the Son (συμπροσκυνούμενον). All nine traditions hold this.

Plan

Question: F06.1: is the Holy Spirit a divine person? The procession question is S15. Scripture: Matt 28:19; John 14:16–17, 26; Acts 5:3–4; 1 Cor 2:10–11; 12:11; 2 Cor 13:14. Fathers: the Creed of 381; Gregory Nazianzen, Oration 31. F06.2: does the Spirit give new life and indwell (John 3:5; Rom 8:9–11; Irenaeus; Basil 9.23)? F06.3: is the Spirit to be worshipped and glorified with the Father and the Son (Matt 28:19; Creed of 381; Basil, On the Holy Spirit 10)?

Questions

  • F06.1 Is the Holy Spirit a divine person?
  • F06.2 Does the Spirit give new life and dwell in believers?
  • F06.3 Is the Holy Spirit to be worshipped and glorified with the Father and the Son?

Verdicts and trace

Weighed under the source-proximity principle: Scripture first, then the father eras I–IV.

F06.1 · Is the Holy Spirit a divine person?

QuestionVerdictConfidenceReasoningKey sourcesScripture (benchmark)
F06.1The Spirit is Lord and Giver of life, a divine person (381): consensusHighF06.1.1 · F06.1.3 weighingconstantinople-i-f06-s1 · gregory-nazianzen-f06-s1 · basil-f06-s1F06.1.4: high

F06.2 · Does the Spirit give new life and dwell in believers?

QuestionVerdictConfidenceReasoningKey sourcesScripture (benchmark)
F06.2The Spirit regenerates, indwells and sanctifies believers: consensus from Era IIHighF06.2.1 · F06.2.3 weighingirenaeus-f06-s1 · basil-f06-s2F06.2.4: high

F06.3 · Is the Holy Spirit to be worshipped and glorified with the Father and the Son?

QuestionVerdictConfidenceReasoningKey sourcesScripture (benchmark)
F06.3The Spirit is worshipped and glorified with the Father and the Son (381 συμπροσκυνούμενον): consensus against the PneumatomachiHighF06.3.1 · F06.3.3 weighingconstantinople-i-f06-s1 · basil-f06-s3F06.3.4: high

Post-750 development

Which of this doctrine’s questions each tradition stays closest to, or departs from. Each row links to the tradition’s notes; exact scores and bases are in the reasoning.

TraditionClosest to the fathers onDeparts or sharpens on
CatholicF06.1, F06.2, F06.3—
OrthodoxF06.1, F06.2, F06.3—
Oriental OrthodoxF06.1, F06.2, F06.3—
LutheranF06.1, F06.2, F06.3—
AnglicanF06.1, F06.2, F06.3—
PresbyterianF06.1, F06.2, F06.3—
Reformed BaptistF06.1, F06.2, F06.3—
General BaptistF06.1, F06.2, F06.3—
AnabaptistF06.1, F06.2, F06.3—

Overall verdict

All nine confess the deity and personhood of the Spirit. All nine confess the Spirit’s life-giving work (F06.2) and worship him with the Father and the Son (F06.3).

Verification status

None beyond standard creedal wording.