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Deity and personhood of the Holy Spirit

In short
  • F06.1 The Spirit is Lord and Giver of life, worshipped and glorified with the Father and the Son (381): consensus (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 1 questions each rests on). This doctrine is first-order (tier weight 3). How scoring works · Scripture and tradition · Glossary · Every score with its citation

Closeness to Scripture

1 Catholic 100% 1/1 q
2 Orthodox 100% 1/1 q
3 Oriental Orthodox 100% 1/1 q
4 Lutheran 100% 1/1 q
5 Anglican 100% 1/1 q
6 Presbyterian 100% 1/1 q
7 Reformed Baptist 100% 1/1 q
8 General Baptist 100% 1/1 q
9 Anabaptist 100% 1/1 q

Closeness to the fathers

1 Catholic 100% 1/1 q
2 Orthodox 100% 1/1 q
3 Oriental Orthodox 100% 1/1 q
4 Lutheran 100% 1/1 q
5 Anglican 100% 1/1 q
6 Presbyterian 100% 1/1 q
7 Reformed Baptist 100% 1/1 q
8 General Baptist 100% 1/1 q
9 Anabaptist 100% 1/1 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. 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)Basil (c. 370) · F06.1Basilc. 370 · F06.1Gregory Nazianzen (c. 380) · F06.1Gregory Nazianzenc. 380 · F06.1Constantinople I (c. 381) · F06.1Constantinople Ic. 381 · F06.1Westminster Confession (1646) · PresbyterianWestminster Confession1646 · Presbyterian
  1. c. 370 Basil F06.1
  2. c. 380 Gregory Nazianzen F06.1
  3. c. 381 Constantinople I F06.1
  4. 1646 Westminster Confession Presbyterian

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 with the Father and the Son. All nine traditions hold this.

Plan

Question: F06.1: is the Holy Spirit a divine person, to be worshipped with the Father and the Son? 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.

Questions

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

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, worshipped and glorified with the Father and the Son (381): consensusHighF06.1.1 · F06.1.3 weighingconstantinople-i-f06-s1 · gregory-nazianzen-f06-s1 · basil-f06-s1F06.1.4: 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—
OrthodoxF06.1—
Oriental OrthodoxF06.1—
LutheranF06.1—
AnglicanF06.1—
PresbyterianF06.1—
Reformed BaptistF06.1—
General BaptistF06.1—
AnabaptistF06.1—

Overall verdict

All nine confess the deity and personhood of the Spirit.

Verification status

None beyond standard creedal wording.