Understanding of Soul and Spirit: Clarification Needed

DeepBlueSea · #1 Jun 16, '12, 11:08 pm

I am wondering whether Spirit is a higher form of soul, as in the soul has the potential to be come like spirit which is immortal?

From what I understand from the the Catholic Encyclopedia, soul is not distinct from spirit.

What is the Catholic position on this?

Thanks.

**Trishie** · #2 Jun 16, '12, 11:59 pm

http://http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p1s2c1p6.htm
The Catechism of the Catholic Church:

365 The unity of soul and body is so profound that one has to consider the soul to be the "form" of the body:234 i.e., it is because of its spiritual soul that the body made of matter becomes a living, human body; spirit and matter, in man, are not two natures united, but rather their union forms a single nature.

366 The Church teaches that every spiritual soul is created immediately by God - it is not "produced" by the parents - and also that it is immortal: it does not perish when it separates from the body at death, and it will be reunited with the body at the final Resurrection.235

367 Sometimes the soul is distinguished from the spirit: St. Paul for instance prays that God may sanctify his people "wholly", with "spirit and soul and body" kept sound and blameless at the Lord's coming.236 The Church teaches that this distinction does not introduce a duality into the soul.237 "Spirit" signifies that from creation man is ordered to a supernatural end and that his soul can gratuitously be raised beyond all it deserves to communion with God.238

andremiguel · #3 Jun 17, '12, 1:01 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeepBlueSea

I am wondering whether Spirit is a higher form of soul, as in the soul has the potential to be come like spirit which is immortal?

From what I understand from the the Catholic Encyclopedia, soul is not distinct from spirit.

What is the Catholic position on this?

Thanks.

Soul=Spirit=Me=I.

Sam_777 · #4 Jun 17, '12, 3:38 am

Soul: while on earth (body required).
Spirit: in heavens (no body required (like Angels)).

**GEddie** · #5 Jun 17, '12, 6:19 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam_777

Soul: while on earth (body required).
Spirit: in heavens (no body required (like Angels)).

Actually, no.

Body is always required, except that in eternity, one goes from "human body" to "pneumatikon soma" (1Co 15).

You never become an angel, whether or not you live in Los Angeles

. A human being is always someBODY.

"The soul" is the person, the human being; or, more specifically, the life in the human being (body). It is not expressed unless there is a body. Bodies hold and express souls.

Spirit comes the Latin word spiritus, breath. Just as we are not physically alive unless we can breathe, we need Heavenly breath (spirit) from GOD to form our Heavenly life and our pneumatikon soma ("spiritual body")

ICXC NIKA

Sam_777 · #6 Jun 18, '12, 2:18 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by GEddie

Actually, no.

Body is always required, except that in eternity, one goes from "human body" to "pneumatikon soma" (1Co 15).

You never become an angel, whether or not you live in Los Angeles

. A human being is always someBODY.

"The soul" is the person, the human being; or, more specifically, the life in the human being (body). It is not expressed unless there is a body. Bodies hold and express souls.

Spirit comes the Latin word spiritus, breath. Just as we are not physically alive unless we can breathe, we need Heavenly breath (spirit) from GOD to form our Heavenly life and our pneumatikon soma ("spiritual body")

ICXC NIKA

(Matthew 22:30):
"At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven."

I will be a spirit in heavens, so I don't need a mansion or a horse, I will be flying here and there between GOD, Angels, and other Spirits.....

andremiguel · #7 Jun 19, '12, 12:10 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trishie

http://http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p1s2c1p6.htm
The Catechism of the Catholic Church:

365 The unity of soul and body is so profound that one has to consider the soul to be the "form" of the body:234 i.e., it is because of its spiritual soul that the body made of matter becomes a living, human body; spirit and matter, in man, are not two natures united, but rather their union forms a single nature.

366 The Church teaches that every spiritual soul is created immediately by God - it is not "produced" by the parents - and also that it is immortal: it does not perish when it separates from the body at death, and it will be reunited with the body at the final Resurrection.235

367 Sometimes the soul is distinguished from the spirit: St. Paul for instance prays that God may sanctify his people "wholly", with "spirit and soul and body" kept sound and blameless at the Lord's coming.236 The Church teaches that this distinction does not introduce a duality into the soul.237 "Spirit" signifies that from creation man is ordered to a supernatural end and that his soul can gratuitously be raised beyond all it deserves to communion with God.238

Can you help me?
How do you put that icon beside your usename, where it says God Bless You ? thanks.

Strategos7771 · #8 Jun 22, '12, 10:48 pm

From my understanding spirit is what enables humans to commune with god. I think a better term might be will. The spirit is kind of a bridge between your soul and god and between your soul and the soul of others.

Now if we are talking about gods spirit that's another matter entirely. From my understanding gods spirit is the fundamental laws of the physical universe such as gravity, as well as metaphysical laws like the Ten Commandments. God would preform a miracle through his spirit or rather the Holy Spirit. That's at least how I understand it.

DeepBlueSea · #9 Jun 23, '12, 12:32 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strategos7771

From my understanding spirit is what enables humans to commune with god. I think a better term might be will. The spirit is kind of a bridge between your soul and god and between your soul and the soul of others.

Now if we are talking about gods spirit that's another matter entirely. From my understanding gods spirit is the fundamental laws of the physical universe such as gravity, as well as metaphysical laws like the Ten Commandments. God would preform a miracle through his spirit or rather the Holy Spirit. That's at least how I understand it.

Agree. I was referring to soul & spirit in the context of human beings. Found this in John 4:

But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

I forgot about this until your post reminded me of this.

Strategos7771 · #10 Jul 2, '12, 8:58 pm

From my understanding things like truth and justice are laws and as such would exist through the holy spirit or gods omnipresent will.

Linusthe2nd · #11 Jul 4, '12, 8:15 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by GEddie

Actually, no.

Body is always required, except that in eternity, one goes from "human body" to "pneumatikon soma" (1Co 15).

You never become an angel, whether or not you live in Los Angeles

. A human being is always someBODY.

"The soul" is the person, the human being; or, more specifically, the life in the human being (body). It is not expressed unless there is a body. Bodies hold and express souls.

Spirit comes the Latin word spiritus, breath. Just as we are not physically alive unless we can breathe, we need Heavenly breath (spirit) from GOD to form our Heavenly life and our pneumatikon soma ("spiritual body")

ICXC NIKA

The soul is not the person. The person is the composit being of body and soul. This composit is the person. See the Catholic Catechism or any reliable Scholastic Philosophy text on Philosophical Psychology.