Spirit (Elements in Religion and Monotheism)

The Element begins by surveying the image of spirit within Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It explores the duality between the experience of spirit 'from beyond' and spirit 'within', and finds a consistency in the idea of spirit as the presence and activity of God in the world. Attention is given to the image of spirit as an 'overflow' in Islam and late Judaism. Moving into discussion of a dialectic between 'spirit' and 'letter', or spirit and written text, gives a context for investigating the place of spirit in the New Testament, modern romanticism and idealism, and finally in the late-modern protest against structures of spirit. Finally, the development of spirit into the 'Holy Spirit' of the Christian doctrine of the Trinity is considered, arguing that an experience of spirit as an inexhaustible relation and flow of love will oppose forces of domination in human life.