The kenosis of the Holy Spirit in the thought of Sergius Bulgakov
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15633/ps.29309Keywords:
Bulgakov, Holy Spirit, Trinity, sophiologyAbstract
Since the theological tradition speaks of the Father acting through His “Two Hands”, and salvation came to humanity through the self-emptying of the Son of God, the question arises about a possible kenosis of the Holy Spirit, which would give the Good News of God’s humbling and saving love a deeper dimension. Sergius Bulgakov, an Orthodox theologian from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, addresses the topic of the kenosis of the Holy Spirit, placing it within the broader context of sophiology, where the dyad “Son–Spirit” holds a special place. The Holy Spirit humbles Himself already within the Trinity, where He transparently reveals the love of the Father and the Son. In creation, He also humbles Himself through sophiological influence on nature, where He cannot manifest the fullness of His power. However, in the hypostatic interaction with human persons, the Third Hypostasis can inspire, sanctify, and indwell—but He cannot immediately and completely deify each person without suspending or destroying the fragile human receptivity to His action and presence.
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