Holy Spirit fully divine; proceeds from Father and Son (Filioque)
Anglicanism affirms the full divinity and personhood of the Holy Spirit as the third person of the Trinity, proceeding from both the Father and the Son (Filioque), in the Western Christian tradition. The Thirty-Nine Articles (Article I) and the creeds confess the Spirit as the Lord and giver of life who, together with the Father and Son, is worshipped and glorified. The Spirit works through Word and Sacrament, illumines Scripture, creates faith, and sanctifies believers.
Anglican pneumatology is broadly Western and does not develop a distinctive theological position on the Spirit beyond the ecumenical tradition. The charismatic renewal movement significantly influenced Anglican churches in the late twentieth century, particularly in the Global South, and charismatic expressions of the Spirit's gifts are now common in many Anglican congregations. The Book of Common Prayer's Confirmation rite and Ordination rite invoke the Holy Spirit for strengthening and commissioning, reflecting a robust pneumatology in liturgical practice.
Key Distinctions
- Personhood:
- third divine person, coequal with Father and Son
- Spiritual gifts view:
- varies — charismatic renewal strong in some provinces; others more cessationist
- Spirit baptism:
- received at Baptism and Confirmation; charismatic 'renewal' distinct in some Anglican contexts
Scripture References
Sources
- Thirty-Nine Articles, Article I (1571)
- Book of Common Prayer, Rite of Confirmation (1662/1979)
- Nicene Creed (Filioque clause)