On the Holy Spirit

De Spiritu Sancto

Basil of Caesarea · c. 375 · Greek

Major work
Theology & doctrine
Early Church (shared)
Cappadocian Fathers

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What it is

Basil of Caesarea defends a form of praise that gives glory to the Father "with the Son, together with the Holy Spirit", arguing that the Spirit shares fully in the honour due to God. Along the way he appeals to unwritten traditions handed down in the church alongside Scripture.

Why it matters

A decisive step in the church's teaching on the Holy Spirit, it prepared the way for the Council of Constantinople in 381 and so for the completed doctrine of the Trinity.

Reading it

About 120 pages.

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Influenced by1

Built on
Nicene Creed · Anonymous · 325; expanded 381
On the Holy Spirit extends the Nicene Creed's confession of the Son's full divinity to the Holy Spirit, who is to be glorified with Father and Son.
On the Holy Spirit 10.26; Basil, Letter 125

Influenced1

Built on it
On the Divine Images · John of Damascus · c. 730
John of Damascus's On the Divine Images builds on Basil's principle, from On the Holy Spirit, that the honour paid to an image passes to its prototype.
On the Divine Images I.21; Basil, On the Holy Spirit 18.45

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