History of Christian theology is traditionally divided into four main stages, representing also the main periods in historical development of Christian pneumatology: •
Patristic period. The
early Church engaged in a debate over the
divinity of Jesus, with
Arius asserting that the Son is a "creature" or "angel" and
Athanasius countering that the Son possesses divine attributes (such as immutability, transcendence, ability to sanctify, and involvement in creation). Although the debate was not pneumatological in nature, it led to a very similar debate between the
Pneumatomachians and the
Cappadocian Fathers. •
Medieval period. In this period ensued a debate regarding the relationship between Christ and the Holy Spirit. The
Eastern Church asserted that the Holy Spirit "proceeds" from the Father alone (as stated in the
Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed), while
Augustine of Hippo and the medieval
Catholic Church added the "
filioque" clause to the Creed (the Spirit proceeds from the Father "and the Son"). •
Reformation and
Counter-Reformation. Here the relationship between the Spirit and the Scriptures is re-examined.
Martin Luther and
John Calvin hold that the Spirit has a certain "interpretive authority" to "illuminate" scripture, while Counter-Reformation theologians respond that the Spirit has authorized the Church to serve as authoritative interpreter of Scripture. • Contemporary era. The contemporary church understands a distinctive relationship between the Spirit and the Church community. Various contemporary theologians grant the Spirit as authority to govern the church, to liberate oppressed communities, and to create experiences associated with faith. Contemporary pneumatology is often marked by the
Pentecostal Movement. ==See also==