What is a soul?
Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 9:53 pm
Is it our ego? Our self awareness? Are our thoughts the product of our soul's work?
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." (Psalm 19:1)
https://discussions.godandscience.org/
Not sure I can give one other than that the bible uses the words transaleted "Souls" in several different contexts. A Soul can mean the Entire Person, or the Mind / thoughts, or the 'Shade' of person - the eniter person after they have died. It can also refer to emotions -- example: My soul stired within me. As used in the bible, the word Soul has several meanings according to the context it is used. One error is to limit the word soul to only one meaning avoiding the context it is used which helps defines soul.ageofknowledge wrote:I would like to see B.W. respond to this question. This is right up his alley.
Well, that is kind of how the word translated soul is used but let's see what other's say as well as the bible.Jac3510 wrote:Sorry BW -- thread is here: http://discussions.godandscience.org/vi ... 19&t=33404
Under the philosophy forum. It was a discussion between K and I a few months back. He defended substance dualism, where I defended composite dualism. The former is a newer position among Christian philosophers; the latter is the position of classical theism. Frankly, one of the reasons I accept the latter is precisely because of issues like the ones Jake brings up. I don't think the concept of us actually being separate souls inside our body can account for these types of objections. But you can read through the thread yourself and see what you think.
That well pretty much covers it, Jac.Jac3510 wrote:...All in all, it seems best to understand the "soul" as simply the "life" and all that derives from that. It is the totality of the person, sometimes emphasizing their desires, feelings, life, body, etc. I haven't seen anywhere in the Bible--especially the OT, which must form our understanding of the NT idea of the "soul"--that a separate, ghostly substance resides inside the body.
Your thoughts?
I think Paul is setting up the hierarchy. Unregenerated, our spirit is "dead." As a result of the Fall, a shift in power has taken place and our spirit has been conquered and thus subjected to or enveloped by our soul. So the chain of command has become soul and then spirit or soul then body then spirit. Either way, it's all screwed up. Since we can only commune with God through the spirit, the spirit must not only be resurrected, but it must be separated from the soul. Hence Hebrews 4:12, the two must be separated in order for the rightful commander to be able to call the plays. (Mmmm...mixed metaphors... )There is a distinction being made in 1 Thess 5:23, is that what we all are trying to look into?