The Spirit and secularisation

Abstract

The existence of creation, especially of life, depends on the work of the third Person. In keeping with his nature as holy, the Spirit undergirds creation by providing separation and relatedness. This activity is, however, not of such a kind as to remove the measure of freedom that God gave through his selflimitation, and that is necessary for creation to occur. It is possible for individuals and society as a whole to ignore the Spirit, and for secularisation to occur. The action of the Spirit also underlies the new creation, which results in a distinctive society, the church, which is characterised by separation and relatedness. Through the church, the Spirit seeks to influence society as a whole by example without removing its freedom. To maintain the validity of this example, the Spirit also seeks to develop the church as a holy society, specifically counteracting the factors that produce secularisation in society.