The Holy Spirit as Feminine

in the Early Syriac Christian Tradition

Abstract

The Syriac word for ‘spirit’, ruha, which is grammatically feminine like Hebrew ruah, had a great influence on the understanding of the Holy Spirit in the early Syriac Christianity. From the early fifth century onwards, under the increasing prestige of Greek culture, some people began to disapprove of treating the Holy Spirit as feminine, and the word ruha began to be treated as masculine wherever it referred to the Holy Spirit, even by ignoring the grammatical rules of the language. However, many feminine images and metaphors survived and had continuously been used to express the character of the Holy Spirit. Especially, the tradition to understand the Holy Spirit as mother was very strong. By using many maternal images, such as hovering (like a mother bird) and womb, Syriac Christians got a better understanding of the Holy Spirit. It is important for us to be aware of, and to have a sensitivity to, this female imagery already present in the Syriac Christian tradition, for only by gaining this sensitivity, we can attain to a better appreciation of the fullness of the Holy Spirit, not only in its fatherly character but also in its motherly character.