Spiritual Oxygen: Biblical Spirituality for the Twenty-First Century

The adjective spiritual refers to aspects of one's spirit. The idea that each person possesses an immaterial and immortal soul, which is distinct from the body, did not appear in Jewish (biblical) literature before the Babylonian exile. After interacting with Persian and Hellenistic philosophies, the word nephesh entered Hebrew, meaning living being--not the dichotomous Hellenistic meaning. Thus, the biblical soul refers to a living, breathing, conscious body. According to biblical literature, God, like a potter, formed people from clay (dirt) and breathed divine breath into them. Spiritual oxygen refers to the divine breath or spirit given to all living beings. The Hebrew word ruah, which can be translated into English as breath, spirit, or wind, means that everything that breathes is inspirited. When a person breathes the colorless and odorless gas known as oxygen, one is simultaneously inhaling spirit. Thus, biblical spirituality is the process of living one's life in relationship with God while breathing deeply of the divine spirit. Biblical spirituality for the twenty-first century consists of spirits (humans) living and breathing Spirit (God) and being aware of the divine presence in which one lives and moves and has his or her being. This book explores that process.

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