Religious Studies News

A broader theological method of welcoming the Other lies in reconceptualizing the Divine in terms other than Euro-American thought. One approach can be found in understanding the Spirit from a global perspective. My book The Holy Spirit, Chi, and the Other (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011) develops an intercultural understanding of the Spirit that combines the Asian concept of Chi with the Christian understanding of the Holy Spirit in an attempt to facilitate a deeper theological discourse about the divine that is unrestrained by culture, society, and religion. Chi is the Eastern term for life-force energy, which manifests the idea of wind and spirit. Chi is commonly discussed in Asian cultures, but it is also found throughout the world as most, if not all, ethnic groups have a concept of Chi. In the Chinese worldview, Chi is understood as air, breath of life, and vitality. Western language translations of Chi include air, wind, vapor, breath, gas, vital spirit, anger, appearance, intelligence, vital fluid, energy, material force, vital force, and subtle spirits (Rainey, 263). 

Chi and the Christian understanding of the Holy Spirit share many commonalities. The Old Testament ruach and the New Testament pneuma carry the same ambiguity of multiple meanings as does Chi. The word ruach has its etymological origin in air, which manifests itself in two distinctive forms — that of wind in nature and that of breath in living things. Because God as the Spirit manifests herself as wind, or ruach, she is also Chi. Wind symbolizes the power of life in nature, while breath symbolizes the power of life in the living (Karkkainen, 26). Recognizing the similarities between these two perspectives will pave the way for a deeper theological dialogue across cultures, ethnicities, and races. As we recognize the commonality and sameness among people, it will be easier to embrace and accept the Other. Spirit is a universal concept that can be used to discover new methods of addressing, thinking about, and conceptualizing God. A step towards this conceptualization will be to reexamine the notion of Spirit-Chi in order to enable us to embrace hybridity within the modern world. 

Spirit-Chi is beyond culture, religion, and society as it is the undergirding ethos of people around the world. Therefore, the concept of Spirit God can provide a more holistic understanding that extends beyond skin color, culture, religion, and power within society. If people recognize this, it will open up doors for further dialogue, understanding, and acceptance. The more language that we have to talk about the divine, the more we open up our discourse and work towards accepting, welcoming, and embracing those who are different, subjugated, and Othered. It is important to understand God as Spirit-Chi as a way to work towards breaking down barriers that colonialism has securely built up.

The understanding of Spirit God will overcome the dangers of dualism and try to present the goodness of creation. If people can recognize this, it will lead to further dialogue, understanding, and acceptance. An ethos inspired by God as Spirit-Chi has the potential to homogenize and champion the voice of the disparate spiritual Others and promote hybridity within the North American church. Within theological schools, there is an increasing diversity of cultures, ethnicities, faith traditions, and religious backgrounds. Therefore, it is important to recognize similarities within the differences in order to make a large impact on the lives of students. It is important to keep various understandings in mind as one develops a pedagogy that works towards inclusion rather than exclusion within the classroom. And it must be an inclusion of ideas and thoughts, as well as people.

Julia Kristeva writes that the reason we have a hard time living with diversity, whether diversity of ideas, peoples, or nations, is that we do not recognize Otherness in ourselves (see Whelan). As we realize the commonality and sameness between people, it will be easier to embrace and accept the Other. The Spirit-Chi is present in many religious traditions and, as we examine the similar concept of the Spirit, we will begin to see the Otherness in ourselves. Part of theological education is to welcome and embrace the Other. Our conceptions of God need to encourage this and not diminish it. It is a joy to encourage students to think theologically and to think beyond their own boundaries of theological discourse. As students are introduced to new theological ways of understanding the Divine and with new theological methods such as postcolonial theory, it broadens their perspectives of God and helps them to move towards a more sustainable world where people of different races, color, and ethnicities can all live together in love and harmony with one another. When this aspect of teaching is accomplished, there is a great sense of achievement and satisfaction.