[TruthTalk] Soul

[Terry Clifton]

Izzy, I don't know if the following information will help you much, but The Compact Dictionary of Doctrinal Words" says: Soul:  From the Greek psyche, "the breath of life."  Although most theologians agree that the soul is the immaterial part of a human being, throughout Church history they have debated the relationship of soul to spirit.  Dichotomists hold that the soul and spirit are two names for the same immaterial nature, while trichotomists think soul and spirit are two separate entities.  Dichotomists believe the body consists only of matter and soul; trichotomists maintain the body consists of matter, soul, and spirit. Either Christian view of the soul is different from that of Greek philosophy, which sees the soul as a preexistent entity imprisoned in the body at birth.  At death the soul esscapes its prison, the body, and for eternity remains a disembodied soul.  Christians believe the spirit comes from God.  It is infused into the body and a person becomes a living soul (Gen. 2.7).  At death the spirit returns to God and the body to the dust of the ground.  At the resurrection, spirit and body are again united and the individual again becomes a living soul, this time for eternity. Hope this gives you some help. Terry